Memorial Day weekend camping trip

For the third year in a row, we went camping over the Memorial Day weekend with friends. The weather was perfect this year, not too hot during the day, not too chilly at night, and NO rain!

We go to Fall River, which is about an hour and a half from Wichita. We rent a large campsite and have a large picnic shelter with electricity, so it's hardly roughing it. I tell people the roughest part is sleeping in a tent--we even have an air mattress!

We loaded the car and packed it to the gills!



Brett helping with the tent.



Home sweet home.



Brett's favorite camping activity:
watching videos on the portable DVD player.




Friday night dinner.
Casey helped Kurt man the grill.



The kids roasted s'mores at the campfire.
Lauryn and Casey decided they needed
their sunglasses because the fire was so bright.

On Saturday, we took the kids for a walk to see the dam at Fall River. Since it's rained so much in the last month, they were letting water out of the dam. We camp at the Dam Site campground right near the dam, so we were lulled to sleep at night by the "white noise" of the water pouring out of the dam.

This is the bridge we have to cross
to get to our campsite.



Brett and Casey.



The dam. Last year we were able
to fish on the banks of the river
where that tree stands.



Jeff, Dan, Terry and Kurt.

We bring plenty of activities since we have lots of time just sitting around the campsite.

The guys played frisbee golf in the
field behind the campsite.



Dan's turn.

The boys learned how to play croquet this time, since Jeff, master of the campsite games, brought his croquet set.

Brett.



Jeff.

We also took the boys' fishing poles so they could try to catch some fish. They really just have fun casting out.

Brett.



Casey.



We took Terry and Doug, our
master fishermen, along to
help the boys.

Saturday night's dinner was a fish and vegetable fry. Terry deep-fried broccoli and cauliflower and some of the striper he'd caught on a previous fishing trip.

Terry manning the fryer.



The fried veggies were awesome.

We eat like kings on these camping trips. On Sunday night, we had a huge meal. Doug and Cindy had smoked ribs and brought them, Terry made guacamole and we had steak and chicken fajitas.

Jeff manning the margarita machine.



Doug and Cindy cutting up the ribs.



Terry tasting his guacamole.



Amy was in charge of grilling the
chicken and steak for the fajitas.

On Monday morning, the tradition is for the guys to make the girls breakfast. We had scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon.

Brett helping to crack the eggs.



The guys cooking breakfast.

It's also a tradition for us to take a group photo on Monday morning before we head home. Only the people who didn't shower during the entire weekend get to be in the photo. What a prize, huh? :)

Our group; a little smelly, but happy.