This past weekend we went on our second family camping trip. The first trip was with our H2H group back in April and it literally poured rain the ENTIRE weekend. Our second experience was much better. We camped at Elkmont in the Smokey Mountains with four other families. The weather was pretty close to perfect, not too hot, and only a slight shower early Sunday morning. The girls loved every minute of the weekend. They played in the creek, the mud, the river....they loved sleeping in the tent, they didn't even really complain as much as I did about the bathroom facilities. I really enjoyed spending time with good friends around the campfire, picnic table and out hiking.
Bill has even decided that we are going to purchase our own tent after this last experience. He says he would like for us to go camping on our own some. I thought I would really only want to go in a group, but now I'm not so sure that we wouldn't enjoy it on our own as well. (Since I got a job today, we might actually be able to go ahead and get a tent and try out camping this fall.)
In the group picture below starting in the back row from left to right...Ashley, Britt, Haley, Wendy, Annie, Ed, Cindy, Julia, Mike, Mike, Bill, Cindy. Front row, Sam, Will, Braden, Rebecca, Laurel, Joanne, Donna, Allison and Lauren. Some of these folks have been camping together for 12 years or longer. They started back when we were in a small group together. I am glad they invited us to go along with them this year.
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| Group picture |
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| Part of our group campsite |
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| Sitting around the picnic table |
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| I like this picture because you can see the kids in the background playing in the stream. |
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| Allison, Lauren, Will, Braden, Rebecca, Sam and Joanne |
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| Allison playing in the stream |
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| The group going on a hike |
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| Sweet girls |
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| Allison's walking stick she found for the hike |
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| I love this boy!!!! |
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| Annie, Ed, Wendy, Rebecca, Allison, Braden, Lauren and Haley |
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| Allison and Julia |
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| Braden, Will, Allison, Julia, Sam, Haley, Lauren and Annie (Rebecca and Laurel slipped out of the picture) |
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| Playing in the river......it was FREEZING!!! |
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| Julia and Lauren |
Fun times with great friends. I am thankful to live near the beautiful Smokey Mountains and to have good friends to spend time with. I am also thankful for my precious family and getting to make sweet memories with them.
As far as camping goes, I don't think this will be our last trip! :)
2 comments:
Glad you guys had a good time and that they weather was more cooperative this time :) Camping can be so much fun...in the right weather :)
Yay!! Glad you're all going to stick with it. It was fun, even though I'm still itching from those chigger bites and it's Thursday already. Aargh!!
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