Camping with the Bottom Two!

This last Friday night was our ward campout.  Well, it didn't turn out to be an official campout.  The official campout was cancelled and then rescheduled again but hardly anyone that our kids knew where going.  By the time Tom got all the camping stuff together and waited for the kids to get home from school, he would have gotten up to the ward campsite too late.  So, Tom decided to take the bottom two kids and head to the hills (Granite Flat Campground in the Tonto National Forest) all by themselves.  He actually prefers it that way.  Tom says that when he goes on a Father and Son's or a ward campout, all the parents end up talking to each other and the kids all run around in little packs.  There isn't really much one on one time in those situations.  So, they packed the truck after school, headed to Fry's to get the essential camping items (hotdogs, marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars) and headed out on their adventure!

Tom said that as soon as they got the tent set up, Hailey immediately changed into her pajamas and wanted to get all "snuggly in the tent" (as she put it!)  Tom told her it was still too early and they wanted to explore a little and make a fire.  So, the pj's had to wait!  ha ha

Tom:  We went on a short hike then came back to get a fire started.  The kids favorite part about the fire was making the hot dogs and the s'mores.   After some songs, we made up a story with each person telling a bit of it.  We began with, "It was a dark and stormy night...,".  Spencer said, "Dad--ALL of your scary stories start with that line!"  ha ha!   Finally, Hailey got her wish to get in her PJ's and we snuggled up in the tent to watch, "The Lorax."  With the tent windows open and no rain fly we were sleeping out under the stars.  Hailey commented, "I just can't believe I'm out camping!"  Then later, during the movie Hailey said, "I just forgot was outside camping!"  We all were having a ball and fell asleep about 10pm...or thereabouts.   The next morning, Spencer got up 1st and made the fire...with just a few extra matches.  For breakfast, we ate more graham crackers (in the rush to get out, I forgot to get the oatmeal out of the pantry).  While we were putting out the campfire, Spencer burned his finger a little on a big rock near the fire.  :(  He frequently gets burned at campouts---not sure why!?  He didn't let him slow him down though.  

Guess what?  Hailey lost her 2nd tooth while they were camping.  They saved it in the first-aid kit so the tooth fairy would come when she got home!

LOVE THOSE LITTLE FRECKLES!

The next morning Tom and the kids went 4-wheeling in the truck and stopped off to do a bit of hiking around the area.  on their hiking adventure, they found the most beautiful white flowers.  Hailey called them the "giant white American flowers!"  ha ha

I love this next picture of them way up on the rock.  I get nervous when my kids are near ledges, way up high . . . so I guess it's a good thing that I wasn't there!

When the kids got home, we had monster pancakes and scrambled eggs waiting for them.  Then, Spencer and Hailey got to play their favorite game-- "Mine Craft."  Around 5:00 Spencer had a flag football game and they won!  Spencer caught a pass for a touchdown and also a 2 point conversion!  He did a really great job! 

On the way home from his game, he told his dad, "I can't believe this day!  This morning I went camping, then came home and played, then won my football game.  This has been one of the best days ever!!!"  Tom: I couldn't agree more!