Making Jewelry from the Rocks I Found at the Beach

Putting the clasps on.

Some are spray painted gold.

Bracelets and necklaces.

Some have scrape booking ribbon as the chain.

I put charms on some of the bracelets.

I put paper birds on one....we''ll see how it does in the rain.

Tried to write on one, but I didn't like it.

Me wearing some of them.

I spray painted some to have glitter...that didn't work.

Made more bracelets with left over chain.

A Learning Curve with Camping- Day 2

Breakfast was not a big hit with the kids.

The Hot Chocolate and Blueberry muffins were!

The grill worked great!

 We decided to take a trip to the car with the first load and then head on to a different hike from the car.  It was hard work but we managed to make it to the car with smiles on our faces.  Luckily, I had water in the car for us to drink.....

Made it to the car!

We followed a trail to a 'view point'

We got to the view point to which mi sobrina said...'Well this is disappointing."

We saw a mule deer....it is somewhere in this picture.

Walking up another big hill to our car.

The cart ride back to the tent for our second load.

Since I had brought my bike I was determined to ride it around.  While Dad packed up the car, I took the kids a few times around the parking lot.  Mi sobrina and I decided to ride to the next campsite.  With a few more hills we made it up there.  It was mostly RV's, few trees, and not much privacy.  So in the end we did have a better site....I just needed to pack differently.   (Like not bringing a 40 pound stove top grill, two suitcases of clothes, three backpacks, and two coolers of food.)

Hanging out at the Welcome Center.

Mountain Lion

And we were off for lunch and Gramma and Grampa's house.....yes!

Another Hot Dog....That makes it three days in a row.

Grilled Cheese for lunch

Kids went down immediately.

A little backyard sprinkler time.

From my bike, I am pulling mi sobrino in the police car around the block.

He got his nails cut.

She got her nails done....giraffe style.

And now it is off to bed.....tonight I discovered the pull-ups in their suitcase.  So mama, gotta tell you that your dear little boy made it last night without pull ups and didn't have any accidents.  So proud of him!

A Learning Curve with Camping- Day 1

Dad and I picked up the kids from the zoo.  They came prepared with their animals and attitudes for adventure.  I imagined a nice camping site close to trails, paved roads for biking, horses, and a relaxing time in my hammock as the forest experience entertained the kids.  The State Forest had something else in mind and forgot to memo me the agenda.

Grampa playing the 'Close your eyes for two minutes...' game.

We get to the Welcome Center and the forest ranger informs me that I have purchased a 'Hike-In Camp Site'....he convinces me that it will be quieter and I convince myself that I am up for an adventure.......yeah, that lasted about 15 minutes.

Dad takes the first load with the cart and I soon get a phone call (from him) that there is this big hill he can't make with all the stuff he is pushing.  So I send mi sobrina to help while I stay with a sleeping sobrino and the campsite map.

Thirty minutes later they have still not found the campsite and I am ready to go home.  But I get a request to bring mi sobrino and some items to the campsite.

Part of the items I was carrying.....

Mi sobrino's one item....we took numerous water breaks.

The hill we had to climb up.....

I look at this next picture and it kinda looks like I got punched in the face and I have a black and blue mark on my cheek...that would be the hike-in camp site kicking my butt. 

Me not happy.....and wondering why the cart isn't coming back.

 Once we got our frustrations out and we calmed down...caught our breath....took some advil....we set up our site and got dinner ready.

I love my new grill!

Hot dogs and Mac-n-Cheese.

Our vegetable was Kale Chips.  I have heard them compared to potato chips.  My mouth was just too confused.

They were not a big hit in our family.

Hammock Boy

 Next, Dad wanted to see a fresh water creek.  So we followed the trail to this mud/insect infested swamp land.... Mi sobrina was the first to get down to the bottom of the trail and told us about a small waterfall.  I got down there and said.....'Water coming out of a metal tube is not a waterfall!"  To which she replied....'It is to a fly'.

How are you going to argue with that....

A fly's waterfall.

Climbing back up to the main trail.

His bat beard.

Sun setting on our walk.

Mi sobrina fell on the way to our campsite.

Our sleeping arrangements.

Next time the boys are bringing their own tent.