The Annual Camping Trip

Well somewhat annual.  Last year Rachel, Molly and I wanted to get together to camp again on Winnie, but didn't plan enough in advance so it didn't happen.  Luckily, this year we thought ahead - way back in May - and set a date.  I guess it is another reminder that life keeps getting busier with work and family.  Hopefully from now on it can stay an annual trip for us college girls and our families.

Anthony, Clara and Ella had a blast playing in the tent after it got put up.  It was great to spend time together with the girls and see how much they have grown and changed!  Unfortunately, the weather was super cold and crappy for most of the weekend.  The kids were mostly bundled up and there wasn't a long, lazy day at the beach.  Oh well.  They found lost of other things to occupy their time.

On a side note, it was wonderful to sleep in our tent yet again.  (Thanks to lots and lots of quilts supplied by Rachel so I could stay warm!) We haven't done a lot of tenting in the past few years and it is something I'm hoping we can do more of in the future.  Campers certainly are convenient; however, nothing beats the smell and sounds of staying in the tent!

Mol (with Baby Lucy) and Rach taking some time to chat after cruising around on the golf cart.  [NOTE: A Tonja mushy moment is coming up...]  Besides meeting Mark at BSU these two really were the highlight of my whole college career.  We had so much fun together and it's great to see that our relationship continues today.  They are a great "mom" resource for me - I call them for everything - and it's fun to have girls I can be wild and crazy with.  :)  Okay, the last part isn't exactly true.  Although, they do always like to tease me about being "wild and crazy".

Clara, Rachel's four year old, and Ella, Molly's two year old, just hanging out on the golf cart wishing they were big enough to take it for a spin.  I seriously love seeing these two together and can just imagine the adventures they will have in the future together.   I wonder if they will be angels just like their mommies?

Oh, Jeremy and his walking stick.  We were all laughing when Jeremy came back from his walk with his "walking stick" that he found along the way.  For some reason it really was hilarious.  I guess the joke was on us.  Some major mosquito repellent was spilled in a compartment of the camper and the walking stick proved to be very handy. (As you can see a scrubber was taped on to one end.)  Luckily, the spill was cleaned up and the stick saved the day. Thank God he came across that magnificent piece of wood!

Lastly, I have to talk about the food.  Both Molly and Rachel are great cooks and we all reap the benefits of their tasty meals when we're together.  (Unfortunately, I am no help.  I'm starting to think I should take a cooking class somewhere and get out of the Minnesota hotdish rut I'm in. Broadening my cooking horizons would be a good thing and Mark would love it too.)  The newest addition to the camping menu was grilled cauliflower, which was unbelievable and, according to Rachel, simple to make.  She brushed on olive oil (or butter would suffice) and sprinkled it with Lowry's.  Again, UNBELIEVABLE!  It was so delicious and something that was hard to stay away from.

Even though the sun was hiding for most of the weekend and it rained the majority of the afternoon Saturday, we had a great time.  There's nothing like being up north, camping and spending time with friends.