Dewey family cAmPiNg trip!!!

Ellie had her FIRST CAMPING experience this summer. August 10th we packed up the car (to the roof) and headed up to the BEAUTIFUL Uintahs. One day we'll have a bigger car to accommodate all the EXTRA stuff we have to pack to go camping with a baby...and a dog for that matter.

"A little more room would be nice."

Besides being close (only a hour drive) I grew up camping in the Uintahs so I LOVE them and have GREAT memories of family camping trips. I hope this trip starts the first of many fond memories for Ellie. One of the first memories created that Jason and I will never forget was some outrageous laughter from Ellie. When we first arrived and got out of the car to check out camp sites we were SWARMED by mosquitoes. They were everywhere...it was BAD!!! Jason and I both started to swat at them and hit the critters attacking our extremities. Ellie thought our behavior was the funniest thing she's ever seen. She immediately started giggling up a storm. Every time we swatted she giggled more. She was laughing so hard that she was crying!!! It was seriously the cutest thing and we wish we would have gotten it on video. 

Here's Ellie watching us set up camp at Washington Lake. We draped a mosquito net over the pack and play. That only lasted 3 to 5 minutes before Ellie pulled it off. Luckily we had plenty of bug spray so despite the THICK mosquitoes Ellie really didn't have any bites. 

We had a great time hanging out at camp...

hiking...

watching the camp fire...

and CANOEING :-)

Lilo enjoyed her first canoe ride and so did Ellie. I thought Ellie might try to jump in due to her love of the water but she did really well and sat with me and looked around. She LOVED to look at the lake, whether we were walking by it or out in the canoe.  And Grandpa Dewey got her the cutest monster life jacket!

Jason, El, Lilo and I went up Wednesday. We were joined by my parents and sister Melanie Thursday. And on Friday we were lucky enough to have Granny Dewey and Big Al come up for the day.

Granny and Mel on a hike

Look at that 86 year old Granny hike! Wooo Wooo go granny go! I sure hope I'm as active and energetic as my granny is when I'm her age. She is AMAZING! 

The boys got in some good fishing.

Uncle Al and Jason in a SERIOUS game of camping checkers

My CUTEST Granny

Lilo had the time of her life camping. What dog wouldn't love being outside all day and having endless amounts of grass, weeds and sticks to chew on! 

The fisherman

Ellie enjoying another canoe ride with grandpa

There is just no way to NOT get dirt when you're camping and you're ONE. Jason and I were hoping Ellie would be walking on her own by the time we went so she wouldn't get as dirty but that didn't happen. Ellie had a great time crawling around camp playing in the dirt, playing with Lilo's dish and pushing her stroller around. Her getting dirty was the least of my worries. I was worried about getting her to fall asleep in the tent, how she would sleep and keeping her warm in our tent. The first night I put her beenie and mittens on. She didn't keep her hat on and the mittens did little to keep her hands warm. Her poor little hands were like ice in the morning. I didn't sleep very well cause I was so worried about her. I'd check on her every couple hours, pull the blankets back over her hands then go back to sleep. Eventually I just  pulled her into our sleeping bag to warm up her hands and snuggle.   

We had a GREAT time camping and can't wait until next years camp out!