Thanks to Dad for buying a printing screen and Angie for printing them all, we had homemade family silk screened t-shirts this year. On the front said "2009 Claycamp annual campout" and on the back was our last name with our "team" number. Dad was "Claycamp 01", Gretchen was "Reasbeck 03", I was "Ellison 05", the twins 6 & 7 and the grandkids all in order of birth as well with Livi being #14 and Aaron #17. Great job Ang. We were all already talking about what next year's shirts will look like.
We all stood in order in this picture, Mom's spot #2 was not forgotten. Bill would've been down on the front row between Evan and Cody as #11.
Right to left: Evan, Cody, Chandler, Olivia, Logan, Ethan, & Aaron.
Monday, July 20th at the BEACH
This definitely didn't last long. This was a pool of water left over from high tide that had
warmed up considerably, next to the temp of the ocean. I didn't put his swim suit on him because we weren't down by the surf. It didn't take Aaron long to find a waist deep hole and soak himself. A quick change into trunks and he was just fine.
The "oooh" didn't last long. Before too much time both the kids, and Angie were soaked to their upper thighs.
Livi, trying to hold mommy.
Such posers
Can one get more picturesque?!
Camping this year was a lot of fun. Admittedly I did not particularly enjoy last year's experience and wasn't really planning on coming this year for seconds (especially since Bill wasn't going to make it). But the kids had really wanted to go so I figured I'd give it another try. (Last year, nothing seemed to mesh. Tensions were high and everyone a bit on edge. Understandably so, it was the first time without mom and Livi had just gotten out of the hospital the month before.) But after this year, I'm so glad we went. It was A LOT OF FUN, and very enjoyable.
Sunday morning, July 19th, Adam went with the kids and I to a medical clinic in Redding to get Livi's chemo administered before we went camping. Dr. Mark Pierce, Bill's step-sister's dad, made this all possible. It was pretty funny though; I had to access Olivia's port since they're not used to it at the clinic. Dr. Pierce, or Mark, as we call him, was asking me what I need. I would ask/tell him to get this or that. It was interesting to watch a doctor of his level and ability graciously take a back seat so that Olivia could be as comfortable and calm as possible. It had been a while since I had accessed Livi's port so I was a bit nervous, but it came very naturally to me and Livi even said it was the easiest she's ever had! Thank you, Dr. Mom!
A big thank you to Adam for making the 4 1/2 hr drive up to the coast with me and the kids. We were able to have great conversation and the kids slept most of the way. I think I drove the whole way too... I don't remember. Anyways, it was a smooth ride and very enjoyable to watch the car's thermometer continually drop as we reached our final destination. Dad and Angie also came up on Sunday and when we got to our sites at Mill Creek Campground, just south of Crescent City, CA, we set up our tents. We have been camping here for as long as any of us can remember and I have a picture of me blowing out candles on my 2nd birthday cake in the redwoods, so this is pretty traditional. With the Claycamp family growing in numbers we have expanded now to 3 sites and while our Ellison family has been in our own site for the past 4 years we have all been able to stay relatively close to each other. The evening consisted of a traditional trip to WalMart, this time to get bug spray, it was quite "buggy" at camp (a little warm too) and a pillow for Adam(something is always forgotten). Dinner at Burger King and then back to camp for the evening.
For the past 8 years or so I have always gone up earlier than the other families. Many years it has been without Bill, and several was just with Mom and Dad. I remember the year I was pregnant with Olivia, riding up with just Mom and Dad feeling so sick. We had left late in the evening to not drive in the heat and stayed the night at a hotel just an hour or so south of the campground (being that the sites don't "open" til noon). This was also when there was no option of making reservations. We would have to make sure to get there first thing so as not to lose our coveted campsite #38. A couple of years we missed it and it was not easy trying to find one that qualified for our expectations. Coming up before everyone else, for me, is relaxing. It gives me a chance to adjust and think out the week ahead of me, especially when Bill isn't there.
Monday was Evan's 9th birthday so after a day on the beach we decorated the campsite for the
affair. The Claycamps and Reasbecks arrived in the afternoon. The cousins were all so excited to be together. They got their tents set up, this year with bunk bed cots, we threw some hotdogs on the fire and enjoyed cupcakes that Gretchen brought for Evan's birthday dessert.
The rest of the week was filled with... well, camping stuff. We rode bikes, went on lots of hikes, went crabbing at the pier, played more at the beach... Angie and I even decided to conquer the hill that leads from the ranger station down to the campsites on our bikes. No one in our family has never done it before, but Gee and I were successful. It is a very steep climb for 1 solid mile. Whew! The boys were amazed with their aunts. Rightfully so, I say!
Crescent City Park, much warmer than the beach. (Tuesday)
Aaron and Chan on the tire swing. Notice Logan's footwear. Adam and Ryan had taken the kids on a hike earlier that day, and like every year, some kids "just fell into the water!"? Aaron is wearing his wet shoes. For Aaron, this was a daily occurrence.
Chase, Gretchen, Ryan, Kristi and Emily
Playing hide-n-seek. (Garrett counting with Livi) I think I had the best hiding spot. I hid in the bend of a tube slide. Garrett and all the cousins were trying to find me and couldn't. It helped that I was helping other kids climb over me so they could get down the slide. Very sneaky!
We did do some crabbing at the pier, for some reason I didn't get any pictures. We did get some rock crabs but not enough to do anything with so we gave them to a family that was trying it for the first time.
Around camp (Wednesday)
So, we had the three campsites but everyone came together at #38 for the cooking and hanging out. My mom and dad had bought a trailer several years ago that hauls everyone's equipment. (Everyone's except ours that is. Because we have never lived in Redding, if we can't pack it we can't take it.) Dad brings the stoves (a 3 and a 2 burner) and dutch ovens are brought by him and my older brother Garrett.
Evan
It was nice this year having the cousins all a little older. For the most part they are finally at an age where we can say, "go play" and they will. With their new found freedom I also decided to give them a little more responsibility and required their help on different tasks around the camp. Growing up, the 5 of us kids helped with everything. Now, because there are so many adults the kids pretty much get away with not helping... not with me. This was breakfast on Wednesday. Garrett is really quite the chef and always plans great dutch oven meals, this one was no different. The boys were eager to help because they got to use knives! (I don't know if their moms have let them do this before, but I figured, they might as well start at sometime. It went very well and they were all pleased with how they contributed.
Cody and Chandler
Garrett, AKA "dutch oven chef" with his boys Cody and Logan
Me and Adam (I can't help calling him "Bud"). He makes me laugh.
I had to fight very hard to get this picture. I just about had to wrestle Kristi (Garrett's wife) to the floor to get it. This is part of our morning routine. One little sink with a faucet that stays on for all of 5 seconds with freezing cold water. Kristi will one day look back longingly look back at all that hair and smile; for now she simply laughs.
"Good morning Olivia!" Our campsite was across the street from #38 so Livi's beauty sleep wasn't distracted by early rising boy cousins. It was very sweet though, most mornings the boys would be asking where she was and seldom did she exit the tent without one of them getting to her before both feet hit the dirt. This morning was no different. I would lay out her clothes for her each morning so she could get out and start the day running. I told everyone to "pose". Notice the boys' warrior poses. Now, check out "princess Leah", as they call her in play.
Angie and I studying her pics. Thanks Dad for the candid.
This particular morning Garrett, Ryan, Angie and I took all the cousins (minus the two 1 yr olds, Chase and Emily) on a hike around the campground. It was a nice hike that started in the dry creek bed behind #38 and climbed a mountain that turned into a "roller coaster" to run down and then ended back on the pavement around the corner from camp. It was very enjoyable for me to have kids that could pretty much keep up with the rest of the group. (Last year Livi could hardly make any hike, being just out of the hospital.) Aaron still complained the whole time and wanted to sit or be carried, but he too endured.
Little camp creatures we saw during the Junior Ranger program. I especially like the
"chick"munk. Although the dying butterfly made for interesting
conversation with a 7, 6, two 5's and a 3 year old. The kids all had to make an oath for the program. I smiled at how seriously they all took it.
While we played at camp, Dad, Angie, Garrett and Adam tried their hand at crabbing again and had more luck.
A day on the beach (Friday)
Thursday, we went to Fern Canyon... it deserves an entry all its own. Friday we all went to the beach in Crescent City. Lots of fun, like always.
Ryan was kaput from working so hard on his back yard pool (see Reasbeck Review for details) so he relaxed in the car with Gretchen, Evan and Chase who all kept warm, dry, and clean. Kristi kept vigil in their car with sleeping beauty Emily. My kids on the other hand had no intention of doing any of the aforementioned; keeping warm, dry or clean. I prefer it that way. Beaches are made to make you enjoy nature to its fullest.
Livi, Evan, Aaron and Cody
Logan, Ethan and Chandler were also down playing on the beach, but the Reasbecks and Claycamps were headed to the local aquarium. My kids
decided they'd rather save the money and do something with Dad when we got back home (so money smart!), so we chose to hang out at the beach. Hence Aaron and Olivia are the only ones getting wet and sandy. Once everyone left we had fun just the three of us building a castle with a mote and drawbridge. We had just finished the bridge and were getting ready to form the castle when the tide came and lapped everything up with it. The kids were so shocked! Regardless, we had fun getting dirty in the sand.
We hung out in our car for quite a while and just chilled. I made a "bed" of sorts for the kids, we ate lunch and snacked on munchies, and the kids watched videos on the DVD player. I read a book. It was great down time for all of us. The temperature was just right and a beautiful scene... what more could you ask for.
For dinner we met up with everyone at this restaurant. We try to go out to eat once a week while we're camping. It gives everyone a break from dutch oven cooking and the clean up at camp that comes after feeding 19 people. (Each night of the week each family takes a turn to prepare a meal for everyone. This year, because Bill wasn't there, I teamed up with Dad, Adam and Angie and did spare ribs with cornbread, baked beans and green salad.
Every night we were camping, Adam, Angie and I would stay up and play a game of one sort or another. We had lots of fun silly conversations and were able to enjoy time without the kids. Garrett and Kristi did join us one night, but the other 5 nights were just the three of us. This too has become somewhat of a tradition. Usually it's Bill staying up with the 3 of us. Bill and I would do this from the beginning and the other couples would say, "Just wait 'til you have kids." Then we had Olivia and we'd put her to bed and still stay up and play games and they'd say, "Just wait 'til you have 2 kids." Well now they just admit that they're too old. Hee hee! Anyways, the last night the three of us decided to try something new. We wanted to pull a prank on our fellow campers so earlier that day Angie bought some washable markers, at good old WalMart and once we heard heavy breathing throughout the camps we set to work. The trickiest part was getting inside the tents without being heard. I will smile 'til my dying day remembering Adam singing to himself, whistling, shuffling cards, and rattling Rumikub tiles just to create some constant background noise while Angie and I unzipped the Claycamps' tent. Inside the tents were pretty close to pitch black which made for guessing at our art work, and the kids that I got, Logan, Evan and Chandler, were all light sleepers which meant with every pen stroke they would rub their face and turn. Coming out of the Reasbecks' tent Angie tripped on a log and somehow lost her shoe. We searched with a flashlight for a good 5+ minutes and couldn't find the silly thing. We were flabbergasted as to where it could be, trying to not wake up the tent goers with our laughter. Finally the shoe was located 3-4 ft behind where she tripped. Off to bed we went and then I did my kids' faces. I took much liberty with them. As they would wake up at the sensation of drawing on their face they'd look at me wide eyed and I'd calm them back to sleep and keep drawing. In the morning as the kids woke up they all started pointing it out on each other. Cody and Logan said their parents couldn't stop laughing, come to find out it was more because of nerves. Gretchen too got a little upset at the fact that anybody could just walk in their tent and they wouldn't even know it. (I guess it's a good thing we didn't do our other plan of switching the kids from tent to tent.) Evan noticed his "camping tattoos" when he went to wash his face in the bathroom. He looked up in the mirror, he said, and jumped! Eventually everyone was told but it sure was funny watching the kids try to solve the "mystery" of the marker monster.
We packed up camp...
...and enjoyed a wonderful, family style lunch at "Somoa's Cookhouse" in Eureka.
I almost cried. But not for any reason that most parents would understand. Bill and I agreed, it was so wonderful to be seeing our daughter finally be able to do what all the other kids her age are supposed to be doing. Going to school.
