Camping with Friends

Saturday we had the opportunity to meet up with friends, Lisa and Michelle down at Big Sur for an overnight of camping. We pitched our tents closely and created a tent barrier (or townhouse) from the neighbors.On our way to Big Sur, we could see that a fire had started during an earlier thunder/lightening storm (a rarity in our neck of the woods). It didn't give us second thought though.

We had a great time. The kids, all participated in the Ranger led Talent Show that night. The boys said jokes, the girls said the ABC's. Very cute. They each participated in many skits as well. At the end the ranger played the fiddle and the kids did an impromptu square dance that left the parents in stitches.

Sunday we woke up to a beautiful morning, had some coffee cake and headed down to the river for some crawdad hunting
and boat races. There we were, lazing in the river (with Michelle's camera to be later found under the waterline, yikes) when the ranger came by and told us they were having a voluntary evacuation. The fire was only 3 miles away, and while the danger wasn't imminent yet, it could get that way. I have to admit, we did make a few jokes when there was a news helicopter flying overhead about the "crazy people in the river not heeding the warning of the rangers". This is what Mark saw when he got our car from overflow parking about an hour later....
We went back to the campsite eventually and had some nice lunch and then we had to get going to head back home. We packed up our stuff, and said our goodbye's and headed out at about 3:30. Later, we found out that everyone else got evacuated out. Everyone is safe, though, and that's what matters.

This last picture pretty much sums up the whole weekend. Someone is very sweet on Grace and Grace definitely is loving it, and returning the affection. Cameron and Austin and Grace played really well together. Ryleigh just can't keep up, but she still tries.