It was all true...

Doesn't he always look like he's up to something?

The most beautiful feet in the world-Brennah-Rennah's

We were all blissfully unaware of the following events

Josiah, hiker extraordinaire

Love both of 'em!

What a view!

This water was icy cold!

The mentioned flat tire...

What was more scary...the wee vicious scottie?

Or...

She knows she's adorable

At this point all I can say is I was still alive

This was the children's dinosaur nest...

figured I would show them how it's done

Right after the wee vicious scottie said hello

Comforting, informative, it really had it all

Some of my babies

It was all worth it

Self picture of Tiff at 4 A.M.

The kids had a blast!

Findlay, chillin'

A-camping we will NOT go...

So...about the camping update.  I mentioned that the guys had gone up to camp the night before we did, because the littlest ones were sick.  Tiff and I had to do the meal planning so we were out until 10 on Friday night and then up until midnight making rice krispie treats (which we might have sampled) and packing. 

 I should have known when at 10:30 P.M. we received a call from the guys saying that the place they were going was blocked completely because of the snow still on the road (you can check this easily online in less than twenty seconds).  Josiah and Jon had 4 of the 8 offspring with them and had to drive an extra 40 minutes to get to another campground that a helpful officer of the law told them about. 

 When they arrived it was full.  

Because they were in the mountains and did not have cell reception we didn't hear about this part until the next day.  They had finally arrived at the last place after midnight and started setting up camp, when they were approached by a drunk man who had driven his truck into a muddy stream.  Luckily he decided to try and find someone else because of the length of time it took for the guys to set up camp and unload four sleeping children.  When they left the next morning (because the campsite turned out to be a large parking lot with fire rings) the truck was still stuck-oops! 

 Tiff and I woke up early and headed up to what we thought was a fully functional campsite complete with s'mores, when we received a call from the guys saying that they were on the road again.

  I should have turned around right then and there.  We drove for hours to find a camping spot that wasn't closed for SNOW or pine beetles (which kill the trees that then fall on unsuspecting campers).  We didn't find a spot until 3:30!!!!!!  It was worth the wait though, gorgeous lake views, bear proof trash cans...what more could you want?  We set up camp, made dinner, (yummy yummy white bean chicken chili) and took sunset pictures.

The children quickly found a hill, which they dug a hole and found a round rock to put in it-this was their "dinosaur nesting ground."

Peaceful, idyllic...until I went to the faucet next to the bathroom to wash my face.  I was attacked and bitten on the way back by what I now like to call "a wee vicious scottie."

I poured alchohol into the puncture, while my husband went to "talk" with the owner.  She quickly informed him that the dog was up to date on its shots.

Comforting.  

We enjoyed the rest of our evening and  zipped all of the little ones into their sleeping bags. The sun slowly finished sinking gently behind the mountain-and it quickly dropped into the thirties. Now Jon and I had borrowed my parents double sleeping bag thinking it would be cozy.  I should have pondered a bit longer on the fact that they camp in TEXAS and not Colorado-that would have been the wise thing to do.   I don't think I have ever been that cold in my life.  Findlay kept wiggling his hat off (he was in the middle) and would yell out in his sleep every 15 minutes for about 3 hours.  At that age, what could possibly be a bad dream? Cold breastmilk perhaps?  I finally drifted off in a hypothermic state around four in the morning with my arm propped up holding the sleeping bag off of my son's face.  

I very much enjoy camping, but I lovingly informed my spouse that I would be leaving for home well before dusk.  

 Sunday morning dawned and both the temperature and my spirits rose quickly.  I helped make breakfast and went to visit the loo.  After the dangerous incident with the wee vicious scottie I decided to visit the potty that was in the other direction.  Humming a little tune on the way back, a small movement to the left caught my eye.  It was a darling little chipmunk scampering out of the woods. It continued to scamper and started to pick up a little speed... then it veered onto the road and raced straight toward me.  

I am not ashamed to say that I jumped and ran like a small girl. 

 All I could envision was Matthew McConaughey in that movie "Failure to Launch," where all of the peaceful creatures attacked him continually and without provocation.  Back at the campsite, Josiah and Tiff realized that sometime in the middle of the night their tire had gone flat.  Tiff had also spent an icy cold, uncomfortable evening sleeping in the van to try and protect a coughing Laz from the elements as much as was possible.  Looking back it made sense now why her body had been slipping forward all night.  What next you ask?  Well I will tell you!  As I ran to the bathroom one last time, I opened the door and was attacked by 50 flies the size of dimes, that had somehow hatched and grown in an hour.  To tell you the truth at this point I was more than done.

 We all arrived safe and sound and slept very peacefully and WARMLY in our respective beds.  

On Monday the guys offered to watch all of the kids for us so Tiff and I could go out to eat!  We chose P.F. Changs because I never get to eat there and Jon hates it.  The last time I enjoyed this particular cuisine, I was pregnant and we were celebrating my sister's opposite birthday (she celebrates it in July because her actual date of birth is December 17th and she always gets "combo" presents) and I became ill shortly thereafter.  I figured it was a pregnant thing.

Monday, as I was hanging over the toilet and praying out loud for God to let me barf, it occurred to me that the lettuce wraps just hate my particular kind of guts.  It has been some kind of week let me tell you.  I am not superstitious, but it was kind of ironic that nothing at all happened on the 13th.  At this time I am pleased to report that my birthday has been wonderful thanks to the efforts of my dear friend Tiff.

Aaaahhh the sweet 60 degrees of CO (Sorry my GA friends...)

                                                                Playing with friends!

                                                              

Summer sunsets with friends...

Ice cream in the park!!!! Tiff had the kids

while I was sick in bed...thanks Tiff!!!!

A fun wine tasting, that I missed b/c I was sick.

Sweet sisters

  Pres and Mags

Tarin...stud muffin extraordinaire

GQ and Magaroo

Chacos in Colorado

Tarin's b-day party at a karate studio

Pres defends Maggie from a dragon

So, we have all been sick for the second time this trip.  I do believe we are going camping this weekend if we can coordinate everything- I will update later on that.  Colorado is so beautiful!  It is crazy looking at spectacular views of the mountains while running to Target to grab something.

The kids are loving playing all day every day with the boys and I must admit-spending time with Tiff is not too shabby either.  We are enrolled in a Dave Ramsey course here and the freedom following this program is incredible, I highly recommend going through it!  Here are some more pictures from the last few days...

Colorado

This is the place where Tiff's mom,

 Ann works.  It's called "The castle."

Beeyootiful!

view from the roof...

The real knight in shining armor...

All of us in all our glory

Bren at the park.  We all brought our bathing

 suits to play in the fountains, but all of that

 came to an abrupt halt when the sun went 

behind the clouds, the temp dropped ten 

degrees and the wind started blowing.

We went to the Focus on the family's

 re-creation of Adventures in Odyssey! 

 There was even a soda shop called Whit's end!

  Most importantly, it was all FREE!

Thanks  Dr. Dobson!

My beautiful men

Everybody knows that Noelle HATES

loose teeth. they make my skin crawl!

Nothing else in the world quite like it.

The sound the root makes as it is slowly

 ripped out of the gum...ugh. 

 Kellen of course knows

 this and took every opportunity to "show"

me the progree, until he could turn his

tooth entirely around. 

 Thankfully it is all over now.

This picture is a little scary, know what I mean?

Too sweet.

Tiffany woke up with a headache...

He just keeps trying to kiss me...

We are all having a blast!!!!!!!!

SORRY!!! Okay I know it's annoying to click to my blog and not see anything, I will try harder...