Camping

The kids were off school last Fri and today (Mon). The weather has been gorgeous around here. So we decided to take the weekend to go camping! Last year we bought a little pop up camper and we haven't taken it out very much but the Fall is the perfect time to camp in this area. We went to Ellie's soccer game on Sat morning and then packed the camper and headed to Mahoney State Park. The kids love to camp (especially Jack). I enjoy it because it's a break from our usual craziness. We arrived and set up the camper and ate lunch. We walked around the campsite and ended up running into friends from church. Their daughter is in Ellie's sunday school class so Ellie was thrilled to have someone to play with. We then cooked dinner and went to the Lodge to watch some of the NU/Wyoming game. The best part of camping is the smores!! I think that's what the kids look forward to the most. So we cooked smores and headed to bed. Surprisingly enough the kids sleep pretty well in the camper (except when Jack fell out of the camper sound asleep over Memorial Day weekend---YIKES). But all in all they sleep well and didn't get up until almost 8 on Sunday morning. We had a lazy morning and hung around the campsite and went back and talked with our friends. After lunch we went to the Craft center and the kids each painted something and then we went hiking and up the observation tower and then headed home with our usual stop at the Dairy Cone in Ashland! It was a quick camping trip but perfect to get away for a night without cell phones, Facebook, email, etc! But sadly enough when I checked my email I realized that a friend of mine from school and the Mom's Bible Study that I am in got some devastating news this weekend---their son Cole who is 11 was diagnosed with leukemia. To say Jack loves Cole is an understatement. Cole went to our school last year and his sister did the childcare for PTA meetings so my kids got to know them and she has babysat for our family. They are just a super family and my heart breaks for them. Their faith is amazingly strong and they have so many people praying for them. I know God will wrap his arms around them and help them through this. It just truly makes you realize how in the blink of an eye your world can turn upside down in an instant. It gives me peace to know that God is always there through those times. I am praying like crazy for their family. I know I hugged my kids a little tighter now.