Father's Day Weekend at Tally Lake

We're trying to have a G&K Parker family camping trip every year and this marks the second year we've done it. Not everyone is able to make it but it sure is a good time for those of us that can make it! We've done it on Fathers Day weekend each time so far and its been wonderful.

We left Thursday and didn't make it to Tally till about 10:15pm. We had about 15mins till the sun was fully down. We did end up finishing setting up in the dark but it wasn't too bad. It was a very early night for all of us. Everyone showed up pretty late.

The boys did great sleeping in the trailer even though it was a bit chilly that first night. They are learning to stay under their covers thats for sure.

We charged a little "reunion" fee this time and used that money to buy food so we could all have all the breakfasts and one meal together. It worked out pretty well. Definitely have to keep that going. Brilliant idea.

The men all headed back into Kalispell Friday morning to get some stuff that was forgotten and get a few extras. Us ladies and the kids hung around and kept the fire going. hard stuff. My mom got a nap with Max and Cassandra kept an ear out for Evan while she and Amie napped and I took the four little boys down to the water. It was a bit chilly but they all had a good time throwing rocks in the water and getting a bit wet.

Got Amie chopping some wood. haha 

Off on our Adventure

These boys sure had a fun time exploring. We got back and everyone woke up and we had some lunch.It was just a slow lazy day.  Becky and kids and Phoenix showed up in the evening and added to the fun crazniess going on. 

Max was so dang cute running around all day in his batman jammies. haha 

cousins in a hammock.

Grandpa giving them a ride. Oh the giggles

These boys played out in the trees! Sometimes all you could here was them laughing.

Mom and I coming back from Kayaking. Sean saw the "flying boats" and he "needed to ride them"

Story time

Maddie!

Daddy and Sean

Mommy and Sean. We did get Max out there too. He LOVED it. 

Gotta love these two! Well three because that little bear bum is a cutie too

This child has never napped so easily and well in his life

Seans injuries. Mosiquito bites to the forehead. Swollen eye from falling off the table and face planting. and then scratching his chin as well. Such a mess.

He's READY! haha Greg's favorite thing about kids is when they are old enough for this

Sean was very good at pulling the Kayaks up so they wouldn't swim away. He was actually a little obsessed with it...

THERE'S A WINDOW!

The sun was only coming in spurts so they dove in when they could!

I know where Max gets his modeling skills from now.

This was on our way to Spokane. But such a poser

Beautiful view

It poured Saturday Evening. It had been raining off and on all day but around 6:30 it just let loose! Even had a bit of Thunder! luckily everyone stayed fairly dry.. those in the tents... not so much but nothing drying beside the fire couldn't fix! 

We played a few games but mostly just sat around the fire talking. It was great! We'll have to add some more games in when Kids are older!

It was such a fun family trip! One Day I hope that the whole family will come! Life just slows when you're out in the mountains and no one has cell service. Its a wonderful thing! I'm thinking in a few years when the cousins are just a bit bigger we'll have to put them all in one tent. They would love that! But I'm not doing that till mine know how to put themselves back under the covers when they get cold. haha

Yay for summer and More camping adventures to come!

Spokane Weekend

June 9-12 we went to Spokane. My Grandma Riggin passed away so we packed our camper and went down for a quick visit!
of course with a potty training child we had to stop to pee. Dan is trying to convince him to pee in the trees. Sean wasn't quite sure. haha so cute.

We went through BC on the way down and of course had to stop in Sparwood at the big green truck. Sean and Max were in heaven! haha oh man. Especially Sean.

Max loved all the puddles. messy kid.

Up to Sparwood the kids were doing alright in the car. There had been some crying and screaming. Mostly on Evan's part because that kid HATES his carseat! HATES! and he HATES sleeping on his back. so you can kind of imagine why he was being very loud!

He did fall asleep in spurts. 20 mins give or take. golly.

After our Sparwood stop Max crashed in the car. YAY for that. Sean watched a movie and all was fairly calm.

We got to the border as Sean HAD to pee. He kept telling us and we said he needed to wait just a few more minutes. Once we got to the guard at the window he started saying I gotta pee! Really loud and then screaming I DON'T LIKE IT! I DON'T LIKE IT! it was all the border patrol could do not to laugh. He just directed us to the bathrooms and man did that kid have to pee! He did manage to keep his pull up dry the entire time!

We got to Liberty Lake around 7pm. we had left Lethbridge at 10am. It was a longer drive then it should have been. oh man. WE got the last campsite they had left and set up. Sean and Max and Evan were so glad to be out of the car and the older two had space to run. We met some other nice campers that were glad to let sean and max come explore their sight and play with the toys they had for their kids.

this was our "fire pit" lame. but the boys sure loved it

The best picture of Max. I swear all my pictures of him are blurry! this kid is NEVER still!

Friday was the funeral and we went into spokane and drove around for a while. We were going to stop at Walmart for some things but when Evan and Max were both sleeping we just let them sleep and we kept driving. It was heaven. We stopped at Manito gardens, or as Sean called it the Tree Park, briefly but it was rainy and chilly so we only let him out for a bit.

At this point Max and Evan woke up so we headed to Costco and got a new camping chair for Dan and some lunch.

Then we headed over to the church and met up with Tycy and her kiddos and went to the Funeral.  It was nice to see some cousins that I haven't seen in Years. I got to visit with some of them and go to the family dinner they had afterwards at a buffet. Had some good visiting with an Aunt as well. The boys enjoyed the food and running around like hoodlums.

We made it back to Liberty Lake with still some light in the day so we took them to the park and down to the Lake. They played like crazy at the park and walking down to the lake Is when Sean had his first accident. about 100M from the bathroom. so close. oh well they both went for a little swim so it wasn't too bad.

 Fearless boy! just waded right in! haha

They slept really well that night. Our camping neighbors invited us over to enjoy their fire (they actually had a pit) and so after the boys were in bed we went over and had a good visit and some good laughs! I like meeting new people while camping! They were super nice people!

The boys played pretty well as we packed up.

They even did so much better in the car as we drove. Max and Evan slept almost the entire way to Tycy's house! Sean watched a movie or two and Daniel and I actually got to talk. Best part of the road trip! haha Silence from the kids!.

We got to Tycy's and Sean was in heaven with his cousins! This kid loves having friends and cousins around all the time. He goes into withdrawal without them. haha.
We made breakfast in the morning and then went to church with them. We even pawned Max off into nursery with Sean. talk about Heaven! August can't come soon enough! As always it was never a long enough visit with my sister! Sheesh. Why does she gotta live hours away??

The boys drove home really well too! Evan is starting to accept his fate when he's in the car seat! hallelujiah!

It was a quick trip with lots of driving but a good trip nontheless!