Okanogan National Forest

       As long as I can remember, my family and I have taken camping trips every summer. They always included hiking, picnics at the beach, walking through the small towns nearby, and roasting lots of marshmallows! Now, as a parent, I finally have first hand experience at how long it takes to plan for a camping trip, especially with two little ones in tow. Yes, we might of had to listen to Shepherd screaming and crying for the last hour in the car, scare off a rattlesnake that Jeremy was tempted to kill (and eat), play with my dear boy from 2:30am to 8am because he wasn't tired, and fight off the urge to vomit when Jeremy cut his finger from carving wood. But I wouldn't change our first family trip for anything!
             Other than the first night of no sleep with Shep, the kids adjusted into their normal sleeping routines and were in heaven just playing in the dirt and going on multiple hikes around the campground. I asked Ruby what her favorite part was and she said "drinking the hot cocoa." With how well this trip went, I can say that Jeremy and I are very relieved and excited that we can now do what we hoped for and that is travel around camping as a family! We definitely will go on many more trips before the summer ends!

This was a Father-daughter talk about the dangers around our campsite (rattlesnakes) and what the safety rules were.

My mothers day

Our new favorite spot to go as a family...Silver Arrow Bowmen. This is where we went on Mother's Day!  We all had our bows and Ruby even got to shoot with her new bow and arrows that my mom and step dad got her! All the targets are on this course are along a hiking trail that  they've made specifically for shooting with your bow. Its was definitely a great spot to spend with my family on mothers day!!!

Rattlesnake Ridge

         The last time Jeremy and I got to go out without the kids was to see The Hunger Games, which was a bit of a disappointment compared to the book and was very rushed. We went straight to the movie and came straight home.  But last Saturday was a very special treat. My sister-in law gladly watched our kids all day while Jeremy and I went on a hike. We went to Rattlesnake Ridge and completed the 5mile hike to the top. It was so beautiful, but I must admit it reminded me of how afraid I am of heights…it's the kind of fear where I can’t stop thinking of different scenarios in which Jeremy or I would somehow slip off the edge of the cliff. Anyway, we found a safe spot on the top to have some lunch then headed back down. At the bottom was a calm lake that Wyatt fully enjoyed after the hike.  Sometimes you forget how important it is to have time as a couple away from your children. All of our focus could be on each other and we were not interrupted by a crying baby or a poopy diaper, although I wouldn’t change having those moments for the world, well maybe we could do without the poopy diapers!