Good Friends, Good Fun

It was the time of the year for our annual weekend camping trip to Lake Canton in Oklahoma.  Our family has been going since 1997 (we found the pictures to prove it the other night while browsing the scrapbook, see previous post).  We have only missed 1 year of going.  The friends that go with us change periodically, depending on schedules, but the couple that we went with this weekend has been going faithfully for the last 10 years!  They have 2 daughters that have moved out and to college and one son that is Grant's age.  The coolest thing is that their oldest daughter Marci, has made an effort to come from Wichita the last 3 years to join us, bringing with her her fiance', who became her husband last year.  Cami was quite smitten with "Robber" this year--and maybe he was a little smitten with her too??

Now, we are not fancy campers!!

We sleep in tents, one of them very OLD, with a small hole in the roof--sure glad it didn't rain on us this year--it has happened before!!

We air up mattresses from our cigarette lighters. J and I each have a cot that keeps our old bones off the hard ground. And the kids sleep in sleeping bags!!

We cook over an open fire--always!!

OK, only if we are not cooking in a hole in the ground!!

Yes, he actually BURIED the dutch oven in a hole--and was still able to find the exact location of it to dig it up-despite the recreational drinking :-) It created the best beef roast and veggies that a person might ever eat!

At times we are even a little unconventional--we pay for an electric campground--because those sites are better--but after many years of drinking nasty campfire coffee with grounds in the water--we started bringing the 'ole kitchen coffee pot!! YUUUM! Nothing better than sittin' in your lawn chair, watching the eggs cook while sipping coffee and listening to the wildlife--before the cranky, sleep deprived kids get active!

Most usually we look a little like this. . . HOOOOTT!!

And it was hot on Saturday--the swimming felt good.  But there was not a blasting hot wind killing us, just a gentle breeze the whole weekend.  Saturday night cooled off nicely and Sunday was nice and cool until we left for home by mid afternoon.  And we were sure excited to hear that we had gotten rain at home Saturday night as well--1.3 inches--woot-woot!

This is one of our favorite activities--just hanging out around the fire visiting and sipping whatever new concoction we have dreamt up.  The guys also fished a little and boated and skiied.  There was also a nice sandy beach just a short walk away--which the kids adored.  Cindy and I enjoyed visiting while relaxing in the lawn chairs as Cami napped on the cot under the tree.  The comradery of our families is such a treat.  Everyone pitches in to help cook, clean, set up, clean up and relax.  I am always the camp "nurse" :-)  And anyone who has ever gone with us is familiar with my pink "doctor box" that houses all kinds of things that one might need--even for pooches who get their bandages wet from swimming in the lake.

We are all food consissuers, and our food is always good. .ALWAYS!! Just ask us! We won't lie.

Lane and Cindy are always good about coming up with new and different recipes to try--like that roast in the fire pit under the earth.  I usually stick with stuff like fajitas and biscuits and gravy.  Though I went out on a limb and made stuffed mushrooms and cheesy garlic bread on the grill.

Don't those peppers just make your mouth water!!?? They were AWESOME.

The boys are also into baking cobblers in their dutch ovens.  This year we had cinnamon apple cobbler, chocolate/black cherry cake, and blueberry cobbler. 

Oh, yeah--and what is a good camping trip without smores. .or just roasted marshamallows. .or just leftover chocolate bars that someone gave her because she just has that power over people!!

A good getaway (and some life-giving rain) does good things for a person's soul!