Memorial Weekend Campout

Well we officially camped at Shady Grove! It was a fun weekend, albeit a little hot with heat indexes of 100! We survived the heat though. When your out in the elements, whatever they may be, it's amazing how one just adapts and makes the best out of it. Granny and Grandpa brought their RV and Charlies sister, Susanna, and her family came and tent camped along with us. We sure looked like a pack of gypsies out there with all our gear. It's amazing the work involved in camping. Packing alone is enough to  make someone throw in the towel. Then when your all done the clean up, organizing everything back where it belongs and heaps of laundry is crazy! Yet somehow we continue to do it time and again. There's just something about being outdoors and enjoying the simple things in life that make it all worth it. Plus the kids love it so much that it's hard not to do.

Unfortunately it wasn't all fun and games for Charlie. A family friend, who is a farmer, had an old tractor to loan us and dropped it off on Saturday morning. He stayed to show Charlie the ropes and pretty much the whole weekend Charlie spent farming our tillable section of the land. He mowed, plowed, disced, planted soybean and harrowed his little heart away. I swear he was meant to be a farmer! All this hard work is to help bring in more deer for hunting season.

Charlie plowing

Our sleeping quarters set up in the newly cleared tent area

Granny and Granpa's RV was able to maneuver on the property with no problems

Rebecca and Aniela ready to camp

Granny and Grandpa donated a baby pool...it doubled as a play pen for Zofia!

Patrick and Charles "off roading" in Patricks power wheel

Aniela giving Millie and Max some loving (Aunt Susanna and Uncle Erics dogs)

Uncle Eric giving the boys a cruise on their new side by side

Aunt Susanna with Zoe

Enjoying some time with Daddy

Even though it was hot we had to have a fire to roast marshmallows

The plus of having our own land...we can set off fireworks

and shoot guns!

Grandpa introducing Zoe to the finer things in life (no she really isn't drinking soda!)

Kids having a pick-up-stick contest since there is still so many of them from when we cleared the land

Granny, Aunt Susanna and Zoe trying to beat the heat

Susanna and I go for a spin

Charlie making donuts for breakfast

I also want to note that the outhouse has been officially christened and it is working great! I still have yet to paint it but have to wait till the treated wood dries out a little. The picnic tables that Charlie built also came in handy. It is nice not to have to haul any tables out there. There is still so many things we want to do but for now we love that we can go out there and camp or just have a cookout and it's all ready to go! We can't wait to do it all again but with my side of the family the next time around.