1st camping trip as a married couple!

Last weekend Josh and I went camping together for the first time since we have been married. It was a learning experience! We planned to go for two nights - leave Friday after work and return Sunday before evening church. I happened to have that Friday off so I spent the day preparing for the trip. I made lists, gathered the gear, food, etc, packed the car, and as soon as Josh was home from work we were off! We basically headed to the closest place to us that has trees, and since the campgrounds were all closed we planned on just pulling off a deserted road somewhere and dry camping. We had hoped we'd arrive in time to set-up before dark...but that didn't work out so well.

We set up in the dark on the side of the mountain. Everything was sloped but it was the only place someone else hadn't already set up camp. Fortunately we were far away from other people so at least going to the bathroom wasn't an issue! We fought to start a fire for about 30 minutes and finally got it going. By the time we got it going we were pretty much ready for bed so we let it burn out. It had to have been the longest night of my life. Since the entire area was sloped, so was our tent. We were slipping down all night long, but I'm just glad it wasn't to the side. We didn't really have any padding (Therm-o-rests are way up there are our "to  buy" list.) so we were very sore in the morning. There were a number of complications in the morning in relation to getting the stove working, forgetting the pancake mix, and so on. But suffice it to say that by about 1 in the afternoon we both agreed we'd had our experience and wanted to be home.

Trying to build a wind barrier. The wind was blowing directly up the mountain the entire time and it was exhausting to fight it.

My kitchen area wind barrier! There's no way that fire would have stayed lit without this.

At this little bookstore in the upstairs room of a building in Cloudcroft.

So we packed up camp and headed home! Josh was so sweet and did almost all the unpacking and even returned the things we borrowed while I took a bath. That night we decided to camp out in the living room and have a Friends night! It was fun, and more comfortable than the night on the side of the mountain. We roasted hog dogs over the grill and enjoyed not freezing. =)

Bug spray, hah. We didn't have to use it camping but we have to use it at home...

Dogs and brats.

The rest of my trip to California

On Sunday morning we got up bright and early to be at church for rehearsal by 8.
We all had to be ready for Chrissy's wedding before then! So we left right after the service and headed to Redlands. It was a beautiful wedding! A very small ceremony in the back of the coffee shop Austin's parents own and he runs, and a wonderful reception in Austin's parent's backyard.

On Monday night, Hope and I went to soccer practice with Josh and Dad. We played tennis for a while, and then watched the rest of the practice.

Tuesday I got Jonners and Eeffers for the day. This guy and me spend the morning playing and then picked up Jonathan at school.

Magnetix jewelry. =)

We went to Grandma's and had mac & cheese for lunch!

Post-nap crazy face while he has root beer float!

His hair was getting in his eyes so I fixed that problem!

On Wednesday Joshy and I got some pumpkins

Cool black jack-o-lantern

The little Rupprecht cousins came over for dinner so their parents could have a date night

I helped Dad with "farm work" a couple mornings. We spackled, sanded, and painted these three window frames.

I picked fresh flowers from the yard. Dad left me some lovely roses when I first got there but they needed to be replaced by about day 5.

Thursday afternoon I went with the boys to work on the three house Matt is building for Jonathan and Ethan. It's going to be great!

=)

On Friday night the whole fam (minus Nate) hung out. We had some fun reading poetry from the book Mom has used for years in school. Everyone took turns reading their favourite poem or just ones that seemed fun.

Here's Matt...participating. =)

After Family Night, I went with Matt and Sarah to spend the night at the Wak's where Sarah has been house sitting. We watched Merlin and played with Bubbles!

Mom and the younger two kids left for Utah early Sunday morning. =( So I had to say my goodbyes to them then.

On Sunday after church, Dad and I went to the Wak's house and showered from the hot day. We played some ping pong, had a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill, and shopped at Rei!

After my date night with Dad, we went back to the Wak's where I visited with the college girlies for a bit. Then we went home and I went to the Webb's for a sleepover with Bethany. I got to visit with everyone for a while, then Beb and I played country dancing on the Wii! We exhausted ourselves and then went to bed. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep on Bethany cause I was so worn out. =/

It was a great end to a wonderful week. Monday morning I packed all up, went to Norwalk to get my marriage license, went to the shop to get Dad, we had lunch at El Pollo Loco, then went by Grandma and Grandpa's to say bye, then headed for the airport. This was possibly one of the hardest goodbyes I've ever had to say. I was barely holding it together. I've missed my family so much. I can't wait to see them again.