Union Valley Annual Family Camping Trip

This July we had our 3rd annual family camping trip to Union Valley. Each year we get together with family and friends to camp at one of the most beautiful lakes in California. This year our group was it's largest so far. totalling 45 people over the course of 5 days. We went up early Wed. morning to get camp sites and were lucky enough to get the last 5 which were all right next to each other. We couldn't believe how packed it was! Josh's mom and Paul came again this year, and for the first time his brother Dustin, wife Mel & niece Mazzy and his step sister Amanda, her husband Matt and our nephew Austin joined us. It was so great to have Hannah together camping with her cousins for the first time. The weather was perfect (mid 80's) and the water temp was so nice! Hannah had her first dip in a lake (up to her waist) and loved it. :) She is already such a water baby. We enjoyed wake boarding and surfing and taking the Sea Doos out for a spin. Ian and Josh did the cooking for the entire group Thurs., Fri., and Sat. nights. They did such a great job with tri-tip one night, chicken the next and ribs the last. Josh brought up strawberry flavored marshmallows and Vanilla-Carmel marshmallows, which the kids loved making smores with (strawberry tasted pretty good, but vanilla-caramel was not so good). The guys organized a Frisbee golf tournament on Friday and a horseshoe tournament on Saturday. Hannah did well on her second camping trip of the summer. She loves being outdoors and enjoyed spending so much time with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. With her being so young camping was super easy this year, next year however we will be chasing a toddler all over the campground and spending lots of time in the water. :)

Hannah hanging out at the campsite with Poppa, Aunt Amanda, cousin Austin and Grandma With Cousin Mazzy and Aunt MelMazzy loved her first trip camping

Hanging out with Poppa Austin relaxing next to mom
Smores

Josh showing his ability to hula hoop with 2 hoops :)Snuggling with GrandmaWaking upPlaying with dad in the tentView of Union Valley Lake from the lookout point Ready to get back to the campsite for a napScott and RoxyNap timeOur toys (3 boats and 2 Sea Doos)
Horseshoe tournament

first dip in the water

she was a little small for it, but enjoyed it anyways :)

Ready for her bath

bath time camping style rinsing off

all clean!dinner time

2nd dip in the lake

Josh wake surfing getting closer to fitting in it :)

With cousin Austin
view from our campsite

lake at sunset

cousins

Our family

group pic (missing Austin, Jill, Dustin, Mel, Mazzy, Jeanie and Matt)

Pool Party, Softball, Games in the Park

After arriving home from Fortuna we've had a busy two days. On Monday Hannah's best friend Kenzie had a pool party at her house. Hannah had fun sitting in the kiddie pool with Kenzie watching all the floaty toys in the water. :) Monday evening Josh and I had playoffs for our coed softball league. We went into the playoffs tied for first in the league, but because we had the most runs scored overall for the season we had a bye the first of the three games in the playoff round. After playing two games that evening we took FIRST place in our league! :) Tuesday I tutored for a couple hours in the morning while Josh watched Hannah. Then Josh, Ian and Kara did the shopping at Costco and Safeway for the group dinners for our family camping trip this week. Later that afternoon we all headed down to the park for our weekly Tuesday game night. Just like last summer, we meet with friends every Tues. at a park near our home to play various games (sand volleyball, croquet, ladder ball, horseshoes, botchie ball, etc...). Every week there are about 25 of us down there. Since most of us there are teachers, we start game night in the park every year once school gets out and end it once school starts back up in Aug. This summer we have so many more babies and toddlers down there making it even more fun. :) Tomorrow morning we head up to Union Valley for our annual family camping trip. We are excited to get out on the gorgeous lake and spend time with family and friends.

Hannah testing out the water at Kenzie's pool party

Hannah and Kenzie

Look at those leg rolls! :)

My water baby

League Champions

Hanging out at game night (Aaron feeding 7 week old Michael,

our newest addition to game night)

Michelle and Hannah
Scott and Ian

Tracy and I with our girls

horseshoes

smiling at dad

Ladder ball

Volleyball