I SURVIVED!!

So yes, I survived another camping adventure! This time it even rained almost the ENTIRE time we were there and I still managed to somehow stay...my friend Jessica threatened not to be my friend anymore if I left, so that might have been a tiny reason why I decided to tough it out!

We arrived on Friday afternoon and set up camp:



Remember how I said that we use air mattresses..I wasn't kidding! This is Andy's, Ethan's and Mio's side of the tent:


The girl side (minus Mio):



Yes we brought the dog again, but this time she totally redeemed herself. NO PUKE!!


In the Villasenor's tent there was this awesome hole. I am not sure what it is for.. a doggy door?!
The kids had fun sticking their heads out of it!


Jamesy boy being silly:



While we unloaded all the camping stuff the kids played a game of horseshoe's:


And shot the bow and arrow:


Then they went on a hunt for fire wood:


While I was getting our tent ready the rest of the clan headed on a little excursion:


When they came back we roasted hot dogs:



After dinner we headed down to the lake:


Ethan caught his first fish!!!



Later that night Lainey and I got in the shower (which was my SAVING GRACE) and we had this little friend in there with us:


That night it started to rain and didn't stop...we played games to pass the time:



This was Lainey's horse:


Proof once again that I was there!


Dinner the second night:


My Love:


After dinner we headed back to the lake even though it was raining and lo and behold Ethan caught a SECOND fish!!!


Each night we made sure to make yummy smores:



And we all got really messy!



All the kiddos after a long day of rainy day fun:


Lainey photobombing:



When we woke up that morning the rain had cleared up..surprise surprise right?!




We were all excited to see some beautiful weather come our way, but we were all exhausted and ready for home! Here are a few pics of us before we headed home:

The Jackson Family:


The Villasenor Family:


Our Family:

Annie went camping..what?!!

Let's start this blog post off with one of my projects that I had to do this semester...this was for the urinary unit in my physiology class. I had two other classmates who helped with the project and believe it or not, we got the best in class and received an extra 10 points!



This photo should have been in the previous post, but it was on my camera and I haven't put any photos on in well, almost a month... better late than never right?!
Let me begin this next part by saying that I haven't camped in over 10 years so cut me a little slack when you read this okay?! If my memory serves me right, as a teen I thought it was a blast... Now that I am a bit older, I have realized that the comfort of my bed is FAR better than sleeping on an air mattress in a tent (yes, I know that some of you are scoffing even at the idea of "camping with an air mattress" because real campers don't use them!).
Our original plan was to spend two nights up there, but after one, Lainey, the dog and I went home. I know, it is sad, but so SO true! I found out that in my old age I have to be eased back in to this whole "nature" thing! I will get there, I WILL, but next time I will be armed with allergy medication and ear plugs! Ear plugs you say, why would she need ear plugs?! Let me just tell you WHY:
Between Andy and one or both kids snoring, to Mio licking herself all night, to the racoons who got into our food at midnight, to the squirrels who woke me up at 3:00 a.m, and finally to Lainey waking us all up at 5:20 ready for the day, let's just say, I didn't get much sleep! I was one itchy, crabby mess! Andy was sweet and realized that I wasn't doing so well and told me that really, I could go home if I would like just as long as I take Lainey and the dog with me. DEAL!
As a side note: Our dog is a bit retarded. Lovable, but retarded. This was her first and probably last camping trip. She was nervous and drank a bunch of water when we first arrived. She then proceeded to puke all of it up (plus her breakfast that hadn't fully digested) right in our campsite. Needless to say, the puke that she didn't EAT AGAIN (dry heaving as I type) I stepped in...multiple times. If that wasn't bad enough, the entire time we were there she kept eating leaves and what not. Can you guess what happened next?! Yup, she saved her last puke for our ride home, in my nice new car! Luckily she puked all of the grass and leaves onto her beloved sleeping blanket that promptly got thrown away. There was no way I was washing that nasty thing.

Proof that I was there!


This is what I got when I said "smile":
We did have quite a bit of fun BEFORE the night from hell...I have proof! This is partly in here for your enjoyment as well as to convince me that I did have fun and that I CAN do it again and that camping can be enjoyable! I just have to be like the little engine that could...

Every time the boys go camping Ethan sets up their flag to mark their camp site. This was my first "project" on the sewing machine..don't look too close!


Lainey brought some friends along:

Ethan doing boy stuff:

Lainey tipped over right after this was taken:

The kids loved to go and find sticks for the fire:


SMORES:

After we left the boys went on a hike:


I am going to try try again...actually quite soon in fact! We are planning a multi-family trip with our friends the weekend the kids get out of school. WISH ME LUCK! I am sure I will have many stories and many pics!

Adventures with Grandma Pat

Here are some of the pictures of our adventures with Grandma Pat. She made the voyage to the middle of nowhere California again. We really are in the middle of nowhere but close to tons of stuff. Morro Bay was first.












Off to Montana De Oro and probably one of my favorite beaches in the world, Spooners Cove.



Then to Sequoia and 15 feet of snow still. So much for the hike we had planned.


Find Ethan






Sequoia was scattered with these blossoming trees...so cool.

Off to Yosemite now.



Bridalveil Falls, we got soaking wet from the mist. Lainey decided she didn't like waterfalls after this.

Lower Yosemite Falls.



I love this picture of Ethan...handsome man.

Thanks for coming to visit Mom...we had tons of fun!

Easter Weekend

First off, I haven't posted in a week because we have been a bit busy. Grandma Pat is in town and we have been having a wonderful time with her. Andy will soon be posting pics of all the adventures that we have gone on this past week, but in the meantime I thought that I should put up an Easter post before I started getting phone calls about not posting on the blog ;)!

We started off the weekend by baking cookies! I should clarify, "I" didn't take part in any of it other than eating more than my fair share of them!


On Saturday we got up bright and early and headed to Morro Bay for the day (those pics will be in Andy's post). Before we left we decorated eggs.....




On Sunday morning the kids woke up and found their Easter baskets:


I remember as kid that I would have to be all dressed and cute before we were able to go and hunt eggs.....as you can see, that tradition has not been passed on... my kiddos are still in their jammies!


I didn't get the kids Easter clothes this year (nor did I make Easter dinner!). Lainey did have a really cute dress on later that day, but the Easter bunny left colored bubbles in her basket. DAMN that Easter Bunny, worst idea EVER! She had dye all over herself and her dress. Yes, it is washable, but my daughter looked like she was Dexter's daughter after she was done blowing bubbles.
So, I mentioned that I didn't make Easter dinner...we (I) decided that spaghetti with cheesy breadsticks sounded like a much easier...er....better plan. It was delicious and who knows, we might just have ourselves a new tradition!

This last picture has nothing to do with Easter, but I thought it was super cute and it kind of fits because she was in an "Easter" colored outfit.