off track campout

the kids have been home for the past three weeks and we've been able get out a bit and to do some fun things. this early fall off track time is slowly becoming my favorite. the weather is great--not too hot and not too frigid. it gets darker sooner than in the height of summer and they can play outside with friends in the dark without it being too late. they've rallied the neighbor kids for all sorts of night games on our street the past few weeks and have loved every minute.

last weekend, though, we took advantage of probably the last good weekend of the year and headed south for a little family camping trip. matt had been a few weeks earlier with the young men and he wanted to show the kids all the cool stuff he got to see.

as i've mentioned before on this blog, we're "white trash campers". no cool, high tech gear. no camper or rv. no atvs or motocross bikes. everything either bought on clearance or borrowed. not even a truck to load everything into--just a honda odyssey, packed to the gills. and four overjoyed children.

we camped in the san rafael swell next to this prime climbing wall...

then drove in a bit and hiked the narrows for a few miles until we hit an impassable (well, impassable with 4 small children) trench of water and turned around...

then at sunset drove into goblin valley to explore and play hide and seek. and for megan to take some pictures to enter in the reflections contest.

we got filthy dirty but loved every minute. this could easily become an early fall tradition.