Memorial Day 2012 Part 1

We went camping over Memorial Day weekend.  We took the horses, dogs, and kids along and met up with Brad's parents and his brother John and his family.  In total there were 3 motor homes, 3 horse trailers, 8 horses, 4 dogs, 6 kids and 6 adults.  It was a busy campsite to say the least.

Joel, Mommy and Hank

Daddy, Croc and Joel

Attempting a self portrait on horseback of Mommy and Joel

Grandma Diane and Ellie

It was Saturday afternoon by the time we got to the campground.  We went to Loud Thunder Forest Preserve.  The regular campgrounds were full but the equestrian campground was pretty empty.  Brad and I brought 2 horses and planned to take turns riding with the boys.  Someone was going to have to stay back with Cecilia because she is still too young  and I refuse to ride triple.

Daddy and Vince...and Hank's ears

Our campsite

Maggie

After we got camp set up and before and John and Michelle (Brad's brother and his wife) arrived Diane, Joel and I went out for a ride.  I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to ride, Joel was needing something to do and Diane wanted to test her horse out before all the kids were on a trail with us.  Joel sat perfectly still in front of me on the saddle with a snack cup in one hand and a book in the other hand.  He never dropped either one when I was riding with him.  The next day when he rode with Brad he did drop them a couple times.  It was a calm, beautiful ride!  It was actually my favorite ride from the weekend.  Joel and I practiced saying the names of different things we were seeing.  Diane and I couldn't talk much because my horse walks so slow, and the dogs were following behind me and panting so hard I couldn't hardly hear anything else.  Overall it was just a really relaxing ride.  Probably because I only had to worry about Joel and he wasn't going to complain about what trails we were on and I knew Brad was fine back at camp with the other two.

Millie and Maggie doing a trick with their dad's help

Another self portrait with Joel sleeping

Brad trying to keep Vince awake

Millie and John riding backwards

Vince spent most of the afternoon and evening begging to make marshmallows!  He was relentless.  He was really excited when he finally got to have a marshmallow.  We had a situation arise on Saturday evening (during marshmallow time) and needed Vince to just sit still in his chair by the fire, so Brad let him have the iPad to play.  Vince was so mad that Netflix wasn't working.  I told him it wasn't working because we didn't have internet.  He said "Why don't we have internet here?!"  He was appalled.  We told him we were camping and that he was lucky he was getting to use the iPad.

Cecilia...it was really hot out!

Joel and Grandpa Craig

Waiting to ride

Other than Cecilia no one was on their normal schedule all weekend and it was great!  Late nights, relatively early mornings, naps were hit or miss.  It worked for camping.  Once we got home it took a couple days to get back on our normal schedule, but it was worth it!

Vince eating

Brad, Vince and Croc

Joel