Camping!!!!!!!

We did it!!! We camped for the first time Labor Day weekend.  We got the coolest tent ever from Costco and we headed up to Caswell Park in Ripon.  It's only about an hour away but that is what we wanted just in case we had to run home.  I grew up camping in a tent trailer and Spencer is an Eagle Scoot so we knew we could do this! We set up camp and then started cooking dinner.  

 After dinner we went on a flash light walk. 

 Then came back for a camp fire.

 Then it was off to bed.  It was hard to control Mr. Carter since he still sleeps in a crib and he all of sudden had freedom in the tent.  It was also a little tricky since we only have one air mattress and I thought the kids would sleep on the ground..... well we woke up with an extra person in our bed (Aubrey).  Funny story that night: Spencer had already fell asleep and I was up with the kids and then we started hearing some strange sounds so I woke him up.  He looked out the tent and said "get the kids and dog and get in the car fast"  what?!?!? I was freaked out! He was calm and just kept saying "get in the car now its something big."  Well we all get in the car and he turns it around so he can light up the camp sight.  It was about 5 raccoons in the bushes but since there were so many he thought it was a bear.  We were all okay but it sure made for interesting night of trying to sleep.  One of the reasons we picked this particular weekend was because they have an air balloon festival in Ripon called Color in The Sky.  It was fun and very colorful.  The kids loved the balloons.   

 It was a successful camping trip and we can't wait to do another hopefully soon.  We did have one other minor speed bump when we left.  I told Spencer that I was going to run to restroom before we left and that he should just bring the car to come pick me up since it was all packed up.  Well that is what he did and as we were driving out of the park I said "did we get everything?  We have the kids, my camera and the dog right? where is the dog????"  He must have jumped out and tried to follow me to the rest room I was freaking out again while Spencer was calm (that is the story of our lives) we drove back to camp spot 49 and there he was with the ranger and like 4 other campers taking care of him.  It was pretty funny after we found him!  Once we were all in the car we headed home with great memories and dirty kids it was a success.

 Later that weekend on Monday we meet up with my family in Modesto for my brothers birthday.  It was a fun weekend!!!