Sad Days

Hey guys what are we going to do?! We are a bunch of intelligent, self motivated people. We have big ideas and not much stands in the way of us working towards what we want.  We have all had big challenges thrown at us in life and we have somehow managed to come through them  with our chins up and eyes looking forward. So what the heck?! All of us would arguably say that one of the things that we cherish and look forward to most are the times our family has spent together at Whiskeytown Lake. We have all grown up there. We know all the campsites, the coves along the lake and all the best running and hiking trails. We know where the best spots are to fish and how to make it through a rainy weekend. We know where to go to find the smooth spots on the lake for the best water skiing and where all the rope swings are.  Our families have bonded with grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and second cousins.  How many kids do you know who have good relationships with their grandmothers siblings? Or their moms cousins kids...? Thats the stuff people only joke about, but its reality in our family.  One of the biggest reasons for this is the week we have always spent together camping at our favorite lake. So all of a sudden we get one idiot president and ridiculous government furlows and our beloved group site is shut down, and this giant group of motivated intelligent people hang their heads down in defeat and let go of a 40+ year tradition?!  Heck no! We need to make plans people we need to figure out what we are going to do because I don't want to just sit by and let this opportunity to keep our family close pass through our fingers.  What are we going to do? Ideas...ready, set go!

So Remember that One Time When...

...Lauren thought Whiskeytown had become Jedi training camp, and whipped out her light saber?

Brynne became an entrepreneuring genius...

 

(and Uncle Rick went into town sporting silver polish on his fingernails?)

We discovered a new waterfall to explore...

As well as that these kids are actually some of the best bacon cookers this place has seen in 50 years?

Remember when cute kids abounded everywhere, and hammock swinging made them giggly and giddy and happy as always?

 When we had our own front seats to an Olympic worthy synchronized swimming competition?

And Team Japan took the tower building competition and fans world-wide by surprise? (Go Team!)

                            

Remember when realized Maddie was really Pebbles Flintstone...

...when we painted rocks with pine needles after being inspired by Chloe....

and Abby was not only allowed but encouraged by Grandpa to not only stand on the table with her shoes on, but to dance on it?! 

Remember that one time when little kids loved to follow their big "cousins'" examples?

                         

 ...Chloe became the new "dice" champion and idol of all the bigger boys.  ("Say: 'I done!'")...

..and Austin helped her roast her first marshmallow?

When we went to tour a really cool house, and everyone was REALLY interested in the tour guide's lecture? 

Okay, so they really wanted to pan for gold and swim. But it was cool.

 And Melissa and Tawna almost walked straight into a Rattler?

'Member that one time when the water and the outdoor temp'ra'ture were just right...

...when we ate 6 billion eggs (saving the world from a crowded chicken epidemic, otherwise surely about to ensue)...

                                          

...And Grandma had to have learned magic to somehow have managed to keep herself and her embroidery perfectly clean and lovely and classy just like always, even surrounded by red Whiskeytown dirt?!

                                             

Oh...And remember how we have a family that really loves each other and spending time together lots?  Oh yeah.  That's us.  That's now.  That's cool. :)  

I remember that one time, and that one place, and um, how it's been one whole lifetime of goodness.  Love you guys!  Miss you!  Whiskeytown this year rocked my socks off.  It was perfect (minus the few of you we were missin'.) Love you!

Just sayin'

A Few of My Favorite Things

 I have more words than space to express Whiskeytown. I thought I'd spare you and share a few pictures and let them speak for themselves. 

The guy who started it all

The cove we claim as home for week every year

The place we catch up with each other and cool down all afternoon

The way we feel after a big meal and a day on the lake...LAZY

The treats we pick from the edges of the lake to snack on or make berry cobbler

The way the Hurds try to justify eating all that cobbler, trail mix, rice crispy treats, smores, and chocolate treats every night...running around the lake

The way we keep clean (ish)....Family Lake Baths of course

The way we get pretty, or donate to the entrepreneurial spirit of a 7 year old

The way one bright idea breeds the next

The way we wittle away the time into the wee hours of night

The beautiful places we can go

The gorgeous things to be seen

The memories we will never forget

Lapping water
pancake cries
sputter of boat in water
rustle, creak of tree limbs, leaves
tent zipping up, down, stuck, canvas shaking
children laughing everywhere
all voices we know, we love

swinging hammock
pink and green tablecloths
poison oak forts
peanut butter forest
oar dipping in and splashing back
sandy towels
red dirt bums
moats and rivets back to the lake
cards and lantern light
light through tress
smooth manzanita bark, peeling
silly songs
exploring fire staring, talking
talking talking
loving
Family!

Whiskeytown!!! (It's coming up soon! So excited for it, whenever it is.) Love you fam! Just thinking of you and our favorite bonding gathering place. Just wanted to say how grand you all are. Aaaand...update something on this blog. Just a few lil' sounds or happy memories! :)

June 2010

This was the last time that my family was able to go to Whiskeytown! We missed this year because I was huge pregnant and contracting constantly and for some reason the summer Whiskeytown trip never happened! This trip I also had to fly solo. Peter's Grandpa had passed away a few days prior to the trip and Peter was helping with funeral arrangements and finishing work deadlines that he'd plan to put off until after Whiskeytown which was when the funeral was planned. Anyway! It was a crazy 13 hour drive by myself with 5 kids and we could only stay for 2 days so it was a whirlwind of fun for us! ... No seriously, it really was a lot of fun and I didn't regret it for a second!

Cute Logan not long after we arrived. We didn't waste any time jumping into the lake, one our our favorite camping activities!

Here's Nathan, Maddie and Lauren playing on the big blow up "island". The kids spent forever this trip pulling the island into the middle of the cove and doing tricks while jumping off of it.

Nathan and Emily just floating around the cove soaking up the sun!

Life jackets are required for all of the kids on the boat. No matter what! So here's little Nate-man just obeying the rules, even though he's drowning in his adult sized life jacket!

Here's me and Emily, getting all set for our "Midnight" ride or "Moonlight" ride or "Drive-around-silently-in-the-dark-until-the-little-ones-fall-asleep" ride! :)

Aaron and Chloe. (Looks like Chloe is too excited to be on the boat to be falling for any of this falling asleep business!)

Emily, Grandma DaNae and Britta relaxing in the hammock

Madeline and Lauren doing the same!

Tyler and Drew, climbing and being boys!

Emily, Nathan, Wes and Brynne hanging out around the campfire in the morning!

We found a snake slithering around the "kitchen" and spent awhile trying to decide if it was red on black stripes or red on white stripes that meant we had a poisonous snake on our hands. We finally decided that it was "Red on White - Take Flight" and "Red on Black - friend of Jack". So we let a few of the daring kids hold him before we let him go.

Tyler

Amber

Lauren, Nathan, Sequoia and Drew roasting Marshmallows

Emily with her s'more in one hand and her starburst (about to be roasted) in the other!

Madeline and her s'more

Tyler has no problem eating his s'more with filthy black hands. I guess as the saying goes, "God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt" (Grandma and Chloe on Grandpa's lap in the background)