Cougar {Part Two}

Aside from the amazing swimming hole with the beautiful view, 

our favorite part of camping is the nightly campfire.

We're all dirty from a day of swimming & playing, our bellies are that perfect amount of full: satisfied from a yummy dinner, but with just enough room for three (or more) smores, and the children are about out of steam.

This year's camping trip was full of different visitors.

Josh's brother Samuel & his girlfriend Tiffanie (picutred above) stayed two nights with us; Josh's parents came (in the next post), as did my sister (also in the next post).  My nephew Isaiah brought his best friend Antonio, whom the twins adore (!) and my parents brought their dogs- Sunny (an Old English Sheep Dog) and Abby (a Yorkie).

Isaiah is a marshmallow master!

The boys might say that fishing takes a close second to campfire.

By the end of our camping trip they were upset, though, that they hadn't caught anything, and figured out that their poles didn't have "hookers" (their word, not mine!) like Papa and Daddy. Hahaha!

(btw, this picture kills me. I love it so much. the boys, their fishing stances that exactly mirror one another, the lake...)

I also love camping because of the father it brings out in Josh.  He loves to teach them to fish, to work with them on swimming, to show them nature and watch them explore.

I absolutely love this picture.

When I was in Alaska from January to May last year, 

there were two things I desperately missed.

Rain and grass.

I went over four months without seeing even a drop of rain,

and I longed for summer days spent sitting in the grass.

We certainly didn't take any of our nature for granted this summer!

The grass, the trees, the leaves...

We also didn't take space for granted.

After being cooped up together in our house for five months,
allowing the boys to spread out felt like such a privilege.

At camping we would let them play at the picnic table the next camp site over.
You could hear them crashing cars, making explosive noises
and chasing each other around the fire pit.  

Every time we saw a chipmunk (pictured) or a squirrel the boys would squeal with excitement.
There were lots around our site, I imagine because of my messy eaters!

My dad and I took the boys to the end of the dock and gave it a good rock.
The boys were giggling nervously.
It was pretty cute.

I love that I don't just camp here with my own family (Josh and the boys), but that my parents come, too, and get to experience a second generation enjoying this beautiful place they discovered when their own kids were little.

Wyatt's been camping since he was five weeks old, so he's an old pro by now.
He was perfect then, and was perfect this time.
I'm so glad all my kids love it so much!

One of the mornings, my dad took the boys off my hands.
I didn't ask questions, just let him take them.

They came back with these pictures and soaking wet clothes.

I think that's why they love camping.

It's always an adventure!