Camping trip '09 - another great adventure!

Think 'Pig-Pen' from the Peanuts comics and you'll have what Evan looked like during our entire camping trip. Dusty, dirty little kid.

Dirt = fun when you're a kid.

Timothy Lake is 72 miles from home. Through the trees and past the mountain and down Skyline Road. You'll find us here every August for a few days with friends. This was our 7th camping trip with the Bidwell's, and Evan's 5th outing there. Camping is a part of who he is.

Daddy and Evan tending the fire with 'the stick'. Fire is a 'man thing.' I don't need to poke it.

Day 2. Evan 'considers' going tubing but declines and opts to hang out on the beach instead. He's watched othersh go out, but he's not ready...

Mark went out and was even able to stand while tubing. Way to work those abs!

I love this shot. It's exactly what I love about camping at Timothy Lake. The water, the mountain, the trees, and friends. Steve and Eileen are on the boat and are pulling their daughter Sarah and her beau, Mike. Evan is being towed by the them too. A nice easy stroll around the lake. Meanwhile, I was swimming in the lake, it was so calm and clear this day. We really did have the lake to ourselves! Where was everyone else?!

Evan paddled out a little on his own, but never far from Mom and Daddy.

By Saturday Evan was ready to go tubing. He decided on his own, and he said he wanted to go with Sarah. It's hard to see, but they are on the 2 person raft. Sarah has her arm over him and talked to him the whole way. Steve started off slow and eventually took it as fast as he could go. Evan loved it. After they came in, he wanted to go out again, and they did.

I stood on the shore and just watched in awe. This little boy is growing up and each year he is taking on more and is braver than ever before. We were all so proud of this 'first' in Evan's book.

Sarah and Evan wave from the raft as I push them to shore. Smiles on all faces! Good times.

Sarah and Mike went out to check the crawdad trap one last time at sunset and Evan asked to go with. This time it was a slow leisurely paddle on the lake. I love this picture, I timed it to see those three silhouettes on the lake in the boat. Mike, Evan and Sarah.

I'm always behind the camera so I turned it on myself as I watched that sunset. Eileen had just handed me a frozen Margaretta which tastes even better when you're sitting by a lake with a setting sun.

Sarah, Evan and Mike. Evan had so much fun with these two. They are so good to include him in driving off to collect wood and other adventures.

Steve, Evan, Sarah, Mike and Eileen winding down near the fire. Funny thing, Evan basically excused himself from our group all three nights to go to bed on his own terms. We were shocked the first night when he said he was going into the tent to 'nap' until the morning. He did with no prompting from me. We were equally shocked when he did this the remaining two nights. I asked why he was going to bed so early and he said, "Because I am tired." Wow! I guess that is what camp life does to ya!

Saturday night we cooked up our mini-lobsters and like last year, they tasted great but only made me want to head to nearest Red Lobster for the real thing. It was all fun.

Evan went to bed before we cooked these little guys up but asked if we would save him one to take home to show his friends. His crawdad, Tim (named for the lake) is currently living in the aquarium in Evan's room. Mark found a divider that goes with the tank that keep him away from the fish. Pretty cool. I told Mark that I had a feeling he'd find a way to get out. What do you know, the next morning Mark woke me to tell me that Tim was GONE! I didn't think we'd ever find him in this house of ours filled with toys and other stuff. Mark glanced into the computer room by chance, and there was Tim in the middle of the floor 'walking' around. He had dust bunnies on his antennae, but otherwise appeared OK. We have no idea how long he'd been out of the tank and where else he'd ventured. I'm just glad we found him, alive! Trust me, HE is not getting out again.

Mark read that crawdads make great pets in an aquarium, so I wonder how long Tim will be a part of our family. Don't know if I will be able to eat them next year.

Evan really took to Sarah and I was glad that they had shared that special time on the tube behind the boat. That's not a suntan on Evan's face, again...that's DIRT.

Our friends are way ahead of us in their camper, leading the way to Dairy Queen for a final meal together before we part ways. The view is spectacular. I love, love, love the Pacific Northwest so much. The trees, the mountains, the water, and climate. I do love it. Wish family were closer, but do love where I live.

We made a deal, we'll wake you up at Dairy Queen and we kept our word. He warned us that he was just going to close his eyes...

Evan and Mike get silly at Dairy Queen. Until next year...thanks guys. It was fun. Always is.