Reasons why I need more vacations...

Seriously, I needed that vacation so bad, and it wasn't even a "vacation." For the past umpteen million years my whole family has gone to Pinecrest to go camping. I mean my WHOLE family. Mom, Pops, Sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends. We usually take up 3 or more campsites. It is seriously my favorite thing to do.

We pack up loads and loads of unnecessary crap and drive two and a half hours to this gorgeous lake and go dirt camping. Nasty, dirty, so unbelievably fun.. dirt camping. During the day we sit at the beach and just do nothing. Float in our little rings on the cold lake water, drive the fishing boat to the other side of the lake scouting for jumping rocks, we kayak, we pick our noses... just do whatever. It's a little piece of heaven. The kids ride their bikes through the campsites, we sit around camp fires lighting our marshmallows on fire and drink and laugh and have just a relaxing time. Everyone takes turn cooking the best meals. No joe shmoe hamburgers and hot dogs for us. Fajitas, tri-tip, homemade chili, and all the Mexican breakfasts one can handle.

And oh my gosh... the stars. Incredible stars. THere's nothing like being that high up with all the huge trees surrounding the clearest sky with about a million more stars then we'd ever see down at our house. It's just something magnificent. I could sit in my little camping chair for hours staring up at those stars. Yeah, the kink in my neck would be totally worth it!

I think my most favorite thing to do is wake up in the morning, put the dog on his leash, hold my husband's hand and walk over to the grocery to get a Mexicali Mocha. They taste so dang good, and it is soooo nice just walking with our coffees and breathing in the smell of last nights campfires through out the campsites.

It was Avery's first trip and besides the horrible sleeping, she loved it. She played in the sand and got in the water at the lake. Izzy wanted to stay forever. Asked if we could move there. G, was mad that we had to leave. Actually, so were we. But it just gives us more of a reason to go back next year. And the year after that, and the year after that....

I seriously needed that.