Camping at Westlake

The above picture is Day One.  We left Wednesday after lunch and headed up to Dowdy Lake in the rain, hoping that the sun would shine through but no such luck.  Dowdy was full but we were blessed enough to find a spot at West Lake and so we set up camp.  It rained and rained and we got wet and I got cranky, wondering if I had done the right thing by coming up without Sean for the first two nights.  We survived with some smiles and so I count it as worthy of my time and stress.  The next morning we had to pack up and look for a new campsite since the one we were in was reserved.  The camp guides were on our side and we lucked out and got two sites right across from each other and so we had a home for the next two nights. 

Mom, Alie and Diesel came up and I felt some relief because Caz loves to hang out with Grandma.  Diesel and Julie had such good fun!  I love this picture of Diesel looking out of Mama's tent.  What an incredible dog he is.  I told Mom that he must have been just on the cusp of human intelligence, but didn't quite make it, so he had to be a dog...he's got such a funny, quirky, almost person-like personality.  He's like no other dog I've ever known.  I consider him my littlest brother.  ;) 

We got SOOOO dirty!  Muddy, wet, grimy, sinking-into-your-pores kind of dirty!  It was great. 

Most of the time.  Sometimes it made some of us cry.  Falling into the lake was a bit scary for Sadie...

Cassidy had no fear of the fish.  She is doing something here that even I am not willing to do at this point - sticking her fingers through the gills and up out of the fish's mouth. 

Nicole caught her first fish, but she didn't want to hold the pole once she reeled it in.  I was so proud when she actually ATE the fish and LIKED it!  That was only after we told her that if she didn't eat what she caught she couldn't fish anymore because it wasn't a game.  I liked the way Del put it, "It's a gift."  We don't want to catch them and waste them. 

 Alexander was the most excited fisherman of them all.  His every comment was about fishing.  I think we've got a hobby!  On Day 2 when we left the lake with only one fish Xander burst into tears and lamented his loss of catching no fish.  Later that day Sean came and spent a couple of hours trying to help Xander catch a fish.  Finally they did and Xander was at peace.  Here they are coming back up to camp with his catch. 

Good memories!

Heidi's first fish and the fish that Xander reeled in ALL BY HIMSELF.  A proud moment for Papa. 

I love this one of the kids by the fire. 

Nothing much more fun than playing in the bed of a pick up.

My Mom is so fun.  I love this, although I know she'll hate it.  I don't think she checks out the blog very often, so I'll put this here.  It's not on facebook.  :)

This is Cassidy's first fish.  Way to go "Cash"! 

Xander and Elisabeth are good buddies, so this picture tugs at my heart strings.  I think Xander wanted to steal her pole.

Here is the fish that Jeannie caught, right before the game warden came and messed up our fun.  ;)

A girl willing to stick her finger through a fishes gills and out his mouth, but also a princess gathering flowers. 

Happiness for a little boy is holding a fishing pole.

Oh LooLoo.  How I love your sweetness!

These are my favorite kinds of pictures.  The moments where my heart just gushes with gratitude at the beautiful spirits in my life.  These kids make my life so wonderful and happy...

See what I mean?  Can't you feel it?  We have more joy than we can absorb in our lives.