"A camping we MUST go"

So Monday, May 19th this was the temperature at 3:45 pm. I snapped this photo with my cell phone on the way home from picking Porter up from school. I believe it. It was wicked hot. And the trusty rear-view mirror never lies.

This photo was shot, also with the cell, on our way out of town to the annual Family Campout on Friday, May 23rd at 3:45 pm. Yeah, it says 31 degrees!

And check this out! It was snowing and raining like crazy the whole way out of town.

Ok, let me back up. So Olen's family (my hubby and his five brothers, one sister and mom and dad) have the tradition of going camping over Memorial weekend since his parents were married. No ifs, ands or buts. Or crazy freak snow storms.

So for all you true-believers scroll down (and down and down) to join me on a picture journey of the coldest Memorial Weekend Campout aka The Family Reunion we've ever had.

Friday, was London's 2nd Birthday. I'm sure this will be the only year she'll spend her birthday in the snow. In Arizona at least.

Uncles Haskel and Brawner rigged this cool swing for the kids to play on. Porter rocked it.

London rocked it in her own way. (She would get a running start and fly like Superman. It was awesome.) But, here, she's just chill'n with some watermelon.

Olen is showing Porter how to use the marshmallow blow-gun. I don't think there was enough blow-power. We'll have to work on the design for next year. Still fun.

The sun finally came out on Saturday afternoon and I slowly began venturing away from the warmth of the camp fire. I took Port and London out for a stroll on Wyatt's (nephew) bike and buggy. I'm going to blame my completely-out-of-breath look on the atmosphere. The air is really thin up there, ya know. Really.

London and cousins: Heather and Seneca. Their ride was long over, but they all just liked to hang out in the buggy. It was a girls only thing.

I'm sad that I didn't take more than this one picture of the camp trailer Olen rented for me this year. I fell in love with that trailer. It saved the day, well, weekend actually. And probably my marriage, too! Camping in a tent was just not an option this year. Or ever again. Not now that I've met the beautiful camper-trailer.

The campout is not complete without fishing.

The wind was blowing wild on the lake; but Porter and London love to be outside like their daddy and were nothing but smiles.

We caught only four fish - all by me! Ha! I know, right?!

London thinks fish are the coolest things ever.

We brought pinatas to celebrate London's birthday. The butterfly was meant for the little kids but it was a fighter and took the help of the bigger kids to bust.

Porter and I made this pinata for the big kids. Port gave it his best shot, but it also proved too tough to bust. After it was knocked off the rope the kids tore it apart on the ground. Carnal instinct, I guess.

We are always so glad when friends join the fun on the campout! This year our friends, Treg and DeAnne Baum and their girls came along. (Porter was glad, too.)

Porter and London share a quite moment by the camp fire. Are you wondering about the orange shirts yet? Every year (for the past five years) some one in the family organizes the family campout shirts and we wear them on Sunday. This year it was Haskel and Val. Thanks again guys!

On Sunday we take a drive. Sometimes we have a picnic or stop to play in the more grassy fields, or catch crawdads in a creek. This year Porter learned how to skip rocks.

Here's the whole gang and then some. It's a good time. Seriously, if you ever want some down-home fun just leave your Memorial weekend open and we'll give you a map of where to be.