It has been far too long since I have contributed to the blog. I know that I am a slacker and need to make more time for this since it will be a journal for our family. Also, since Rachel was unable to attend the fathers and sons outing I need to fill in the spaces. 
The fathers and sons outing is one of my favorite things to do with the boys every year. I remember the times that I had with my own father and it brings back such great memories and I want to provide those same memories for my sons. This year we headed up a little early so that we could partake in the Turkey lunch that was provided at noon. One of the members goes up the night before and then preps and burries turkeys along with very hot rocks to help cook them. I think that this year the rocks were alot too hot and the turkey was similar to tree bark. We choked down the turkey along with some sweet rolls that we brought. We said hi to everyone at the site and then headed back to our familiar area where we make camp every year. It was fun to set up the camp site and have the boys help me with the tent. It took us about 10 mintues to get everything set up and in place. We then grabbed our fishing poles, worms and other bait and headed for a lake. We spoke with a local who told us about this awesome fishing hole that he goes to and pulls fish out of all the time. The city slickers that we are, we got all excited at the prospect of finding some elusive spot known only to the locals. Alas, there were several other vehicles when we got there. We got out of the truck and headed down the path to
find our dinner (I actually thought that I would not bring anything to eat and rely on our sweet fishing skills to provide dinner....I am not that dumb!). We got to the bank of the lake and got out the worms and started to go Vlad the implailer on the worms. The boys squealed upon holding the worms and I saw that it would be up to me to do the hooking. I didn't want them to hook themselves while trying to hook the worm. We cast the worms out there and waited. We waited some more. Nothing. Not even bubbles. The fish didn't even bother to tease us. We tried power bait and salmon eggs. Nothing! I could not let my boys be dissappointed in their father and be concerned about my ability to provide for them in the wild. I tried and no fish were to be had. I wanted to blame it on the time of day or the weather conditions, but whatever the reason we didn't get anything. I don't think the boys even noticed. 
They were having too much fun wander around and throw rocks into the water (this did not help with the fishing for sure). After an hour we climbed back up the hill and headed back to camp. Of course, many of my friends knew that we had taken off to go fishing and stopped by to see our haul. I got lots of grins when I informed them that we had not caught anything. Everyone is a comedian.
The fathers and sons outing is one of my favorite things to do with the boys every year. I remember the times that I had with my own father and it brings back such great memories and I want to provide those same memories for my sons. This year we headed up a little early so that we could partake in the Turkey lunch that was provided at noon. One of the members goes up the night before and then preps and burries turkeys along with very hot rocks to help cook them. I think that this year the rocks were alot too hot and the turkey was similar to tree bark. We choked down the turkey along with some sweet rolls that we brought. We said hi to everyone at the site and then headed back to our familiar area where we make camp every year. It was fun to set up the camp site and have the boys help me with the tent. It took us about 10 mintues to get everything set up and in place. We then grabbed our fishing poles, worms and other bait and headed for a lake. We spoke with a local who told us about this awesome fishing hole that he goes to and pulls fish out of all the time. The city slickers that we are, we got all excited at the prospect of finding some elusive spot known only to the locals. Alas, there were several other vehicles when we got there. We got out of the truck and headed down the path tofind our dinner (I actually thought that I would not bring anything to eat and rely on our sweet fishing skills to provide dinner....I am not that dumb!). We got to the bank of the lake and got out the worms and started to go Vlad the implailer on the worms. The boys squealed upon holding the worms and I saw that it would be up to me to do the hooking. I didn't want them to hook themselves while trying to hook the worm. We cast the worms out there and waited. We waited some more. Nothing. Not even bubbles. The fish didn't even bother to tease us. We tried power bait and salmon eggs. Nothing! I could not let my boys be dissappointed in their father and be concerned about my ability to provide for them in the wild. I tried and no fish were to be had. I wanted to blame it on the time of day or the weather conditions, but whatever the reason we didn't get anything. I don't think the boys even noticed. They were having too much fun wander around and throw rocks into the water (this did not help with the fishing for sure). After an hour we climbed back up the hill and headed back to camp. Of course, many of my friends knew that we had taken off to go fishing and stopped by to see our haul. I got lots of grins when I informed them that we had not caught anything. Everyone is a comedian. 
When we got back to camp we started a camp fire and I worked with Boston to shoot the bbgun. Boston became the lone ranger and spent an hour shooting at bottles that I had brought on the trip. He was really feeling important and had a great time. Ethan spent most of his time around the fire and finding wood with Uncle Craig. My dad and brother showed up a little later in the afternoon and we started to get dinner going. 
It was hot dogs and hamburgers and lots of other junk food. I always have a problem when it comes to camping and the type of food that I purchase. I love to buy lots of junk. Not just a little bit, but a lot! There were candy bars of all types and chips and soda. That is great and all, but I failed to watch the amount of junk that Boston was consuming. He was pounding some serious candy bars and soda. He also had a hot dog and one whole time of pringles. I thought that I had been watching him closely, but I was not. We finished dinner and then headed over to the main site where the majority of the members were. We had a meeting around the main fire and it was nice to hear testimony bore about the gospel, missionary work, etc. I really hope that my boys felt the spirit that was there. I did my best to help them identify that spirit. I am sure that they felt something, but they spent most of their time throwing things into the fire or at each other. After the meeting we headed back to camp. We spent the rest of the evening talking and telling stories. It is always nice to reminisce about the follies of our youth. The boys had a great time with the fire and I had to stay on top of Ethan. Ethan wanted to have a stick with fire as he put it. He wanted to walk around the camp ground with a stick on fire and fight bad guys. As much as I appreciated his efforts to protect us I did not want to be responsible for a large forrest fire. It was still pretty dry up there and fires were almost not allowed. Eventually things started to wind down and I got the boys ready for bed. Boston and Ethan were still pretty pumped and excited but soon they were drifting off to sleep. It got COLD! When you are from the valley you forget what cold is. We are talking 30 degrees. It is not easy to get and stay warm when it gets down that low. I could not really fall asleep because Ethan keep kicking out of his sleeping back and crying that he was cold. He finally stopped doing that around 2:00 a.m. Around 3:00 a.m. I was just drifting off to sleep when Boston wakes and calls my name. I look over at Boston and ask him what he needs. He just looks up and starts blowing chunks all over his sleeping bag and pajamas. Luckily it all stayed in his area. I was so tired I thought for a second that maybe he would go back to sleep and we could clean it up in the morning! I knew that wouldn't work so I got out of my finally warm sleeping bag and took Boston's shirt off and left his bag there and walked across the freezing camp site to the truck. I got Boston into the truck and got some blankets and made a little bed for him out of the back seat. I started the truck and got the hot air going as quickly as I could. We eventually warmed up and I spent the next three hours trying to sleep sitting up. Not a very restful night, but memories were made. In the morning as Boston is getting out of the truck he looks up at me and asks if he can have a reeses peanut butter cup! 
I told him no way. I wanted to strangle him for even asking! We picked up the camp site and packed everything away and headed over to the main camp to have some breakfast. It was breakfast burritos and we all ate and felt a little better. After breafast we headed back over the the camp and made sure the fire was out and that we had left it better than we found it. We then headed home. The trip went pretty quick and we made good time. We were home by 10:30 a.m. and were able to get a lot done. I hope that next year is a little less eventful and I will be sure to either bring less candy or watch Boston more closely (more than likely I will be wearing barf at 3:00 a.m.!)
It was hot dogs and hamburgers and lots of other junk food. I always have a problem when it comes to camping and the type of food that I purchase. I love to buy lots of junk. Not just a little bit, but a lot! There were candy bars of all types and chips and soda. That is great and all, but I failed to watch the amount of junk that Boston was consuming. He was pounding some serious candy bars and soda. He also had a hot dog and one whole time of pringles. I thought that I had been watching him closely, but I was not. We finished dinner and then headed over to the main site where the majority of the members were. We had a meeting around the main fire and it was nice to hear testimony bore about the gospel, missionary work, etc. I really hope that my boys felt the spirit that was there. I did my best to help them identify that spirit. I am sure that they felt something, but they spent most of their time throwing things into the fire or at each other. After the meeting we headed back to camp. We spent the rest of the evening talking and telling stories. It is always nice to reminisce about the follies of our youth. The boys had a great time with the fire and I had to stay on top of Ethan. Ethan wanted to have a stick with fire as he put it. He wanted to walk around the camp ground with a stick on fire and fight bad guys. As much as I appreciated his efforts to protect us I did not want to be responsible for a large forrest fire. It was still pretty dry up there and fires were almost not allowed. Eventually things started to wind down and I got the boys ready for bed. Boston and Ethan were still pretty pumped and excited but soon they were drifting off to sleep. It got COLD! When you are from the valley you forget what cold is. We are talking 30 degrees. It is not easy to get and stay warm when it gets down that low. I could not really fall asleep because Ethan keep kicking out of his sleeping back and crying that he was cold. He finally stopped doing that around 2:00 a.m. Around 3:00 a.m. I was just drifting off to sleep when Boston wakes and calls my name. I look over at Boston and ask him what he needs. He just looks up and starts blowing chunks all over his sleeping bag and pajamas. Luckily it all stayed in his area. I was so tired I thought for a second that maybe he would go back to sleep and we could clean it up in the morning! I knew that wouldn't work so I got out of my finally warm sleeping bag and took Boston's shirt off and left his bag there and walked across the freezing camp site to the truck. I got Boston into the truck and got some blankets and made a little bed for him out of the back seat. I started the truck and got the hot air going as quickly as I could. We eventually warmed up and I spent the next three hours trying to sleep sitting up. Not a very restful night, but memories were made. In the morning as Boston is getting out of the truck he looks up at me and asks if he can have a reeses peanut butter cup! I told him no way. I wanted to strangle him for even asking! We picked up the camp site and packed everything away and headed over to the main camp to have some breakfast. It was breakfast burritos and we all ate and felt a little better. After breafast we headed back over the the camp and made sure the fire was out and that we had left it better than we found it. We then headed home. The trip went pretty quick and we made good time. We were home by 10:30 a.m. and were able to get a lot done. I hope that next year is a little less eventful and I will be sure to either bring less candy or watch Boston more closely (more than likely I will be wearing barf at 3:00 a.m.!)
