Willow Creek

About two years ago we tried out camping for the first time since Reese was a 6-month old infant. On my birthday even. We loved it, and have made sure to go a couple times each summer the last two years. We were going to go for my brithday again this year, but it was raining with lightning and thunder, and we didn't want to dampen our families enthusiasm for camping (haha), so we didn't go. Since we are so organized and plan way ahead for everything, last week we realized we had no more summer weekends to go camping after last weekend! So RD miraculously got friday afternoon off, and with minimal planning, we headed out, after 2 quick turn-around trips to get forgotten items. We wanted to go to a new place, and Willow Creek looked promising, with the confluence of willow creek and crooked river, free sites, and a vault toilet.
We all questioned RD when we were on a washboard road for several miles with no sings for willow creek, but his map brought us to a small campground. We got the best site, and had no neighbors! sweet!

Willow creek was a great site. Willow creek turned out to be a tiny stream, but the crooked river offered up a great spot for playing in the water, kicking and throwing rocks in, keeping our dinner and drinks cold, building bridges for Aubree to walk across (course she walked all over too), a live fish well, and of course fishing. Cameron spent most his time fishing, catching four fish. Everyone caught a fish! 'cept me and Bree.

We went on a walk with Grace and Bree (who got held lucky girl) while the boys read. Bree ditched her shoes pretty much as soon as we got to the site.

We would have loved the evening meal and smores, but the gnats came out enmasse with our food.

a putting-up-the-tent snack

 Better than wasps or mosquitos, but still really annoying. Some of us took refuge in the tent, and played some games, and some of us went fishing. We ended the evening with a fun sing-a-long and some crazy dancing, and slept (and woke intermittently) to the rain and creek. It was still drizzling the first half of the morning, but cleared up as we did a bit more fishing and playing before packing up. RD was shaking some of the water off the top of our tent, and the girls thought it was so funny to get showered by the spray. I thought he was super handsome. hubba hubby :)

We finally took off around 1 pm, trying to get in Aubree's nap and back in time for our date that night. Aubree nodded off as soon as we got off the washboard road. When we finally got home we weren't sure if we wanted lunch, a shower, or a nap first. But we ended up going in that order. Bree took a nap for 3 1/2 hours! even after her car snooze. it was a great trip! who's up for round two?!