Labor Day Weekend

We went camping with my family over Labor Day Weekend. My dad has a permanent site at a campground near where I grew up and near where my one of my sisters lives. He had reserved the site next to his (which is not a permanent site) for my other sister (the one that doesn't live quite so nearby) and us to set up our tents, which also allowed for more parking if our nearby sister came by and for the kids to play. Saturday we were gone the afternoon and evening, for the aforementioned 60th birthday party. We had gone up Friday late afternoon, and then had Sunday to lounge around and visit. Some fun pix from the weekend...

Sorting rocks:Cousins playing games with Jock:Caden wasn't feeling well Sunday :(We were joking about our high-tech camping - notice the two laptops:And the two little guys watching a DVD on the portable one we keep in our van... Soon after this, Kenny fell asleep, then Caden puked on him - poor guy hadn't felt good all afternoon! Then he was upset after dinner when we roasted marshmallows because he couldn't have one. :(


My dad had cut a big log to make a Swedish candle. I'd never seen one but it was really neat - I was mesmerized and intrigued by it. What is it about watching a campfire that is so mesmerizing - and this was about 10 times that! He started it by pouring kerosene down the middle to fuel it, and then lit a couple newspapers he stuck in a couple of the cuts to get it started.First smoke starts puffing up through the center...Then intermittent flames start shooting up out of the top center:Then constant flames shooting high up out the top of the log (and we started roasting marshmallows - it was hard to not burn them, but that's how most of us like them).Then the spaces start burning and creating larger spaces as the coals fall inward. So neat to watch!Loved the star shape from the top - so neat!And a picture with my flash, to show those HOT! coals in the center!After this we were all tired and ready to turn in, so Dad and Jock started scraping the coals off the insides of each piece sticking up and helping them fall down so we wouldn't have to worry about it overnight. This is how we left it at night - that one stubborn piece wouldn't burn as fast as the others.I didn't get to see it in the morning - Jock got up before me and had already put new logs on the fire to stoke it up again, but Dad said there was still part of the bottom of the stump that hadn't burned totally - but it was mostly coals and ash.

We kept Karen busy over the weekend. She did 7 haircuts, one perm, and one deep-condition. Gracie's deep-conditioning:So serious - Caden (before he started feeling sick - notice the dorito-mouth)Kenny also had dorito-mouth, but I love this one! I think Karen should use it for advertising and call it "have clippers, will travel" - notice the canoes on the river in the background. :) :)
Monday we packed up, visited a little more, and went mini-golfing, as we'd promised Kaylen, before heading back home. Kaylen enjoying (or at least it looks like it - she was really very frustrated at her lack of putting skills) mini-golf:
It was a beautiful weekend - not too hot, but not cold either - well, maybe a little chilly at night, but mostly beautiful weather. Hopefully we can do it again next year!