Ensign Ranch

We went camping!  For one reason or another we never got around to camping last summer as a family and so I really wanted to make sure we went this year.  I booked the camp site almost two months ahead of time because they fill up fast at the camp site I wanted.  I figured Western Washington is usually pretty warm over the summer so any weekend should workout.  Unfortunately it was cold and rainy the entire time.  I struggled to stay positive because it just felt like two days of always being cold.  I didn't warm up until the shortly before we left.  And we did have quite a few fun moments while there.   I just wish it was warmer.

We all experienced sleeping in a teepee for the first time.  If I had known about the weather I would have rented a cabin.  Next time I will get the cabin just in case.  Aside from the wet and cold the teepee was pretty cool.  It did keep the wind out and only the entryway was wet.

Our teepee was even on a little island.  There were only two teepees on there so we didn't feel crowded with campers.  In fact the first night we were the only family on the island.  I always feel more like we are really camping when we aren't 5 feet away from the next family and their cool camping gear.

We went canoeing and I have to say the girls did much better than last year.  They weren't scared at all and they both helped paddle!  A huge improvement.

Leon tried out the paddling once and then decided it wasn't for him.  

We canoed around the island.  See the teepee.

One of the main reasons we chose this campsite was the horses.   Tucker has never ridden one and was asking if he could.  None of the kids were big enough for the trail ride so we did lead rides around the field.

Leon was a little scared at first because he was so high but after a few seconds he realized he was taller than me and that made him happy.

He was making me laugh because he said he was going to talk to the horse then the next sentence would be in a deep raspy voice something like, "hi, I'm batman."  Afterward he kept talking about how he told the horse he was batman.  He seemed to think that he really tricked the horse into believing he was batman.

Bob took the time to teach the kids all a little about fire building.  Tucker was really into it and should be able to build a fire with barely any help next time.

Some of the best times were when we just hung around the campfire trying to keep warm and telling stories.  Bob started off with scripture stories of Nephi's family in the wilderness then it moved onto scary stories and ended with the kids favorite "first I'm gonna getcha then I'm gonna eat ya."  They absolutely loved that story and have been retelling it to each other with different variations since we got back.

The worst part has got to be when Penelope was up at night throwing up.  Starting around dinner she was telling me her stomach hurt.  Then just before bed she threw up.  We put a bucket next to her sleeping bag and thankfully when she threw up in the middle of the night she was able to get in into it.  Can you imagine what it would have been like if she didn't?  Sleeping in a teepee next to poorly cleaned up (we didn't have anything besides paper towels) vomit.  Penelope was such a trooper about it, she never cried and felt back to normal when she woke up in the morning.

The last thing we did before we left was the waterslide.  It was warm before we got there and was supposed to heat up again after we left.  So we stalled as long as possible and then let the kids do the waterslide right before we drove home.  Still way to cold for Bob and I, but most of the kids loved it.  At this point Leon wasn't feeling well so he never tried it.