We had a lot of fun this past weekend. We packed up and took the kids 3 hours North-West to a little camping spot where we were to meet up with my family. It was kind of a last hurrah before tending to the wedding festivities- which is less than 2 weeks away!! Hooray! Needless to say, the kids had a blast. There was always something to do, and for once the fishing was great! We picked up a couple of poles for the kids- including one for my niece, Kara, and they all spent hours fishing (or pretending to fish, as the case may be). Here’s a picture of the three of them on the dock:
And here’s a picture of the victorious Abigail. She caught 3 fish this weekend. She was so excited, and so patient! She would hold onto that pole and wait and wait…I am so glad her patience was rewarded. 
Here’s a picture of myself fishing with my two beauties. It was just awesome to spend time with the two of them doing something silly and enjoyable.
Then there was the countless hours of fun with their cousin Kara. Here the camp was being attacked by some very scary snakes. =) 
There was also plenty of time for rest and relaxation. This quickly became Abigail’s favorite spot for the weekend. Here she is looking at a bird book with Grandpa.
And what would camping be without a bit of rain. We found out that our tent still leaks and is in serious need of some seam sealer. But at least it was just a little rain, we had one good rain shower, but there was no hazardous weather or wind, and the rain never lasted long. 
And finally, here are the kids enjoying one last snack of cookies together before heading home. 
Overall, it was a very fun weekend. We found out that Andy does enjoy fishing, so we’ll have to get him a fishing pole before our next adventure. I also was able to learn how to fillet fish, and after about 5 of them, I think I could handle it again if needed. Mom and Dad had been up at the camping spot most of the week, so all told we were able to catch enough fish for everyone to have a fillet or two with Saturday night’s dinner. A little oil and a corn meal coating made some tasty fresh fish fillets.
We would have enjoyed slightly warmer weather. It never really got hot enough to spend time at the beach, and it also would have been nice for the rowdy campers to go away. It’s pretty sad when we return home and enjoy the quiet at home vs. the noise of the woods. Of course, the same could be said for fresh air. Last night there was a great breeze blowing in our bedroom, and we reflected how it was nice to not have the smell of pit toilets wafting our way. And now we have a mountain of laundry to tend to, as everything smells like smoke- even the clothes we didn’t wear. And we need to set the tent back up and let it air out before washing, re-sealing, and putting it away. So I best head off to the laundry.
Muggy and hot weather is ahead for the next several days, so I’m unsure how much cooking will be going on. I guess it depends on whether or not I turn the air on. After being chilly this past weekend, it feels good to be hot. And with Lizzie’s wedding less than two weeks away, I might get a bit busy until that is said and done with. But I will do what I can… it is summer after all.