ANNUAL CAMPOUT!!!

Every year for as long as I can remember mom and dad have taken us kids camping in the Redwoods over by Crescent City. And this year was no different. Other than there are spouses and grandchildren now we go to the same place and usually even the same campsite every year. I, or even better, our family loves this more than anything. Our boys love this tradition and they are so bummed when it is over and ask all year long when are we going to go again.

This year we left on July 20th, Evan's 9th birthday. We got to camp before dinner and started to set up. Dad, Angie, Adam, Rachel and Olivia and Aaron got there a day earlier. (Bill, Rachel's husband wasn't able to come this year. He had to work. We missed him.) Angie with help I'm sure decorated the easy-up for Evan's birthday.

Gee & Evan

It was really cute. It wasn't the first time that camping has fallen on his birthday so he thinks it is pretty cool when this happens and we can celebrate in the Redwoods. I brought cupcakes and he opened his presents under the stars.

Olivia, Evan, me and Cody

Kristi, Emily, Aaron, Gee, Chandler, and Rachel

Our group has gotten so large that we all can't fit into one site like we used to. So, Dad, Gee, and Adam, and Garrett and his family were in the large site (our favorite spot) and Rachel and her kids had their own site and we did too. We are all very close together though, just a stone throw away. Our little family added some fun new camping equipment this year. Bunk beds!!Yes, cot bunk beds! Evan and Chan used them. They were great and gave us some needed space. Our tent we jokingly call the Taj Majal- it is pretty large, but when you get all our clothes, mattresses, and other stuff in there we still get cozy.

Goodnight E-man!

Ryan, me and usually Chase slept here

We did lots of fun outings. Every year we go crabbing on the pier at Crescent City,

Adam, Ethan, Logan and Chandler

Dad, Adam and Garrett

Gee, Me and Adam

Ethan found a stick and drank a lot of red Gatorade!

and the beach. The kids love digging and getting all sandy. It is usually cold and always amazes me how they can stand getting wet in the freezing cold ocean. We also fly kites.

Dad, Adam & Gee are the adult figures w/the cousins

Evan coming back to the car.

This year it was a tad too cold for Chase so Ryan and I stayed in the car and watched from there. Thank you to Adam, Angie, Rachel and Dad who played with the kids on the beach while we were stick in the muds. The beach, unfortunately is not either Ryan or my cup of tea, so we really appreciate the aunts and uncles who let our boys still enjoy it. One day we went to a park and played hide and go seek. We also went to Fern Canyon this year. It is soooo beautiful in there. There are ferns covering the walls of this canyon all around you and it is truly breathtaking.
I love this picture. Chase looks less than enthused but he really does love the backpack.

Evan & Ethan

Aren't the canyon walls gorgeous?!

Daddy and Chase

How cute

The fam. Yes that is E-man covering his face. (we are in that phase)

Rachel helping Aaron do his "business". (Sorry Rachel, too funny)

We also all went out to the beach there. Ethan & Evan

Daddy and Chase chillin' in the sun

sitting: Chase & Emily

bottom row: Adam, Angie, Ryan, Rachel, and Garrett

middle row: Cody, Evan, Chandler, Aaron and Logan

top row: Ethan and Livi

Even if the beach isn't our cup of tea it is still fun when we do go on the sand and watch the boys get caught up in all the fun around them. We also did the usuall like climb big Redwood stumps, ride bikes, find banana slugs, etc. One day Ryan, Garrett, and Adam went golfing and Kristi and I took our kids to the local aquarium. It's not big by any standards but the boys think it's pretty cool.

Ethan wanted a picture "by the huge whale!"

Logan and Ethan

Cody, Evan, Ethan, and Chan petting tiger sharks

Chandler, Evan and Ethan

Evan, Ethan and Chandler catching a wave

One afternoon while we were waiting to catch up with everyone else Ryan and Adam took Evan and Chandler down to the rocks that are by the light house and climbed around.

Handsome boys!

Handsome men!

Adam, Evan and Chan striking a pose. (my boys are very proud of this pic.)

I sat in the car and let Ethan and Chase sleep. After a while everyone did show up.

Every year each family takes turns cooking dinner. Dad, the twins, and Rachel made country spare ribs, beans, corn bread and salad. We made lasagna, bread, and salad. And Garrett and Kristi made tri-tip, potatoes and carrots. It was all very good and dutch ovens are great!

Another thing we did this year was make camping shirts. Dad bought a silk screening machine and Gee made everybody shirts. On the front it said Claycamp Annual Campout 2009 Crescent City. And on the back it had our last name on it with our number that we are in the family. Dad's first, I'm third, Ryan came in after the twins so he's eighth, and so on. The shirts really turned out cute. Thanks Gee!

Camping holds such a special place in my heart and everyone else's too. So many precious memories have been made there. Mom is greatly missed but her presence is very strong. Camping was never her favorite thing. She would much rather have been vacationing in a nice hotel, but since they could never afford to do that growing up she would always say camping was just as good because we were all together. We all miss her so much and she was definitely the glue that smoothed everything out but we all have fun remembering all the fun times camping with her and we, I think, are doing a good job continuing to make new memories because we are all together.

Angie, Adam, Rachel, Garrett, and Dad

Chan, Ethan, Aaron, and Rachel

Aaron, Rachel, and Livi
Chase, me and Adam

Our beautiful family.

Very tired boys on the drive home.

This was Chase's second camping trip. He had a great time and it was fun to see him really enjoy the outdoor wonders for the first time.