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We had a great weekend camping in Van Buren with the Morrisons.  The weather was perfect, and the weekend seemed to go by too fast.  Today it just seemed like we woke up and were just sitting around waiting to pack up and leave.  However, we had two nights of good campfires (ok, Friday nights fire was kind of lame…. the State Park sold us wet firewood), and on Saturday we spent a good part of the day checking out the beach, downtown Van Buren and the lighthouse pier.  I took far too many pictures, but what else do you expect?  I am so glad we squeezed in this quick trip before winter hits. 

Porter did great camping.  I’m so glad we were able to go a couple times this summer to get used to camping with a baby.  It is definitely harder than camping without kids, but definitely do-able.  I really enjoy taking Porter.  I’m glad we are able to take mini-trips like this and explore Michigan.  I can’t wait until next summer.  I look forward to lots of these camping trips.  Hopefully the Morrisons will be up to camping with us a few (or many) times. 

On the way home Porter had a diaper blow-out.  I love it how Ryan always says "Oh he had a major blow out" when he changes a poopy diaper… meaning…. he pooped a lot.  Now, blow out to me is poop out the diaper, up the back, out the leg holes.  And thats what we got today in the car about half an hour away from home. Nice.  I happened to be sitting in the back entertaining Porter and he threw a toy at me. I noticed some brown mushy stuff on it… and it wan’t spit up.  Yuck.  We made it through that and made it home.  Porter was exhausted by the end of the day… he woke up from his nap at 2:30 and by 7 he was just falling apart over everything.  It was a long, busy day and hopefully he’ll sleep good tonight!

This is going to seem like the post of pictures that never end… I swear there is an end to them (on this blog, at least… on my computer…. there are endless pictures of this weekend EEEK!) 

Family… if there are any pictures you want a copy of, shoot me an email and I’ll get extra copies when I put in my next print order. Just let me know which one. I’ll also add these to the Mpix account if you want to get them there. 

I think I’m going to make an album for all the pictures of this camping trip… I’ll add it HERE sometime this week (check back!)

Here are a few of the far too many pictures (click on any of them to see them larger)…

Playing cards (Go Fish and Phase 10)

Van Buren sight-seeing

Messing around at the waterfront…

The boys playing at the campsite…

Porter’s new fascination… spitting….  And Porter enjoying the swings..

Heather and I walked down to Lake Michigan so I could try to get some decent pictures of Porter….

 

A couple crazy family picture taken with the tripod…

We hit the beach one last time for a short bit before hitting the road… I’m glad we did because I love these pictures of the kids!

    

Things we learned while camping this weekend…
 

1. Never get a campsite near, or anywhere in the vicinity, of the playground.  We had kids running through our site, climbing the trees on our site RIGHT behind our pop-up, where Porter was sleeping… kids screaming, yelling, being loud until past 9pm!
2. Kids will be obnoxiously loud when parents are not around… and kids have no problem running and playing on other peoples campsites when they think no one will catch them (however…. Ranger Ryan kept patrol over these little punks a couple times…)
3. Michigan highways have a rediculous amout of construction…. and you should find out if the highway you are going to be driving on will have 20 miles of construction, going 20 miles an hour, before getting on the road)
4. Cheddar cheese does not come from cheddar cows (long story….)
5. In a matter of hours, Michigan weather can be both cold enough to make you shiver wearing a sweatshirt and layers of shirts underneath, and hot enough to wear a t-shirt and shorts.

Ok, thats it for now.  I am off to bed… the weekend is over, and its back to work tomorrow!