Gone Camping...

After a wonderful Thanksgiving day of fellowship and feasting, us girlies headed down to the P. family's home, threw our bags and camping gear in their trailer and van and headed down to a campground and homestead fair. We got in some time after 9pm and set the tent and camper up in the freezing darkness. The poor guys graciously called the tent "home" for the extended weekend and woke up Friday morning to ice on their tent zipper! On Saturday, Dad and Mom drove down as well, giving our whole family the opportunity to spend an entire day together (thanks so much to Leandra for taking excellent care of the Grandmas!). Vanessa and I headed back home that evening and Dad, Mom and Johanna came back with the P.s Monday afternoon. 

Okay...enough introduction and on to the boatload of pictures!

Friday morning was absolutely beautiful and refreshing

Perfect day for a bike ride!

It was cooold Friday morning!

Campfire percolator coffee = perfect way to wake up.

Funny thing: every time the fire got hot enough to get the percolator to...percolate, the coffee would overflow onto the fire and partially extinguish the fire, making the percolator to stop percolating until the fire regained its flame! Those two had a love/hate relationship ;)

The colors were beautiful

Biking off into the mist

Vanessa took some amazing photos

Isn't God's creation marvelous?

Our campsite (the tent was behind the trailer)

Coffee anyone?

Getting ready to dig in!

Johanna, Stephanie and Hailey

Whoa! Stephanie was hungry. :) 

We stopped at a Czech bakery on our way in Thursday night...these cinnamon rolls were amazing and the kolaches were beyond words!

(In the background you can see Jarrod by the campfire. He was our faithful fire starter all weekend)

Two peas in a pod

A hot air ballon braved the cold morning

At the homestead!

You'd think these two were glued together the way they were always by each other all weekend

Where to go first?

Hailey and Vanessa

Stephanie was working at the loom like nobody's business

Hailey and Johanna made candles

Making soap balls

Stephanie's silhouette

Happy threesome!

The crocheted muffins looked good enough to eat

Staying warm!

The petting zoo was the highlight of the event

Stephanie and her bunny

Trading pets...

...can be a complicated task to accomplish

It was a sunny day but still a bit chilly

We ran into the B. family!

When Mr. B. took his cap off we had to joke about the glare on the camera ;)

Visiting

Heading back to the fair after lunch

We ran into Jenny and the T. family!

I think one of the most important reasons God made hands is to have someone to hold onto

Waiting for the homestead documentary to start

Mr. P. was like, "Are you ready to sit through an hour and fifteen minute movie?"

And Will was like, "Whoa!"

The P.s treated us to old-fashioned doughnuts and hot (and I mean hot), delicious apple cider

(We were so excited to have real apple cider that the P.s sent a whole $16 gallon home with us!)

Back at the camper, Mrs. P. made some delicious soup

The kiddy corner

S'mores tempted us back outside

Bedtime stories are the best

It's Saturday morning and Jarrod is faithfully getting the campfire going

Stephanie, bike-master

Can you tell I haven't had my coffee yet? (I'm surprised I'm smiling) ;)

Vanessa whipped up some slammin' bacon

Jarrod caught himself a large mouth bass

On our way back to the fair!

We had some troublesome racoons in the backseat

On our way in with the S. family

We met up with Dad and Mom (and the T. family!) at the bookstore

A sweet picture, photo-bombed by Jorgie Porgie

Mark and Nathan, puppy-whisperers :)

Miss Emily and the puppy she wants to bring home...pretty pretty please? :)

Johanna and her bunny rabbit named Blackie

We ran into the L. family!

Sam and Danielle's oldest is such a doll!

Mrs. L.: "Did you know I was there when you were born, Johanna? I tell everyone your birth story and about how the pool popped!"

It was so good to see you guys again!

Johanna went pony riding

Waiting to eat lunch

He's going, going, gone!

"Did you take a picture of me flying?"

This was hilarious: Dad was talking to Mr. P. on the phone, letting him know where we were and all along Mr. P. was sitting behind him! I think we need to get Dad's ears checked ;)

Helloo delectible brick-oven pizza!

Eric-boy and Ryan

Our group kept growing. Can you tell these guys are woodworkers? (Vanessa was the tour guide :)

Our frugal mothers were in heaven with all the lovely handmade items...until they glanced at the price tags, quickly set them down and walked away ;)

Mr. P. was on baby-duty

At the horse training show

Thank you, Justin and Glen for smiling at the camera...Jarrod, thanks for trying :)

Eric-boy zonked out

Mark looks like he has something up his sleeve

Vanessa Elaine enjoying the day

Jonathan was going to tell us about the horse show...

...but he suddenly turned shy :)

Mrs. T., Mom and Jenny looking loverly

I had to make this b&w

Horse training in progress

Back at the campsite

Dad grilled some mean steaks

Jarrod and Justin went fishing while dinner was being prepared

The girls quietly watched...

...but if you were to ask the guys they'd probably tell you we scared the fish away :)

Mom took this Sunday morning

Thanks sooo much, P. family for letting us tag along and share your camper! Thank you for putting up with our picture taking and cheesy jokes and Dad's snoring! We all had a blast and can't wait for the next time! :)