Recently my dad had the brilliant idea of having a family camp out. At first I wasn't so sure about it since, really do I seem the camping type? Not that I don't like it, I just hadn't been in like ten years so it took me a while to warm up to the idea.
Apparently nobody else thought I would ever warm up to something like that because everyone that I told (in-laws, friends) would reply, "You're going camping?" To which I would reply in my whiniest voice, "Why is that so hard to believe?!" So here are the pictures to prove how tough of a camper I am.
Actually, it is mainly lots of pictures of the kids because they're adorable campers.
Aly was the fun mom and brought the swing ... and of course I was there to capture every magical camping moment...
Brynn:
Lizzie:
Aly also brought their hammock. They seriously camp in luxury.
More swing.
Sara couldn't come because the babies aren't super camp-able yet, so Philip and I brought Oakley with us. Let me tell you, watching someone else's kid in the potentially dangerous wilderness with potentially dangerous activities can be a little bit stressful.
Amy, who still won't admit that I'm her favorite aunt:
Caleb, same situation as above:
The kids found a caterpillar that they named Fuzzy. I know, brilliant name huh?
Oakley thought that Fuzzy was amazing.
And based on the number of pictures I took of this encounter, apparently I thought Fuzzy was amazing too.
Come on though, have you seen anything cuter?
Right about now is when Fuzzy stopped moving, and Oakley said lovingly to him, "Here Fuzzy, eat some rocks." When that didn't work, he tried feeding him fishy crackers. It was so painfully adorable, it almost made me want a two year old of my own.
Um, yeah, he's cute.
I only got like two pictures of Melvin, who was behind planning the whole thing, and this is one of them. Thanks again Dad!
Guess what: taking pictures through a campfire produces blurry pictures. Just fyi. So here's the blurry camping half of Jake's family.
Camping Lindbloms! Oh, one thing to note is that we didn't sleep in a tent, we just made a bed in the back of Philip's truck, and it was amazingly warm and cozy. I think my favorite memory of the trip was us laying in the bed waiting until we saw a shooting star, then both gasping audibly when we saw an amazing one. Sigh, it was as romantic as camping gets.
Kirk and Aly and their girls. Seriously, they are the poster family for cute camping and family fun.
The kids decided to be really awesome and tried to move giant logs around.
I'm not going to lie, it was way funner to watch than it probably was for them to do.
Does anybody else want to brush Noelle's hair out of here eyes?
Kirk's Jeep was definitly the cool car, and the kids played in it all morning and all wanted to ride with him.
If this isn't the most precious thing I've ever seen, I'm not sure what is.
Kirk and Aly and their girls. Seriously, they are the poster family for cute camping and family fun.
The kids decided to be really awesome and tried to move giant logs around.
I'm not going to lie, it was way funner to watch than it probably was for them to do.
Does anybody else want to brush Noelle's hair out of here eyes?
Kirk's Jeep was definitly the cool car, and the kids played in it all morning and all wanted to ride with him.
If this isn't the most precious thing I've ever seen, I'm not sure what is.
I recently learned from a photographer friend not to ruin moments by telling kids to look at you and say cheese. Whoopsies.
That morning we went canoeing at the Blue Ridge Reservoir, which was amazingly beautiful.
That morning we went canoeing at the Blue Ridge Reservoir, which was amazingly beautiful.Nielson girls and Oakley:
Have I ever mentioned that Philip is adorable with kids? Because you would want to die if you saw it, it is THAT cute.
If only we looked as pretty as the background...
Okay, so I was watching the other kids when this all happened, so I didn't quite see how it happened, but we had a small accident as soon as we touched the water. Um, what I saw was Marissa and Noelle freaking out-ish, them tipping water out of the canoe, and the girls getting soaked up to their waists.
In a word: hilarious.
I helped best by taking pictures.
In the meantime, here's more cute kids.
Have I ever mentioned that Philip is adorable with kids? Because you would want to die if you saw it, it is THAT cute.
If only we looked as pretty as the background...
Okay, so I was watching the other kids when this all happened, so I didn't quite see how it happened, but we had a small accident as soon as we touched the water. Um, what I saw was Marissa and Noelle freaking out-ish, them tipping water out of the canoe, and the girls getting soaked up to their waists.
In a word: hilarious.
I helped best by taking pictures.
In the meantime, here's more cute kids.
Despite Oakley's face, it was super fun.
Poor Jake was the only adult in a canoe with kids too young to be helpful. Caleb had an oar, but I think he hindered more than helped, because they often ended up facing rocks and making sharp turns or going backwards.
My husband, the unibomber. Poor thing had gotten sunburned already and didn't want to make it worse, hence the hoodie. Check out the scenery though, talk about post card material.
I know, right? Uncanny resemblence. Mine's cuter though.
My husband, the unibomber. Poor thing had gotten sunburned already and didn't want to make it worse, hence the hoodie. Check out the scenery though, talk about post card material.
I know, right? Uncanny resemblence. Mine's cuter though.
And yay! End of canoeing and camping! Thanks again Dad for providing such a lovely trip for us! Let's do it again super soon!
We really had so much fun, the only thing that could have made it better is if more of the family could have come. Sad face. I've decided that the two things I hate most about camping though is being cold (it makes me a little bit miserable) and having to be so dang prepared. Like you have to take EVERYTHING with you and if you forget something, you're screwed.. Ugh, too much thought and preparation.
Other than that, seriously delightful.
Do you want to hear something funny? I kept thinking that I didn't take that many pictures of our 24 hour trip...hmm, I guess I was wrong.
