Went Camping

A couple of months ago we went camping with some friends and family and found this fabulous secret camp site. Only 4 wheel drive could make it, plus it is free! We're assuming hunters use it because of the awesome view!




And also because we (meaning Kona) saw some deer, which she barked at forever, and a moose and her baby. Which I thought was a bear. (Cheap Binoculars + big black thing running up the mountain = could look like mother bear and cub)




It was a fun first stop. I haven't seen the stars like that since Old Iron Town!!! Annoyingly enough, Kona barked the whole FREAKIN night due to animals scurrying.

Derek decided that our first camp spot was not ideal for the pale skinned freckled person. There was no shade so we traveled down and found a paying campsite.


This is a very USUAL setting. Derek eating his licorice and Kona nearby. Derek eats some licorice, Kona eats the end piece of Derek's Licorice. By the looks of things it seems like I interrupted something extremely important.








Look who we found in the woods!! Grams, Mitsie and Mama came and camped out with us.






Luckily, for our guests we had fresh fish. (No, sadly I did not catch them, my fishing rod is still broken as well as my spirit) but a nice man and son gave us 3 fish.

Unfortunately, I am not the best planner, luckily, I did bring some pots, but no forks, spoons, plates, etc. All the necessary things for food. I was just going to eat hot dogs (we did take some ketchup and mustard packets from a gas station) and S'mores (mmmm marshmallows) So, we cooked the fish up on the pan, with some hash browns (don't know why), then threw in the fish plus some potato chips (greasy right?) and Viola! Instant fish and crunch. With that cooked, we peeled off the meat, placed it in cups, and ate with our fingers. (I do carry hand sanitizer for some reason)




Some pretty weeds. Our new camera can take some awesome pictures. *Note not the taker.






A poor little leaf stuck on the river.
Mama on the nature walk.

Derek and I were discussing how the forest service can justify charging so much for camp sites. This is why - their newly laid concrete walkway.

We also spent the day Kayaking in Causey. It was a nice lazy day on the water. Derek got sunburned on his knees (??) I find this really still baffling.

Imagine this, Kona in her dog life jacket (blue with white polka dots) laying on the front of Derek's Neon tye dye orange/yellow boat, with her paw, lazily, drifting in the water, finished with a far off look. Sadly, I know words cannot fully encompass the silliness of this, but I have yet to get a picture, since water and cameras do not mix well. (hint hint Hali)

I <3 Asses

I have a fetish with donkeys. I think they are adorable! Mainly, the short, squatty version are my favorite, although I find all very cute. (pictures were not edited, so you can see how very fantabulous they are!)






The one on the right kept winking in most of his pictures, the one in the middle very cuddly, and the left kept make this sneezing/snorting/braying/angry sound. Nonethe less they all posed very nicely for the camera.





Picture perfect little donkeys










Here's to you Donkey!

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?' In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing yet? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully, Ben Stein

In case you can't tell, we just had an anniversary.

Can you guys ever tell when it is Derek posting?

Slip-N-Slide!

Last weekend we had a Slip-N-Slide party at Grandma Oka's. Here are a few pics: