Every year we spend a weekend with Nick's side of the family doing some sort of activity, usually camping. In keeping with the tradition, we spent a long weekend at Serrano Campground in Big Bear. Unlike most years, on this trip I actually muttered the words, "I am really close to putting Nicole in the car and driving home". However, I did not act on my sleepy words and was glad I decided to finish out the trip!
Now, let me share with you why I was ready to go home early. On Thursday night, Nicole decided that crying was better than sleeping and around 10pm we realized that she actually may not be feeling well. Around 2am, we found out that our guess was right as she threw up all over her little bed. Now keep in mind that we are camping....in a tent....and it is starting to rain. So, we grabbed a towel, shampoo, and the dirty blanket and quickly walked through the light rain to the showers. We were glad that the showers were free, but that also meant that you had to hold down a button on the shower to keep the water on. So, there we were at 2 am, trying to clean off one dirty baby, one pair of pj's, and one blanket all without completely getting soaked by the shower water.
Around 4 am (about when I muttered those sleepy words), I woke up to water hitting my face, the sound of thunder hitting my ears, and the bright lights of lightning hitting my eyes. Yes, we were in the middle of a wonderful storm (still in a tent). I woke Nick up and we quickly got to work fixing up the tent to keep us dry.
Nick used the "wall divider" to make a second roof in our tent to keep us dry.
The next morning we decided to move our tent back a few feet to be on more of a hill so the water wouldn't pile up under the tent in the event that it rained again (which it didn't).
While we were cleaning up, apparently no one was watching Nicole....
Actually, this was the view from right in front of our tent! The spots were so spread out that it felt like you were in the middle of nowhere!
Another side effect of the storm was an EZ-Up didn't survive. So Nicole set to work with her cousin to tear it apart.
After a while Papa Jim stepped in to speed up the process.
On Friday evening, we had some time before dinner so Nick, Stacy, and Nicole, headed out to the lake so Nick could fish.
Back at camp, we tried to take a family picture....
Nicole likes to "ram it up" with Aunt Marci.
These are more fishing pictures that ended up out of order. After a while, Barbara and I headed out to find our fishermen.
Grandma Bee joined in on the fun for a little while.
On Saturday morning, Nicole enjoyed playing with her cousins and aunts in our tent. The girls loved having Nicole play with them and they were all really patient with her!
Late Friday night, Nick caught a fish, however I was asleep, so here is the only picture I have.
On Saturday morning, our entire gang packed up and headed to the Big Bear Zoo. The zoo is home to animals that cannot survive on their own in nature (due to illness, accidents, etc...). Only 10% of the animals that live at the zoo are there to stay and they are out for the public to enjoy. The other 90% are kept away from the human population in hopes of reintroducing them to their natural habitat one day. Some of the animals that are there to stay are: a 3 legged bear, several hawks and eagles that have been hit by/flown into cars and are missing wings or legs, and several other animals. It's really a fun little zoo to go to.
Stacy was awesome this weekend!! She was a great help in watching Nicole and it was great to get to hang out with her at the zoo and while fishing!
Below is a picture of Nicole trying to climb into the cage of her favorite animal......the pigs. I did not know that was her favorite animal, but it was the only one that she got really excited over the entire time.
Lately, Nicole's comfort item when she is sleepy is my hair. She will stroke my hair over and over and over again.
We also took the time to smell the flowers.
Here is a better family picture:
All Nicole wanted to do was give the wooden bear hugs....and more hugs....and more hugs.
After the zoo, some of the girls headed out for a Starbucks stop and then to check out a fabric store. Now, I love JoAnn's and all, but they have nothing on the little mom and pop fabric stores! This fabric store had sooooo many cool crafts and sewing projects for sale and on display! Some of the fabric there was one of a kind and not something that would be seen at JoAnn's. I saw these stockings and couldn't resist! I bought the pattern and have some grand plans of making some of these! Aren't they super cute?!?!
One of the employees has been sewing for 3 years (you read right, only 3 years) and here is one of her quilts that is on display:
The picture doesn't do justice at all to this amazing quilt. It was at least 6 feet tall and everything on there is appliqued on. The rock material on the bottom has every rock outline stiched. It really is amazing! So, if you are ever in Big Bear, check out the fabric store next to K-Mart, it has amazing works of art!
Everyone takes a turn helping with a meal or dishes....
...even Nicole gets put to work!
After almost 5 years of marriage, we are still in love!
Following dinner, we made a late night trip to the ice cream shop. It's a small shop and we couldn't all fit at once!
Nicole enjoyed her mini-cone, but was more fascinated with the man playing the guitar and the dog that was at his feet.
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