Memorial Day Weekend

Of course, we're gonna go camping- long weekend, good weather, access to the perfect campsite (Giles' north field). We got there, and Jared and the kids set up the tent. I sat in my new camping recliner, taking pictures, and keeping my feet up. It was fairly windy, so Jared needed lots of help holding down the tarp, and the tent, and fastening straps.
We built 2 fires- one in the fire pit for cooking in the dutch oven, and one regular fire for roasting marshmallows and keeping warm. I'm always a bit surprised when I can light a fire and keep it going! Jared took the kids for a walk along the Provo River, which is running high due to runoff from melting snow. While they were gone, I started the stew for dinner. The food always seems to taste better when we're outside. Even W, who is currently on a "I don't like meat" kick, managed to finish a bowl of it.
That night was warm, but terribly windy. I was sure, several times, that the tent was going to take off like a giant kite! It didn't seem to bother the kids at all, but I couldn't go to sleep. There was a cold front coming in, so we got the tent and sleeping bags packed up right after breakfast, then stopped by my grandparents' house for a quick visit. They seem to be doing okay- still tired, but in good spirits.


Sunday was cold and windy. Nasty weather for a holiday weekend! Monday was supposed to be the same, but we just couldn't waste a day off inside, watching movies, so we packed up a lunch and headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon to find a hiking trail to explore. As you can see, we all had long pants and jackets, and it was a bit chilly, but we had a great hike. The runoff from melting snow added a bit of adventure- twice we had to cross streams of water that ran across the trail. They weren't too deep- maybe a foot at most- and there were plenty of large rocks to use as a footpath. We ended the hike when the trail became two logs set over a deep ravine with no other way around. Almost as soon as we started down, it began to snow. Just a little, and it was too warm to stick to anything, but it was nice to be heading back to a warm car. And that evening our neighbors invited us over for a BBQ- the kids played tag, and jumped on the trampoline. Of course, now that the holiday is over, and kids are in school 'till the end of this week, the weather has warmed right up!

<3 j