Bruneau Campground

Adrienne:

The first batch of photos from our camping trip to Bruneau sandunes! It was hot and windy, but it was great to see each other after several months!

Girls Road Trip

 Adrienne and Melanie were going to Seattle, so they invited Annalina to join them. They camped and played and had such a good time. Adrienne was so kind as to share pics with me. A mom treasures these things, for sure!

In A Cabin In The Woods

We went camping in May to Stub Steward State Park and really loved it. It is right along the Banks-Vernonia Trail and they have some wonderful cabins to stay in. A few months ago we decided to spend Thanksgiving with our own little family in a cabin. So I reserved one and on Wednesday afternoon we headed out! Since I was able to get the pet friendly cabin, Gidget got to accompany us!

We stopped by Main Street Pizza in Banks and picked up some dinner, YUM! We had a nice break in the rain so we could unload our supplies and then the rain started again. Our cabin was tucked farthest back from the parking area...and the bathrooms! I loved the location. It was so clear that first night we could see so many beautiful stars! Although the cabins were all reserved, it was very quiet and many of the cabins stood empty! Perhaps we were brave to face the rainy cold weather. Once inside the cabin we turned up the heat and settled in, it was really cozy.

It rained heavily through the night and all of Thanksgiving. So we decided to postpone our cornish game hen/corn on the cob and baked potato dinner until Friday and had crock pot stew instead. We stayed indoors and played scrabble and Cranium. We napped and the kids played some video games. Normally we would not have let them bring along their DS and games, but since we knew we would be indoors a lot, we made an exception! Friday was beautiful, alternating between blue skies and deep fog. Adrienne and I took Jake out and about and had a Senior Picture photo shoot. It was fun! The kids did a lot of playing outside and Richard built a roaring fire over which we made doughboys with a yummy pumpkin filling. I am so thankful for my family!













My big furry bear!!!

Camping Fun With Adrienne

Adrienne is so much fun! While camping she was telling us how her seminary teacher had looked up everyone's names and shared them with the whole class. It seems there were many beautiful and uplifting meanings, such as beauty, beloved, visionary, favored of God, and such. Adrienne means "dark one". She teasingly asked me why I named her darkness and from then on we joked and had fun with her name meaning. Kinda funny, Annalina means graceful light. So our light haired daughter is name for darkness and our dark haired daughter's name means light! Hmmmm.

Anyway, we so enjoy having Adrienne with us still. I realize she could have chosen two years ago to move on with her life and go off to school. I am grateful that she is happy here with us for the time being. I know she will leave us one day, but I am so happy I get to see her each day and watch her with his siblings. She is kind and generous and full of compassion. There have been days I just could not function properly in my role as mother and she has gladly jumped in and taken care of kids or dinner or whatever else has needed doing. She is a great example to our entire family and I am so proud of her!

Now, without further ado...Adrienne in all her silliness!! Camera shy? I think NOT!