What a Memory-ial Weekend!

Can I just tell you, first of all, how important family is? I love them all so very much. We were able to get together--all of us--for a Memorial Day camping trip that has really turned out to be memorial. Everyone from my immediate family was there--Cashelle, A.J., Madalynn, Audrey, Thomas, and ??? (to be delivered in September, a boy); Chris, Amanda, and Cody; and Lacey and Landon. The only problem with the whole camping trip is that it was extremely WET! Curt took up the smaller trailer earlier in the week for Cashelle, A.J., and their family. When we got around to taking our trailer up, it had rained A LOT. Thankfully, Landon was able to go with Curt to take it up (we camp just north of the Cottonwood Bridge). It scared the beejeebees out of them both. But, they got it up there. Landon was going to take up his grandma's trailer but we didnt' dare. Sadly, Lacey and Landon "camped" at our house in the trailer. They spent the whole day with us, but at night had to travel back down the canyon to their trailer. I'm glad we didn't try to take it up. Otherwise, it would still be there--just like our two trailers. Anyway, we stayed at our house on Friday night and headed up the mountains bright and early Saturday morning. The picture below explains what we found--lots and lots and lots of MUD! This was the front entrance to our trailer (Curt and I). Need I say more? Here is little Audrey sporting her shoes in a puddle of mud. There was mud everywhere! By Sunday, it had dried out pretty good, at least where we were camped. Then Sunday night while we were sleeping, it rained practically all night long. Everyone was worried what we would do. We had to leave the trailers--Curt and I will go pick them up sometime this week. As we were setting up camp, we decided we needed a fire. Chris and Landon were trying to get it started. Chris used some gas to get it going, and when he jumped back, the flames followed the gas. His sleeve, truck (with Cody inside), and ground was in flames. I freaked out (as usual) but we got things under control fairly quickly.
Here is a little snowbank behind Cashelle and A.J.'s trailer. That shows you how wet we were. Not only did we have rain, we had snow to boot.

Chris, Amanda, and Cody enjoying the sunshine.

Chris and Amanda bought a tent to bring up. This is the crew setting it up. It was pretty good sized. I was worried about Cody getting cold but I needn't worry. We kept him in the trailer with us in his little bed. He slept like a lamb. Amanda and Chris claimed it was pretty nice in the tent with their new queen-sized blown-up mattress. Lucky even got to share the tent with them at night.
Cody in his little outfit to keep him warm in our trailer. They had found out just a day or two prior that he had a double ear infection. They kept him bundled up pretty good.

Here's A.J. taking a picture of our truck. He rode with Chris. We had decided to take a little "drive" up the canyon. Madalynn, Audrey, Lacey, Landon, and I were with Curt in his truck; A.J., Thomas, Cody, and Chris were in Chris's truck; Cashelle and Amanda were on the 4-wheelers. (I might have gotten who was with whom a little mixed up.) Anyway, we came around a corner and Cashelle chickened out on the 4-wheeler so Landon took over--he is real good with them. Amanda got her 4-wheeler stuck, Chris got her unstuck, then Chris got his truck stuck. Curt had to pull him out. Chris mentioned that this was the first time he could remember getting stuck and dad was laughing about it. Then, we even went up higher! I was freaking out (I am NOT a 4-wheeling momma--in fact, Cashelle and I were holding hands over one of the bad spots). Okay, I admit it, I am a chicken. I have my brothers to thank for that. They used to take pleasure in scaring me to death up the mountains when I was a little girl. Now, aren't you ashamed?

Here is Chris, stucker than stuck. Lucky hopped in the back for a little ride. She took a little spill herself with Amanda. When we got up to Milky Falls, Chris was spinning doughnuts, sliding down the hill, just being Chris. So, Amanda decided to try it with the 4-wheeler with Lucky behind her. (She's pretty brave on that thing!) She spun one way and Lucky spun the other and rolled through the thick mud. As we started back down the hill, she kept looking back at us like she was saying, "Please help me! I wanna ride in the truck!" Yes, even the dog was scared. So I'm not such a woos after all.
Another picture of Chris stuck right on the main road.
Chris again wondering how the heck he's going to get out of this mess. Thank heavens his father was here with a big chain. We got him unstuck and just keep going (much to my dismay!).
Back at camp. Lacey and Madalynn on the yellow Suzuki; Amanda and Audrey on the Honda. We had so much fun in spite of the wet weather. In fact, the first night we camped there, I looked up the road from where we had our trailers and noticed a herd of elk had moved right in on us. That was awesome! While there, Lacey and Landon brought Lacey's pink .22, and we did some target practice. Chris got in on the action with his pistol.
Okay, you might be wondering why I took a picture of a pepsi can. Curt had gone off on the 4-wheeler to see where the elk had been the night before. We were all getting bored so someone (I can't remember who, really) came up with the bright idea to shake up a full, unopened can of pop and put it in the campfire. Landon did the shaking. At least we were smart enough to move everything out of the way. The lid started to expand. I was hiding behind a bush. Then POOF! The lid popped off and the can exploded in the campfire. Then Lacey had the bright idea to try another one, but put it upside down in the fire. So, Landon and A.J. shook up a Fanta strawberry soda and stuck it right in the middle of the fire, upside down. I saw Curt coming back and said, "You better hurry up. Here comes, Curt!" I didn't think he would appreciate our little experiment. He got down to the camp before the show. Finally, it popped, the can flew up into the tree with a stream of red soda below it. We laughed and laughed. Later that night, we decided to do a double--two cans of pop. After the first one blew embers all over our camping area, A.J. and Landon thought the other one must have already blown without us knowing and approached the campfire. BOOM! It exploded scaring the both of them to death since they were right by the fire. That is the story behind this pepsi can.

Here is Lacey nd Landon lounging around the campfire.
Cashelle, Madalynn (hiding her face with her hands), and Thomas on the Suzuki. We had so much fun on the 4-wheelers.
Cashelle, Madalynn, and Thomas again.
This should have been up with the other pictures. Here is Curt chaining up Chris's truck to pull him out. Notice the nice May weather in the background--SNOW!
We really did have a wonderful time, in spite of the wet weather. We had to leave the trailers behind. Curt and I will have to go get them sometime this week. I love all you kids! Thanks so much for coming camping with us.