We just got home from a two night camping trip at Grovers Hot Springs, one of our favorite spots to camp. It was a lot of fun, the kids had a blast! As the day approached threats of all day thunderstorms were predicted by the weatherman.....would be the one time he got it right!! It rained all night and into the morning the day we were to leave. The kids didn't care they wanted to go! So, we took two trucks instead of one just in case we had to sleep in our cars, thank goodness it was pretty dry when we got there (four kids, two adults...could have been really cozy). Campsite #73:
I was really excited we were getting a spot right by the river because those always book up first. Turns out after a huge storm and all the snow melting, NOT so great! Check out this huge rush...
Very pretty, but very scary for me. I did not take my eyes off the kids AT ALL! We did get in a little hike....well okay a stroll. We decided our kids are kind of lazy and really weren't into hiking. We made it to the meadow...
Just a few strolls away from camp and Chase did a huge skid in the road and got this pretty souvenir to bring home with him. Don't let the face fool ya, he cried for a good 5 minutes.
Sadi was done walking once we got to the campsite next to us...I kid you not!! She wanted to be carried, she was tired, she was hungry, thirsty, you name it she used it! Daddy fell for it and carried her most of the way. I convinced her to walk for awhile so she could pick the pretty flowers. This worked pretty good for a bit. She was smiling from ear to ear.
I didn't realize she had a plan in her head and that is why she was smiling. As soon as we got back to camp I thought how nice she wants to play with my hair while I read my book. But she was busy working her magic on my hair.
She made a lovely number on my hair. I'm quite sure this was inspired by Rapunzel. Felt bad I had to take it out, those flowers looked pretty but man they made me sneeze...pretty sure some of those were weeds!
The kids kept busy playing, and Kyle was kind enough to catch Lizards,
Lizards,
and more Lizards! Chase was so brave he wanted to hold one just like the big kids. Pretty sure Matt was hiding about now, he is afraid of them...chicken!
Sadi spent hours gathering pine needles, she called them her bouquets. She said she needed them for her wedding.
Finally it was time for a fire and S'mores. I think that is the first thing Chase asked when we got there (like as soon as we got out of the truck) if it was time to make S'mores. When he finally got to make them this is how close his marshmallow actually came to the fire.
Makes for a pretty fresh S'more. I did discover the perfect combination for S'mores this year: Nature Valley Granola Thins. They have the chocolate already on them!! And we discovered the chocolate swirl marshmallows make the perfect combination.
The veteran roasters do theirs a bit different than the "newbies". It goes something like: ignite, watch burn, blow lightly, devour! Kelsey's Charcoal mallow....ewww, not for me.
And Matt's favorite part of camp is the ghost stories. He came up with a good one about a little boy "Johnny" who fell in the river, the very river we were camped by. In the very site we were in, who drowned and they never found his body, and every night he walked the river looking for little boys to "join" him in the river!! Can you say TOTAL freak out by this one!!!
Pretty sure he didn't sleep to well both nights, and STILL is afraid now we are home...thanks Daddy!! Overall we had an awesome trip, can't wait to go again....maybe to a different, less scary place?
Chase especially thought getting webbed by this huge spider was funny.
Sadi HATED it!! She kicked, she screamed, she wanted out!!! Once out she was happy to stick her face into a bug (as long as it's pretty it's okay).
We even took the kids to their very first concert. Choo Choo Soul was playing (I know you may not know who this is unless you watch the Disney channel). To be quite honest I didn't know who they were. Cash and Mommy rockin it at the concert....isn't he the cutest thing?
After the concert, the kids were ready to ride some of those rides that make my stomach churn (something about movable rides just seems unsafe). Chase was sooo excited to go on the swings with Meghan. Waiting and waiting in line until it was their turn. Guess who chickened out? Not Chase.....Matt. He was convinced Chase would fly out of it and convinced him to go on a less dangerous ride.
The chosen ride....
Chase loved it, and quickly asked to go again, and again. Thank you Daddy! Finally it was time to head to my favorite part of the fair, the animals. This poor thing missed them all....
I don't think Matt's favorite part was the animals because we were racing through the pens. He said we needed to keep "moooving".
We had so much fun, thank you Pedro family for letting us crash your pad!
I have to say the highlight of camp was this....
I really came to appreciate what a wonderful daughter I have. I already knew this but, she really is amazing, and I LOVED being able to spend time with her. 
It was so fun to have then visit, and we can't wait to see them soon!
Some of us took longer than others to get ready in the morning, like Kelsey. She was in the bathroom forever!! Finally she emerged disappointed that she had put her tattoo on her face backwards and it said ASU instead of USA. I held in my huge laugh because apparently this kid still hasn't figured out how a mirror image works!! Hello it's suppose to look backwards in the mirror!! Seriously folks I wonder how this girl gets straight A's sometimes!
another favorite the army jeeps (although they didn't throw out little army men this year :(), 
and this was kind of funny this group painted as a flag that danced to patriotic music,
Sadi was in heaven with all the candy coming her way, she scooped it up and immediately shoved it in her mouth.
I'm not sure if my kids always have Disney on their mind because they were convinced some of the Disney characters also made an appearance. Like Sheriff from Cars,
and yup there he is folks Sadi was sure of it, It's Pinocchio!
This was not my favorite part. Quite a few cowboys thought the kids needed to be up close and personal with their horses and rode over to us so the kids could pet them. The first time this happened Sadi ran fast and far away, it was pretty funny. I couldn't blame her, I wanted to do the same. Those things are big!
After the parade we headed back home and unloaded the enormous mounds of candy they gathered. Seriously this is just Chase's loot, it looks like Halloween. (And by the way did anyone's parade throw miniature candy bars? Don't they know those things melt in the sun?)
Matt had to go to work so we met up later that night. We went and parked in the parking lot by his work. He was able to come out and sit with us for the show, and it was a good one!
The kids reactions this year were different than I expected. Chase covered his ears the entire time, 
and this one giggled her little butt off!!
