Leighanne's "Birthday Weekend"

To celebrate my birthday we went on a camping trip to Sequoia National Park.  We left Friday evening and after and hour or more of being lost, found our campsite at 9:30 and set about making dinner and setting up the tents. 

 I found a recipe for chicken pot pie in a dutch oven that looked pretty easy.  I did all the chopping/prep at home and it was really easy to make once there.  We were so hungry and I am glad it turned out to be delicious!

 We set up two tents this time because Holland is a PAIN to camp with.  Justin and Holland slept in a tent and the girls and I in the other.  I got the air mattress all to myself but was glad for the company (Cara) in the morning because I got cold.  Holland ended up sleeping really well but when he woke up, he kept saying "Look Daddy, TREES!!"

 Breakfast was eggs and bacon and oatmeal.  While Justin and I packed up the campsite the kids explored the trees and surrounding slopes.  They got themselves stuck pretty high up and I had to climb up to rescue them.  It was hard for me to get to them, so I don't know how they got up as far as they did.  Holland and I literally slid down to get back to flat"ish" ground.  As we headed down the mountains we asked a game warden where it would be safe to go hiking and since it was opening day of deer season (we didn't know that ahead of time) he said it really wasn't a good idea to go roaming around on our own.  So, we took his advice and waded around in the Kern River.  It is a popular site to go rafting and people were picnicking and walking all along the river.  It was a really pretty and cold spot.

 Instead of getting in swimming suits, we just rolled our pant legs up but I knew better with Holland and he got to wade in his diaper.  He ended up swimming in the river and followed Justin everywhere even when the water went up higher than Holland expected it to .

 Cara got pretty soaked and had to change into her suit and clothes from the previous day.

 After wading and going to Lake Isabella for a picnic we headed home.  On the way we stopped at a place advertising "Family Farm Stand".  They let us go into their garden and pick our own veggies and a watermelon.  They had some big dogs and I told Holland they were bears but the kids weren't afraid at all.  The family was very generous and even let us have some samples.

 Another place we stopped was "Robber's Roost".  It is a Ghost Town on the side of the road and it was FREE!  I asked the girls later what their favorite part of the weekend was and shockingly they said the ghost town.

After we got home and unloaded a bit we went to Denny's for "kids eat free" and were so happy to go to bed that night.  The kids were exhausted and thoroughly enjoyed getting dirty and into nature.  Now for Justin's birthday, I need to convince him to go window shopping in Hollywood!