This is so much better than camping

Last weekend came time for our yearly camping trip with our dear friends, the Smiths. With the exception of graduate school and having babies, this has been a yearly tradition with us for 14 years now. Why would we brake such an (in the words of Jen) awesome tradition? Here's a few reasons why...
1. unexpected rain showers
2. dirt floors
3. strange camping neighbors that tried to pawn off their kids on us
4. uncomfortable beds
5. lack of showers
6. dirt, dirt and more dirt

We are getting wiser in our older years and decided to spring for a cabin in Mossyrock, Washington this year...So worth it! We still got the occasional bug bite and sunburn, but we could come inside and take a nice shower, eat from a clean fully loaded kitchen and retire for the night on a comfy pillow top mattress and clean sheets. And we got all this without giving up a little dirt (it stayed outside), smores, junk food and most importantly...good friends and good conversation!
Enjoying yummy ice cream after playing all day in the lake.

Ethan

Jaykob

Max

Mary

Clara

Megan, Mary and Rachael

One day we made the long drive to see the historical Mt. St. Helens. Very...(here it is again, Jen)...Awesome!

Max was AWOL for the group picture, so here he is.

Jaykob turned 9 while we were there. Mary and Rachael made him some cupcakes and he got a rocket which we had fun launching at the local high school football field.

Clara thoroughly enjoyed the cupcakes! YUM!

Take a Stand!

Apparently, this is the summer to take a stand! After our family ran the Cancer Awareness 5K on 4th of July we participated the next weekend in the American Cancer Association's Relay for Life where our team helped raise over $70, 000 for cancer awareness and research. My brother also helped the cause by participating in this ad.

Enjoy and Take a Stand!