Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

Camping at Blackhawk Park

August 2011

The other day, my mom and brother, Bryan picked up Oliver early in the day to help set up camp for the night. Later that afternoon, I took Eden and the younger boys over to hang out for the afternoon and evening. They played on the playground and played frisbee and wiffle ball with Uncle Bryan. They played in the sand by the playground almost all night long!


Uncle Bryan found Jaren his very own wand!!

Sassy Eden - age 8

Finny LOVED the slides!

The pile up!

LOVE him smiling up at Grandma (my mom)!!

Oliver digging in the sand.

Eden, playing frisbee with Uncle Bryan, Oliver and Phineas.

Oliver laughing... Finny squatting low in order to throw the frisbee!!

Can anyone guess what Oliver is doing?!? ;o)

SUPERMAN!!!

Me and Phineas. I love how my eyes are closed... GAH!


Bry, Oliver and myself drove to the archery range so I could see first hand how well Oliver did with his 'sweet bow huntin' skills'. DANG... that kid is GOOD! I couldn't believe how well he did. He really looks like Robin Hood... especially when he put two... TWO arrows on at one time!!! It was so fun to watch him. I also had a chance to try out my new bow, too! Not bad... not bad... er... but not too good either! There was a tower that you could climb and aim from, getting a different point of view. He did so well. I'm proud of him for trying something new and happy that he's enjoying it!






Uncle Bryan and Oliver. Notice Ollie's bulls eye!

Oliver and Bry

TWO arrows at a time!!! :O)

Uncle Bryan got one in the wooden post!


Ollie and me


After we were done shooting we walked across the street over to the river to see what we could see over there. Bry brought out a fishing rod so Oliver could try to get a few fish... just see if they would be interested in his spinner, but no bites.




Hearts to show how much I love Ollie!




We went back to the camping area and roasted hot dogs for dinner. The kids did some paint with water pages and then we ate. Later, we roasted marshmallows and made some s'mores. Originally, my mom was going to stay with Ollie and Eden overnight, but Oliver wanted to come home. He started to cry and said that he wanted to see Dad when he got home. It was such a beautiful day! It felt the summer had just started and now school is right around the corner!

Bry and Mom

Bubbling crayons on the fire.

Eden and Jaren

Bry and Phineas

Bear

CHEESY!

Eden and Ollie

Eating marshmallows by the fire.

Nice, Jaren.... niiiiiiice.

Tired boy




Saturday, May 28, 2011

Camping and Renaissance Festival @ Amana Colonies

Memorial Day - May 2011

Oliver went camping with my brothers, Bryan and Chad for their first boys campout! He had a fun time chopping wood for the fire and taking pictures with his camera. We definitely need to go again this summer as a family.



Uncle Chad, Oliver, Uncle Bryan


While Ollie was gone on his boys campout the rest of us headed to the Amana Colonies near Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a Renaissance festival they had this weekend. We had fun walking around, looking at the booths, watching the shows, throwing axes and other dangerous objects and sampling some Medieval nachos! :O) It was a beautiful day to be out with the family and being an hour away from home, we even saw some familiar faces!


Queen Stacy and King Edward. I love Ed's face!

Princess Eden and the cross dressing Queen... ;o)

Loved this guys smeared lipstick... (second from left)

'The reindeer'!!!

Pirate Eden. "Aaaarrrrrrr, Mateys!"

Ed got one try to get this 'HE-MAN' axe into the stump. If he got it in, he got his dollar back. He got it in! I'm glad there was no blood involved in this feat!

Yeah... we let our 3 year old throw a few rusty axes...

Brothers, Jaren, age 3 and Finny, 17 months wrestling in the grass before the jousting event.

I can't remember this guy's name... Judas... maybe? He was the 'bad' guy during the jousting event.

Bear couldn't leave without a wooden sword. I think that makes our sword and saber count nearly 20 or so. There is always one at hand when they need it!

Sweet Finny boy

Channeling my inner Robin Hood. We had to buy a bow and arrow set when we got back into town. :O)


"'Twas a jolly good time had by all!"