Camping With Friends 2016

Camping with friends looked a little different this year. Wednesday before the weekend we were looking at a 90% chance of rain 90% of the weekend. Bleh. So, rather than risking the rain in our pop up and tent (the Rigsby fam has a legit camper now, so they were good to go!), we decided to cancel our campsite reservations and camp in the Tasker house instead.

The first night of our camping weekend was also Casey's birthday. We grilled out and ate together. Everyone had their fill of cupcakes then we sat on the front porch and caught up on life while the kids ran all over the yard, until the bugs got thick and we moved it back inside. Aw, the beauty of camping in a house.

36 years and still so handsome.

Saturday we slept in (sleeping in for us anyway). After a breakfast of pancakes and eggs, we packed food for lunch and headed west to Osage Hills State Park. We spent a few hours there. The men and boys hiked around the park for a bit while the girls stayed at the playground. Renana and I chatted virtually uninterrupted for over an hour. It was glorious! We missed having Nikki join us for the chat. The Tasker fam was attending a work picnic at Woolaroc.

Miss Gabby.

Doesn't she just make you want to smile?

Awww, friend hugs!

Just missing Nathalie!

So disappointed I didn't get one of all the girls at some point.

They were having so much fun with each other!

These two are only ten days apart.

After the hike, the boys found a ravine and claimed it as their own personal fort. It was complete with deer tracks and swinging vines. What more could a group of little boys want? It kept them well entertained while the adults sat and talked.

Climbing down into the ravine.

Rigsby boys out ahead.

Smith boys following close behind.

Isaiah and Gabe in the back.

Noah and Barrett in the front.

All smiling so nicely for me...they're getting the hang of it!

For perspective's sake. 

They were pretty far down a bank from me.

I let Isaiah and Gabe take some nature pictures...here's what I got.

Deer tracks.

Another deer track.

uhhhh....the ground?

Hazelnuts.

All fascinating to the boys.

It got pretty warm in the afternoon, so we packed it up to head back to the Tasker house.

Nikki and I took a quick trip to the mall and scored on some deals for clothes for our family. Then we all had supper together again, and the bonfire and s'mores followed. Our tradition is generally to take a group photo Sunday morning just before leaving, but this year since we weren't all staying at the same place we decided to take it Sunday night.

The sunset was really gorgeous.

Farmer Noah...not a care in the world.

Getting the photo set up.

Always good for a laugh.

There we are!

Smith, Rigsby, Tasker families.

Next time we take this photo, little Nehemiah will be in it!

(Renana's baby boy due November.)

She kept wanting her picture taken but she couldn't handle the flash.

Such a cheeseball.

It is ALWAYS a good time when we're able to make this trip to spend quality time with old friends. Here's to hoping we'll pick a dry weekend next year!