Camp Tontozona

This was our first experience with pampered camping. Well, it's hardly camping at all when you bring your iphone charger and a blow dryer. But, we were in a bare bones cabin, had to bring our own towels and we spent 95% of the day outside. It was camping minus the tent, but plus a flushing toilet and shower! Whatever you call it, it was FUN!

This camping trip was with a big group of our friends from Phoenix. Most we knew, but there were a few new families that we've never met. We got there and it was warm. Camp Tontozona is where the ASU football teams practices off season. They rent it out the rest of the time. It's used for all sorts of camps and what not for kids. They turned on the sprinklers on the big practice football field. The kids got to cool down.




Then, Noah tried to come up the little hill to David and he kept slipping on the mud. He was so mad. His hands were covered and he was about to cry. But, he went over and rinsed off and he was fine.


Me and my bestie.


These were kids we just met that ere part of our group. The kids all played so well together.



Aunt Pam and Em chillin' on a swing.



This little girl named Maggie and Noah became fast friends. She said she wanted to marry him.


At night, the kids realized that the little well was full of crawdads or crydaddies as Noah called them.


They were obsessed with these things.


And they caught a few.


We went back to our cabin that night. This is what it looked like.


And the toilet overflowed. Actually it was a block in the main line and in a row of 4 cabins, 3 had clogged toilets. We had to switch cabins at 10:00 at night. I wasn't happy, but the kids thought it was an adventure. Yeah, whatever.

In the morning, we headed to the lodge which 3 families were sharing. We opted to rent our own cabin to have a little space. We did all the cooking at the lodge though and everyone brought something. These two guys are nicknamed Top Chef and cooked almost every meal for us.


This is a pic of the lodge. Emily's trying to find the crawdads.


We hiked down to the watering hole.


Nice photo bomb Colby!












The kids swam across.


Afterwards, it was time to relax in the hammock.



We played baseball, frisbee, soccer. You name it. Here's Ben smacking the ball.


Then, it was time to eat the crawdads. I was not about to partake in that, but David tried it. They tried to say it tasted like lobster. Yeah, I don't think so.


And I kiss that mouth...



Noah was not about to try it.


Not even when Maggie tried to persuade him.


Emily really wanted to go back to the creak. But, the spot we were at in the morning was a good 30 minutes of up and down over rocks. So, we just played in the creak by our camp.


The afternoons were spent having happy hour and appetizers and listening to our friends son play some guitar.


It was a great trip. We did get one big group photo, but I haven't got that from our friend yet. I think there was 30 of us in all. We had a great time. The only thing we would do differently next time is make it 3 nights instead of 2. We decided we will all go every year the weekend after Father's Day.

And you know the sign of a good trip is when one of the kids looks like this 20 minutes after you leave.


And now we leave for another camping trip in 24 hours. I can hardly keep up.

Cannonball

I've told all three kids that the summer before Kindergarten, they will become a swimmer. This time is here for Noah. Three weeks ago, he was screaming at the thought taking off his floaties. Now, he's doing this:


Wow, has he come a long way. We still have to watch him like a hawk, but he's doing so well. We are super proud of him. He hasn't even worn his floaties for over a week. We think it's time to toss them. We were at the old pool because the new one was too crowded. It's nice to have two to pick from.

Dynamic Duo

With a lot of downtime this summer, these boys sometimes play for hours and hours. Ben got Noah into superheroes years ago. Then, it seemed Ben was kind of outgrowing it. He trading dressing up like superheroes to reading books about superheroes. Now, Noah is getting him to dress up again. Not that Ben needs a lot of convincing.

I love that my boys are great friends.

Around Our House

Here's what has been going on in our house the past week, in addition to David's birthday and Father's Day. And I wonder why I have no time to post anything...

Emily went to piano camp for 3 days. On the last day, we get to join them for making piano cakes. Making and eating! :)



Here are all the piano girls...


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We've gone to our new pool every day. Sometimes, twice a day. It's all about hanging out with friends and having fun.

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We've been going to the movies every week. Our theater does a nice deal of summer movies, 10 for $7. They are older and stuff we've already seen, but popcorn and a movie is never rejected by my kids.

We were watching a movie about an alien coming to Earth. He lands and he's at a 7-eleven. I chuckle.
Ben whispers to me: What is that?
Me: It's a convenience store.
Ben: What's a convenience store?
Me: It's were you go and get snacks and things.
Ben: Oh, cool.

He's 8 1/2. How does he not know what a convenience store is? I try to plan ahead. We bring water and snacks where ever we go, so we are not tempted to stop somewhere for overpriced snacks. Has he really never been inside a convenience store? His Papa used to own one for Pete's sake. I was there every day, but that was before Ben. Then, I remembered, he goes to one every year! We drive to California and we stop at the last spot for gas before you hit the California state line and gas jumps up $1 a gallon. So, we always stop at this Chevron to use the restroom and fill up on gas in Quartzsite, Arizona. But, we never buy anything. I guess it isn't too memorable.

Whew...my kids aren't that deprived. One convenience store a year!

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Emily tried to teach Noah some yoga and gymnastics. My kids spend most of their days in pajamas unless we go somewhere, which isn't often. I filled up my gas tank after our Memorial Day camping trip on May 27th, and it's just getting to 1/4 of a tank over 3 weeks later. I like that!


She's demonstrating.


She's assisting. It was a fail, but God love him for trying!

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My best friend Pam and her sister, Katie, came up with Katie's new baby, Keegan.

He is quite possibly the cutest baby ever.


Emily was smitten.


Noah thought he was great.


Ben, well, Ben didn't want to hold him. I think he was too little.


This picture makes me laugh. I think this baby is loved by many!


Noah said he wants to be a Daddy one day. Emily said maybe she'll be a Mommy. Ben said I dunno.
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We head camping again in 4 days. This time to a cabin. A very rough cabin as in bring your own towel. But, hey, it has a shower and flushing toilet! We are going with a great group of friends from Phoenix. Then, we go camping again the following weekend. This time in a tent, but the campsite has flushing toilets. I feel like these next 2 trips will be luxurious compared to what we are used to!

Then, in less than 3 weeks, we head on our 15 day adventure to Idaho, Banff and Vancouver! The summer is flying by.