Just one more trip...Please?

Recently the kids and I drove up to Washington. We were so close being in Cali now, and had friends we wanted to see, so we figured hey--it's only a thirteen hour drive right? So eight bathroom breaks, one lunch break, and one dinner break later we were there. My friend Robyn's family was so gracious in letting us stay with them. We had a blast--it was like having a sleepover every night--and the kid's enjoyed it as well. We started our week out by visiting old friends. It was so hot we went to the Bremerton fountain park with Amy and her boys, then went to Amy's house for Taco Salads. The next day we went to the Manette ward's park day. It was so fun to watch people walk through the fence to the park and then they kind of stopped and did a double take to see if it was really us. The kids played for hours, it was so nice to see so many good friends. On Saturday we attended Kaleb's friend Jeffery's baptism, and it was so great getting to see him make that commitment. I went to church and between Robyn's family and mine we took up a whole row. It was a special treat for Kaleb to sit by his friend Spencer and I watched him on and off during the service. He looked like he had something to say, but then he remembered if he talked he would have to come sit by me, so he would stop and then turn forward again. I could almost see him making mental notes the whole time about things he wanted to tell Spencer as soon as Sacrament meeting was over. The last half of our trip we went camping up in Scenic Beach, by the Puget Sound with a view of the brothers peaks in the back ground. It was so pretty and the kids felt in order to get the full effect, the had to find new routes to the bathroom every time they went. We had visitors every night for dinner. We made tin foil dinners with Amy, Mike and their family Monday night--Amy showed herself to be keeping up her outdoorsy reputation by keeping the fire stoked for us. Miss Robyn spent the later part of the evening showing all the kids how to roast the perfect marshmallow, and the girls perfected it while the boys laughed as their marshmallows caught fire and they had char on the outside and uncooked marshmallow on the inside. Thus commenced the four day battle between Miss Robyn and Kaleb--Kaleb insisting he liked his marshmallows on fire, and Miss Robyn coaxing him to try slow cooking it. It really was adorable. During the days we went down to the beach. It was beautiful, and the kids loved swimming through the water. Tuesday night Jessie, Jason, and their family came up, along with Annie and her boys. Now I have to mention that I am really astounded with Miss Annie's ability to char a hot dog. I mean seriously this thing was black. I wish I had gotten a picture of the thing really! Jessie and I talked in our Southern accents, and she was so proud I'd finally figured out how to say Charleston correctly. It was so fun camping with Robyn, by the next morning, we were cooking everything over the fire. She showed us how you could roast almost anything if you were patient enough. In the mornings we would toast our bread and the butter would slide down and pop in the fire. For lunches we were whipping together a huge pot of guloush made from all the extra food, and for dinner we got to the point that we were all quiet proficient roasters, our hot dogs were cooked through, but not too burnt our bread was toasted to perfection, and our marshmallows were golden brown mush. Except Kaleb's who insisted that char was a beautiful thing. Wednesday night Ali came to see us and we chatted after the kids were asleep. That was lovely, sitting listening to the fire keeping time while the crickets sang. It was so fun to catch up with everyone. The last day we went down the sound and the water levels were so low we saw star fish and crabs. I was hoping for an octopus, because all the signs say they hang out in the Sound, but I suppose I would have to scuba dive to see them, what you going to do? That day we said good-bye to Robyn, and Tavy said she was going to have to be adopted by their family so she could live full time with Janette, and Kaleb is trying to figure out how he can be baptized with Spencer in December. You have to love good friends!! We spent the night at Kathleens, and she took us to her sons so the kids could have one last play date before leaving Washington. It was so pleasant, and we enjoyed it so much I'm sure we will have to get back up North again really soon. Thanks to everyone who made the trip so fun. You know you had a great time when you drive back for thirteen hours and the kids veg the whole way home. I almost forgot to feed them they were so quiet in the back seat of the car. And as always after one of our adventures Chad was so glad to see us back safe and sound.