Blog Break

I promise I am still here. I haven't given up on the blog so please don't give up on me!! Hehehehe!! I am just taking a blog break.

I will be back soon to update you with EVERYTHING!!

A Mammoth Wrap Up

Ok, so I need to finish up this camping post really quick before I forget more about the trip than I already have. Here it goes, “we went camping and blah, blah, blah” and then “while we were camping blah, blah, blah” and you would never guess but out of nowhere while camping “blah, blah, blah”. Hehehehe just kidding; but I am going to try and keep this short and sweet. My goal is to get the pictures up there and the basic story, it has been over a month since we went so the details or fuzzy.

With it being Tom’s very first camping/fishing trip, since he was eight, I really wanted him to have a good time so I was so happy that he caught the first fish!!

Here he is holding the first catch!! Not to bad for the trips first fish and his first catch ever!!

And of course I am sure the little guy tasted delicious but I will take their word for it (me and seafood don’t mix).


While I give credit to Tom for his catch if I had to pick a theme for the trip it would have to do something with Tom loosing lewer’s or getting them caught in a tree. Poor Tom lost one in the water…even though he looked longer than one should look for a $3 lewer it was never to be seen again.


The boys decided to hike straight up the falls, Sheila and I wisely decided to stay behind. Well maybe it had something to do with Sheila being four months pregnant and me being lazy…hey someone had to keep the pregnant girl company!!


The dogs stayed behind with us girls so the boys could get a chance to fish with out the dogs chasing any chance of a catch away. Gracie really wanted to go with them but settled for swimming.


Aspen he was content doing what he does best, resting.


Once the guys got back, Aspen perked up enough to take a quick picture. He sure does love to give kisses, such a sweet boy!!


I debated putting this picture up because I think I look super fat (I promise it is just the way I am standing) but I wanted proof that I do fish!! Hehehehe!!


Aspen and Gracie really enjoyed their vacation, anywhere they can be in the water works for them.


So on Saturday we decided to take a hike up to a lake behind our campground. And let me tell you this was no simple hike, it was straight up (a couple thousand feet) and about 2 miles each way. Again keep in mind we had poor Sheila who was four months pregnant at the time with us and let me just say she did AWESOME!!!


Originally we were going to hike up to Minaret Lake (we were staying at Minaret Campgrounds) but after running into another group we realized that hike was a little too far for us, about 8 miles each way, so we opted to go to a much closer lake.


We took plenty of breaks on the way up which gave us lots of opportunity to snap some gorgeous shots. Here is me and Danny (yes, I am there, keep looking…ohhhh you just might not see me since I am wearing camouflage). Hehehehe


And our super fun camping friends, Tom and Sheila.


And of course who could forget Aspen and Gracie.


A few sports on the hike we had to cross over water on logs! For some reason Aspen was not having the logs and would ALWAYS opt to swim it.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, we reached the lake!! It was definitely worth the hike…it was beautiful and we were the only people there.


The poor dogs were dying of heat from the hike and the water was perfect for them to cool down. Gracie jumped right in but Aspen was a little unsure of how deep the water was as he likes to keep his feet on the ground. Hehehe.

Here is another shot of the lake and if you look way over on the other side, right under the tree in the middle, you can see Tom and Sheila.


After some swimming and snacks, her belly full Gracie decided to take a little rest in some flowers. My pretty little girl.


While Danny and Tom were off fishing I caught a fish! I didn’t even realize it at first; I thought I was caught on something, I was…A FISH!!


I was trying to keep him safe in the water so one of the guys could come back and release him (he wasn’t big enough to keep) but they were just taking so long.


Just as I was bending down to “attempt” to set him free Danny walked up…THANK GOODNESS!! I like fishing…I just don’t like doing the dirty work.

Danny tried his best to save my fish but sadly my fish ended up floating with the fishies.


After the death of my fish Danny and I headed off so he could show me the back of the lake, I got this great shot of him fishing.


We spent a couple of nice hours at the lake with just us but we were all getting a little tired so we called the lake trip a day and headed back. On the way down we snapped this group picture. Don’t judge our beauty…we were hiking and fishing all day!!


Poor Aspen was just beat after the hike; his hips just couldn’t take it. He was limping around pretty bad so we made him a nice comfy soft bed in the back of my truck, he loved it!!


Danny was a little beat after the hike too!! Hehehehe.


And Tom after the hike, well what does any good man do while camping?


He reads cosmo!! Of course. Hehehehe.

Here are a couple of random pictures from the night that I wanted to share.
This was my dishwashing station of the trip.


On Saturday night when we were sitting in our campground just relaxing after our hike this deer ran right through!! You have to look in the picture to find the deer...its like "Where in the World is Waldo" but with a deer!!


I tried really hard to find a mirror while we were camping so I could take my normal mirror shot but there wasn’t a mirror to be found so I took this self-portrait.


Looking at this picture I can see not being able to locate a mirror was probably a good thing.

And of course what would any camping trip be with out some yummy Smores!! (In fact I believe you don’t have to be camping to enjoy the deliciousness of Smores, I make them at home in the microwave)
Here is Danny enjoying his campfire cooked Smore.


And Tom enjoying his.


At night time the temperature dropped down pretty low, Tom and Danny bundled up to stay warm. Later when it got really cold they cuddled!! I kid, I kid!! Hehehehe!!


You may think that since they are dogs they don’t get cold but Aspen gets so cold while camping he shivers! We were prepared this time!!


With a couple great days behind us it was time to say good-bye to our camp on Sunday!! We cleaned everything up packed it away and headed out.


To close how we started, here are Tom and Sheila in the car heading out! Thanks again for going with us guys! We had an AWESOME time!! Can’t wait for the next trip!!

On The Road To Mammoth - A Quest for the Perfect Campsite

Ok. Holy crap!! It has been so long since I have been to my blog. Ok well that isn't true…I come and look at it all the time and think to myself, “wow…I haven’t updated since August 8th, I am a loser!” I promise you I am not a loser I have just had a ton going on. With going on vacation and then coming home from vacation only to have to leave again for an unexpected trip to Oregon in order to attend my grandpa’s funeral, it really takes a lot out of a girl. Not to mention I have some other stuff going on but you will just have to wait to hear more about that.

Anyways, I am finally getting back into a schedule so I decided I would come back and take care of my good old blog. Ok, where did we last leave off…? Oh that is right, I was headed to Mammoth for a camping trip with Danny, the kids (our dogs) and our good friends Tom and Sheila. I think this might be other multiple posting trip, I haven’t decided yet, I guess we will all just have to wait and see!! Hold your breath.

I have delayed long enough so lets just get started with the story already!! Danny told Tom and Sheila to be to our house at 4am, yep you heard me right, that is 4 in the morning!! Danny even forewarned Tom that pretty much the only way to upset me on a camping trip is to be late hitting the road. The reason you ask? I will OBSESS the entire time that we aren’t going to get the perfect spot because we didn’t leave right on time!! I know me obsess…crazy!! So needless to say Tom and Sheila pulled up just a minute or two after 4am.

Don't they look so happy to be there at four in the morning??

I must admit that Danny and I were still loading up a few things in the car when they got there. BUT in all fairness we, being the experience campers, had a ton of stuff to bring and we were on the road by 4:15am! Mammoth here we come!

The drive there was actually a pretty nice drive. We stopped a couple times to use the rest room and we even stopped in the glamorous town of Lone Pine for some breakfast. It was a nice break because we had a sit down meal.



Our cute camping friends!!


The only thing that was not perfect about this little restaurant was the temperature! It was FREEZING!! I thought we were in the snow covered mountain of Mammoth not in a town that usually has temperatures over 100!!

Now for those of you that know me you know that this would normally NOT fit into my schedule for finding the most perfect camping spot ever... but the breakfast was so good that I forgot about that (and lucky for Tom we still found an AWESOME spot).

I got eggs, bacon, a big ass thing of hash browns (yummy MY FAVORITE), a diet coke and to top it all off a side of biscuits and gravy!! DELICIOUS!!


Here is the aftermath of breakfast!


Tummies full it was back on the road for us. A Mad-Lib or two later (yes we played Mad-libs, and over walkie talkies at that), a quick nap and a final bathroom stop, we were in Mammoth!! It really didn’t take us too much time at all; I think we arrived somewhere around 10:00am.

We decided after arriving it was best to divide and conquer!! I thought it was our best shot at getting a good camping spot. We radioed Tom and Sheila the sites that they should head to and we headed to our favorite campsite, fingers crossed that we would luck out and get a good spot. Well the Camping God’s must have been smiling down on us, because although we didn’t get our spot we had last time we got a NICE spot in our FAVORITE campsite, Minaret Falls. We radioed Tom and Sheila and told them to abandon their search we found the Great Mammoth 2008 spot!!

Of course to document the occasion I had to get a picture of our campsite before we settled in.



Plus stating that I am the official trip photographer is always a good excuse to get out of helping unload and set up. I am one smart camper!! I do come from Oregon you know. Hehehehehehe.

After setting up our home we were all a little hungry so we sat down to relax a little and have a quick bite to eat (Aspen already looks pooped).


Our bellies full again it was time to get to the business of fishing; I mean that is what we were there for.

Danny gave everyone lessons on how to tie their line; as usual I kind of paid attention thinking to myself that I could just have Danny tie my line. Hehehehe. Hey I may be from Oregon but I am still a girl!!


Pole lessons (no not that kind of pole lessons SICKO) down it was time to hit the stream. We didn’t have to go too far as the stream was RIGHT behind our campsite. This was nice for the atmosphere and convenience but as any good fisher girl knows, streams right behind the campsite are never that good for fishing. We still gave it a shot and had a good time trying. It was a good warm up for Tom who hadn’t been fishing since he was eight!!

Here is Danny helping Tom get untangled, I think this was the fist of many times.


And Danny helping Sheila.


Of course I had to get a shot of the couple first fishing experience together, an important occasion to remember!! Hehehehe.


Oh and how could I almost forget that the dogs were in on the action too!!

Aspen is always trying to get rid of the pesky water.


Gracie loves the water and would live in it if we let her! Do they sell dog scuba gear? She is either always lying in the water (sleeping and water, her two favorite things) or gets her self all wet and selects a nice sun spot!!


Yes, I just decided, this is for sure a two posting trip. This one is just too long as it is. So I know you are hanging on the edge of your seat waiting to see how the rest of the trip went but you will just have to wait longer!!! Come back soon!!