Wednesday, September 09, 2009



Part two of our "First Family Camping Trip"
Part one is posted on "My Picture of the Day Blog".

On Sunday we woke up and moved our tent about 20 feet over and unpacked the rest of our gear. Then we went off to get some firewood from the "exchange" and to scout around for a nice place to fish. When we got back to camp we ate lunch and sprayed on bug spray and sunscreen and headed out to fish. I had the camera with us but I never took any pictures of all four of us and the dogs in the canoe. I guess I didn't want to rock the boat! We had a good time, and no one fell in the pond and we didn't sink the canoe.

Oh and did I mention I caught the biggest fish!


Rowdy he's a good ol camping dog!



Paige and Rowdy hanging out in the tent after 4 hours in the canoe they were worn out.


Megan was keeping Mike company while he cleaned the fish. She also helped prepare dinner. She husked the corn and sprayed it with butter spray and wrapped it in foil.

We REALLY need a camp stove if we are going to do this more often. I made sloppy Joes in my cast iron skillet on the wire rack from our old microwave. It was hard to control the heat...I had to keep taking the pan off the fire and everything had a smoky taste.


Paige enjoying a Buckeye s'more. We replaced the traditional Hershey bar with a chocolate-peanut butter Buckeye candy.


Mike attempting to pop the jiffy pop.


Mike was in charge of cooking the bacon and Paige was the plate holder.

The dogs were in charge of begging, and they do it quite well.


Mmmmm bacon!

Megan in her "Camp Skeeter" t-shirt "circa 1st grade" but it still fits her and makes a good sleep shirt.



Guess how many times I said "Zip up the tent all the way or you will be sleeping with skeeters!"? I said it about the same # of times as there were mosquito's in our tent (a lot).


A few more straps and ropes to tie and we are ready to roll on home.


Rowdy was ready to go back to the comforts of home (his bean bag). Both of the dogs did really well. It was Rebel's first time in the canoe and we were out in it for 4 hours. Both dogs laid down and did a lot of snoring while we were fishing.

The view of our packed up camping trip from the front seat of the mini van. The dogs had the best seats as always. We put their dog beds between the kids seats and they (the dogs) slept all the way home.


I snapped this picture of Rebel on Monday evening. The kids helped take the gear in and piled it up in our entry. Rebel sacked out on the dog bed, I think he was happy to be back home.

Friday, September 04, 2009

Go Buckeyes!
The Buckeye's play their first game tomorrow...against Navy. Paige and I hung our Buckeye flag out first thing this morning.


I wanted to snap a few picture's of Paige before she headed off to school. I had intended on asking her to do the O-H-I-O, but I didn't want to push my luck. Sometimes my kid's do not want to cooperate when it comes to posing for pictures. But surprise, surprise...she suggested it first, so do great minds think alike or have we just done an excellent job of brain washing our kids with Buckeye fever?

Tuesday, September 01, 2009


On Sunday, August 30th we finally got around to painting Paige's bedroom. Back in May we promised her that we would paint her room as part of her 11th birthday gift. She had picked the pink out when she was 4 and it lasted for 7 years so she was due for a change. To tell you the truth I was the one that planted the idea in her head about changing the color...I was over the pink! At first I suggested that we just tone it down to a lighter shade of pink and maybe add some light green to match the fabric on her quilt. Then while looking at paint chips she decided that she really wanted green and blue. This of course led to the purchase of a new comforter. I found some good deals on the sheets and dust ruffle at The Home Goods store.
So now she has a "big girl room" and I am sure it will last her another 7 years or more.


I know these "before" shots are kind of lame but Mike had already taken down the blinds and started moving the furniture to the center of the room beore I came up with the camera. I was doing much more important things like laundry and baking brownie bites.



I know paint alwasy looks different coming out of the can then when it is dry on the wall, but when I saw how yellow green this looked I was silently doubting our color selection.
Then it was up and dry and the perfect choice!


Paige painted around the doors.




Megan helped role the green on. Everyone got to paint except me. I was the camera crew, clean up crew, lunch crew oh and I was the only one to get paint on my clothes. I was helping Mike with something and I put my knee in some green paint that was on the drop cloth. But good ol Tide came through and the knee of my jeans came clean.


We put the tub of stuffed animals in the doorway to keep Rebel out. We didn't want any green noses or paws. Paige was on the outside looking in with him.


At this point Paige's room was starting to look like a big ol Easter egg. But once the pink was gone it all came together and it looks fantastic!
Right after I took this picture below Mike swiped some paint across his eyelid. I had to get a tissue and wipe it off for him, he had blue eyelashes....it was so eighties!



They ALWAYS have to paint their names on the wall!


The last of the pink....going-going-----

gone!


Paige and her pup enjoying the new fold up mini papisan chair.



"I love my new room, I can't believe it's done!"



Megan looks like she is melting into the chair.


Paige decided to put the chair in the corner so she can prop her feet on her bed when she reads and she can enjoy her fish tank.