A New Summer Tradition??

My very good friend Jill invited the boys and I to her childhood camping spot, Oakgrove RV Resort(notice the RV and resort in the name--kind of gave us a little complex with our little pop-up-ha!) in Holland. 

After a day home from CranHill, just enough time for a quick load of laundry and groceries, we headed off again ;) I am a PRO at packing now!

This vacay was just for the moms and kiddos!

We had the perfect spots next to the little campground.  The boys took to playing some hoops and a few friendly games of pig.

This little one is usually content exploring on his own.  Woodchips are a fabulous toy if you didn't know ;)

A yummy morning breakfast treat...cinnamon rolls!

The Sloothaak's showed us the way to Tunnel Park on our bikes.  A beautiful and fun way to start the day!

Not sure what they were all doing but they were all in the same spot!!

Rowan and Haiden being big all on their own.  Sweet little ones.

Sweet friends. 

Can't pass up a great scenery pic with the boys!!  

These 2 are hilarious...by one another yet worlds apart!

Always have to get the feet wet;)

 The kids were SO excited to get to run down the sandhill.

Ready.....

GOOOO!  And yes, sand was in EVERY part of them;)

There was the perfect little pool for the kiddos.  It was just the right depth for all of them to feel comfortable and swim....for 4 hours! 

Of course Haiden had to find some goggles.  So silly with those things.

Cameron practicing some fun jumps

 

 

 The boys barely stayed out of the water for 5 minutes all the time we were there.  Such good buddies already!!

The last night the kids found a fun way to go down the slide.  So many giggles and smiles(and of course a few tears)!

Play-doh!  This is on my list for the next time we go camping.  Great idea, Jill!

 All in all another great camping adventure.  Thinking that this will be a fabulous summer tradition with our very good friends!!  

Thanks for the great memories Sloothaak family!!

CranHill Ranch Family Week

Since Torrey was a baby, since I married him, and since Cameron was 6 months old, we have been spending a week at CranHill Ranch in the summer.  It truly is one of the hilights for our family every year and a tradition I hope will continue for MANY years.

We do it all...fishing, swimming, hiking, eating, s'mores(and I think I might have actually NOT taken a picture of s'more eating this year?!), singing, frog catching, water balloons, eating, dock jumping, kayaking, row boats, games, bike rides, pony rides, skate park, tye die, frisbee golf, ice cream, game room, playground and more ice cream!  It is quite a lot of work getting things together for a week of who knows what the weather will be, being prepared for what the kids will all of a sudden be interested in doing or wanting, packing food for us and for the entire family and overall trying to be as prepared as you can be for a week away from home in a little pop up--but, the memories and smiles my boys have every day is completely worth it.

The pictures speak for themselves...and there are A LOT.....just warning you ;)

 

(Sometimes I can get creative!)   

A "drive in" movie in the woods...complete with popcorn and trips to collect pine cones and sticks!  

Here is the (almost) entire Vruggink Family.  The UP Vruggink's had just left ;(  We need to remember next year to not wait until the last day of camping to get a group shot!

This little man became MUCH more confident swimming to the point where he would swim between 2 people out in the deep by himself.  He loved the sense of accomplishment and was so fun to see his smile when he made it(not to mention watching his little legs just kick, kick, kicking away under the water!)

This trip Haiden chose pony rides and Cameron did target shooting.  It's nice now that the little guy is able to do some of the more "adventurous" things he always sees his brother doing.

Happy campers!

Cameron fine tuning his scooter skills in the skate park.  He did great and trying to go down the higher ramps(and with only one good arm rash he did pretty good!)

Haiden and cousin Levi don't need fancy scooters!  Look how fast and fun your buns can take you! ha!

Bedtime stories and smiles...oh how I love these boys of mine. Pure joy in their faces.

Water balloon fight!!

Meal time.  This is quite the circus act getting the food all ready, kids sitting down and food passed around to all be eating at the same time!  But we did it all while the food was still hot ;)

Slip sliding away!!

Heehee..so tiny but look at the proud smile!  Nothing beats reeling anything in!!

And this one was SOOO proud of his catches.  

This is the little dock we fish off of....and this is not all the little ones plus adults to bait, cast, untangle, unhook and rescue dropped poles that we had on there!

Haiden and goggles is hilarious!  He thinks they are so neat and insists on putting them on himself.

On the search for fish!

CranHill wouldn't be complete without ice cream on the porch.

This is about the only picture I could get of the 2 of them together.  Every time one or the other would just walk away when I asked to get a cute picture!  Silly boys.

Haiden is such a good little player by himself, especially if it involves a truck, scoop, sand, rocks or dirt;)

More fun in the sand.

 Ever since they were able to do it on their own, both boys have always pulled something over their faces when they sleep.  Here Haiden needed Free(which is how he says three) to do the job.  Usually it is their blankets.  I would always try to take it off, just for them to put it back!

Falling asleep while talking and praying about our day.

Mornings with snacks by the campfire.  I love traditions.

And just for the fun of it.....

I {heart} camping!

Vacation Backlog: Smoky Mountains 2012

On a whim in late May, we planned a vacation with Torrey's friend Chad and his 2 kiddos(well, 11 and 13 are technically not kiddos anymore!) to the Smoky Mountains.  This was a WAY easier vacation to pack for as we stayed in this humble abode for a week.
 
 It was just perfect for all of us to be together but yet have our own space.


 We left on a Saturday morning and stopped for one of MANY picnic lunches throughout the week.  I don't think we had one lunch in a house or restaurant. ;) We drove until the kids had had enough and found a great hotel. It was such a great deal we stopped there again on the way home!

The first thing the kids did was hop in the hot tub! We had a nice forest/mountain view.

We were only about a 20 minute drive to the park! 

Everywhere you would look, breathtaking.

One of the first hikes. Most of the hikes we did lead to a waterfall at the top. That sound is something I could listen to all day!

Photo op at one of the look outs on the way up to one of the highest points of the park, Klingman's Dome.

Bath time in the jacuzzi! Bubbles always make bath time better no matter where you are!

Another stop off on a scenic drive.

One of the many historical houses in the park.  This is a place rich with history and stories of what life was like in the mountains.  Some of these places have the most beautiful view no wonder people settled here.

The boys exploring and building things in the river at a roadside park on the way to another hike.

One night we explored downtown Gatlinburg. 

So many times on the trail we would have to remind each other to look up and see the beauty all around us! We stopped quite often just to take it all in.

Cameron exploring behind a waterfall. This one was loud! SO fun to be able to play in a waterfall in the mountains ;)

Tor and Chad cooking up some homemade pizzas.

Our last hike, Ramsey Cascade Trail.  We only did just a little of this one. The first bit walks right along a river with all kinds of places to walk on the rocks and the size of some of the boulders is amazing!

Me and my man ;)  The trail was just off to the left of us.

Here are just some more randoms of the week..... I had a hard time picking just a few out of the MANY we took!

Mady and Cam having fun off the beaten path.

This little man got his naps where ever he could get them in.

We all enjoyed some air hockey(and pool) when we would get back to the cabin after our day adventures.

One BIG highlight was seeing this little creature!  We were able to see him for a good 10 minutes and rather close up!

Hand in hand...

On our last night, we hit up the Dixie Stampede.  It was SO fun.  Torrey and I went there 9 years ago when we were in the Smokies for our 1 year anniversary.  The boys were in awe the entire night eating with their hands and watching the show.  As we left Cameron said. "this was the best day ever"!
Us before the show on the deck of the cabin.

Sweet family memories.

Next vacation...CranHill Ranch Family Camp week!