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.

AHH, SHASTA LAKE!!!

Yesterday Dad was nice enough to take me, my four boys and Gee out on the lake. It is such a beautiful lake and when our lives weren't so crazy we would go out on it a lot. But, for some reason outings on it have slowed waaaayyyyy down, last year didn't go once! So, we went and it was great! Chase's first time and didn't once complain about the life jacket.

Papa and Chase

Mommy and Chase

The temp has been a little down (low 90's) so the water was a little brisk and the breeze was up so that didn't help the chilly factor but it was very fun none the less and the boys loved it!

Gee, Chandler, and Evan

E-man
We all swam in the lake and Chandler, Ethan and Gee all did the tubes.

Chandler (wore the goggles all day)

Ethan (Chan waiting in the back tube)

Chandler (in goggles) & Ethan

Chandler and Gee

Gee and E-man

Gee even did the wake board. At one point Gee was on the tube and hit a wave just right and literally went vertical about 10 feet in the air-- AND SHE LANDED IT!!!! Wow, it was awesome! I wish I would have gotten a picture of it. We were all very impressed! When she went up I thought for sure we were headed to the ER. She's got skills! I guess I'm getting old. I use to do that too (okay not 10 ft. in the air but I could carry my own weight). I could hoist myself up and hang on no problem. Well, now I think I would kill myself and there is no way I could get up anymore. The whole time I was watching Ang I was so nervous, I even found myself holding Chase too tight sometimes. Ah, old age has arrived- getting more cautious.

Thanks Dad, we had a great time! And the boys LOVED it!

GETTING READY FOR THE POOL!!!

Last summer Ryan started on our side yard to get ready for an above ground pool. In the Redding summers it is very close to a necessity to own a pool or have very good standings with someone who has one. Which we do. Garrett and Kristi have a great pool, which we will still have to come use since ours won't have an official deep end. However, with 4 little boys who love to swim and so I don't hear "there's nothing to do" all summer we thought we'd bite the bullet and get a pool. Well, like I said it started last summer and it is still in the works. Ryan is such a perfectionist with his projects that it has taken a lot longer than expected. And, his perfectionism is not always a bad thing because every project he does is GORGEOUS! And this one will not let down either. I wish I had pictures from when we first started, but I do have these and I will show the work in progress until it is done. It should be done soon because Evan wants to have a pool party for his birthday on the 18th of this month. Go daddy go!!!

Chandler and the masked E-man.

BASEBALL AND LOST TEETH!!!

Last night we went over to Dad's and had dinner. Dad and Gee made yummy spare ribs, potato salad, corn on the cob, and cheesecake for dessert. YUMMY!! Garrett was there too cause his family had gone down to Sacramento and he had to work so he stayed home. However, in the middle of dinner Kristi and the kids did show up. After dinner we went down to Grant School (the elementary school that we all went to) and played some baseball. It was a lot of fun. Boy do we have some heavy hitters among the grandsons- WOW!!!

Dad, Kristi, Cody, Ryan, & Chandler

Well, we were all having a great time when we heard crying coming from first base where Ethan had just ran to on a single. Somehow he had tripped (he was just standing there) and face planted it into the dirt. When we picked him up his mouth was bleeding but that is all we could see. The next thing we know Ethan is reaching in his mouth and takes out his front lower tooth- root and all!!! Seeing as he is only 4 the first thought is "Oh, crap", but then we remember that it's just a baby tooth and the only thing now to do is wait for the tooth fairy! He was pretty upset and got some road rash on his chin and today his mouth is super soar, but he looks pretty cute with this premature "hole" in his mouth now. Last night as he was getting ready for bed and putting his tooth under his pillow he reminded me that when Chandler and Evan were losing their teeth not too long ago he didn't think it was fair that he couldn't get any money. I told him that he would have to wait until he was 5 or 6- just be patient. Well last night Ethan says,"Mommy you said I would have to wait until I was 5 well guess what I'm only 4!" (as he holds up four cute little fingers and a sneaky grin.) Love ya E-man!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

We had a great, fun day. It all started off with my family coming over for our annual 4th of July breakfast. Bill and Rachel even came last minute from Las Vegas so Bill could go on a hike with some of his family members. So, Rachel and Olivia and Aaron got to come too! We had waffles with strawberries and whip cream, bacon, and eggs. YUMMO!!!

Love the sisters!

Then later that afternoon we went over to Ryan's parents home for a BBQ. Aunt Kathy and Granny Colleen were there too. Grandma had water activities for the boys and they brought their slip-n-slide. They had a great time!

Evan

Chandler

Ethan and Daddy

Chase

Grandma Cindy and the boys

Once again YUMMO! We had yummy appetizers from Kathy and then for dinner: tri-tip, potato salad, pistachio marshmallow salad, corn, deviled eggs and I think that is all. And for dessert I brough brownies, apple carmel pecan pie, and vanilla ice cream. Woo-hoo!!! We eat good!

Then we all went down to our usual spot to watch the fireworks. I must say that Redding does a pretty darn good show. I remember when I was little and litterally one went off maybe every 5-7 minutes. Redding has come a long way. It was great! Papa Claycamp brought pixie stix (X-large) for everyone, Gee made puppy chow, and I had Cracker Jacks. We just keep eating! We had a great 4th!

Papa C., Gee, Rachel, Ethan, Bill, Chandler, Evan, Aaron, & Olivia

Us and Grandma and Papa R.

Watching the fireworks!