Camping at last

A year ago, I was VERY pregnant with Anders, so although spring and summer were arriving (albeit very late in Wisconsin) I wasn't really keen on the idea of going camping with a newborn. By the time Anders was 5 months old and I was more willing to go camping, it was fall, and our weekends were consumed by Saturday soccer game. We even scheduled two camping trips, but had to cancel at the last minute due to rainy weather...not something we wanted to endure with 4 kids under the age of 6. So it was that 2014 passed with no camping trips.

So last week, when the forecast was actually projecting nice spring weather, we figured we should start the season out right (hopefully starting spring with some camping will help us go more all year). We found a state park about an hour away and had a quick little camping trip. I honestly don't know if I could camp much longer than 1 or 2 nights with little kids, especially a baby who crawls around in the dirt and doesn't know what is/isn't edible/dangerous yet. We had a great time and the kids are already asking when we are going again. 

Niels loved his new sleeping bag...and Anders actually slept in a pack n play in the van, with the windows cracked, giving us so much more flexibility.

Doesn't he have the most beautiful eyes?

Someone else had been climbing this tree just a few moments before them, and she fell out...needless to say, the girls weren't too anxious to climb very high.

This was probably the kids favorite part of the trip. Paul would slooooowly slide down by tucking his knees in close to him, while singing, "Slow-mo sliding, almost in reverse," sung to the tune of Star Trekking Across the Universe for you Dr. Demento fans out there. It became the theme song for the entire weekend...the kids are still singing it days later. Heck, I've still got it stuck in my head! They loved to get stuck behind him, all going slow-mo.

 And this is all Niels ever did with his s'more...just look at it, and think about eating it. He really doesn't like being messy....he's missing out on a lot!

And one final trip to the slow-mo slide as we drove out of camp, still in our PJs.

In an effort to remain current on this blog, I think the easiest thing to do is post things about the kids, or squids, as my husband likes to call them. I don't have my phone cable with me now, and I currently have kids asleep in my bed (a thing I only allow when Paul works nights) so this post will be photoless:

On Thursday this week we were having a super play date. Sisters Savannah (a friend Anna's age) and Evelyn (Niels' age) were coming over in the morning, and Talmage, a friend from Hattie's primary class at church, was coming in the afternoon. But the playroom was a disaster, and I know from 7 years parenting that play dates go much better when the room starts out clean. So while I threw dinner in the Crock Pot, I sent them to the play room to get to work.  A few minutes into it, I realized they had composed a song. The lyrics:

Clean them up before they die!
Clean them up before they die!
Clean them up before they die!
Die! Die! Die!

Over and over again they sang it. They said it was the only way that they could get Niels to actually participate. I guess the simple "Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere" lost its magic on him. I didn't know if I should be concerned about the kids violence...instead I brushed it off, and was happy that they were all working together...happily, although perhaps violently.

Busy

Hattie just asked me if I knew how to post stuff onto this blog. It's our homescreen on our web browser and she is tired of seeing "C-section Soap Box" for the last 11 months. Understandably so. Sadly with homeschooling, certain things get neglected...laundry, clean house, this blog. At least on not neglecting my kids, right? So in order to change things up, here's some pictures from the last 7 months. (and Len, I have partially started this up again for you :)

Anders has been our sweetest, easiest baby

Niels is generally smiley and loves to make us happy

He likes to snuggle in my bed

Laura and her kids came to visit last summer

And we had to stop at the zoo train

4th of July (with friend Savannah)

Northern California coast for a Dame reunion

Loved the sand (with cousin Sophie)

The boys and I hung out while Paul took the girls kayaking

I think this was Anna's fourth birthday to be celebrated at Grandma Dame's house...and she is only 5. She associates her birthday with cousins at Grandma's house

Fun with sisters...minus Laura

While on a trip to the Oregon coast, Paul hiked Mt. Saint Helens...

While I took a day hike with the kids

Rose gardens in Portland

Awesome Iverson reunion t-shirts

Paul did another Tough Mudder

And I did a lot of homeschooling

He's become obsessed with trains...anything with an engine actually

Hattie turned 7

Anders just got cuter

Anna lost her first tooth

We visited beautiful Door County in Wisconsin...gotta go back again

And our Lego Movie Halloween

Believe it our not, this was actually part of a history lesson...yes, homeschooling is great :)

The first snow of a very snowy winter

Family pictures!!!

Entertaining Anders while we try to do school

And a very cold, fun Packers game in December

With any luck, I'll post again soon...knock on wood.