We had the first annual Judd Ranch Labor-free Campout this year. It was fun to have everyone there. I'm not a great camper, but Jeff took the kids nearly every weekend for the entire summer. The kids LOVE it. Even when they aren't camping they are building 'campfires' with Jack's Lincoln Logs or roasting hot dogs over the side of the couch.
It's not really that I don't enjoy being out-of-doors. I like that, but I am a horrible sleeper in a tent. It mostly amounts to me laying there praying that somehow I will fall asleep or at the very least, have an out-of-body experience so that time will move faster for this one night. I did bring an air mattress, which helped, but only slightly.
I know that this collage is as ugly as sin, but I couldn't figure out how to blend it properly. I have been trying to extend my Photoshop knowledge, but I don't have a lot of time to practice. Hence, shoddy craftmanship.For what it's worth, I was quite surprised to see these photos of Lachlan posing for her NRA membership card. Jeff took these...and for the record she loved holding that gun in one hand and her baby doll in the other. It was like a cover shot for a Joan Wilder romance novel. She takes after her aunt Sara because she likes to pull the trigger with her eyes closed.
There were lots of 4-wheeler rides. Grandpa came to rescue the kids on the hike up the road--it is much easier to get back to camp this way.
This is Lachlan riding with her Uncle Shane. Lachlan LOVES to 'drive'. She loved it so much that she actually wore a blister on her hand. She told her dad that she is going to need some driving gloves next year.
Camping with cousins. The kids are still talking about Chris and Brook and playing in the trailer with Nanny.
Erica came with the twins. She perched them up on a log to feed them. 
Camping with my family involves a lot of cards, food, book reading and puzzles. I chose to bring a 500-piece puzzle of a lighthouse in Maine. Mom brought the puzzle to me after a trip there a few years back. I hadn't ever taken the time to put it together and I figured it would be fun. This was not a fun puzzle. It took hours. Several hours. I began to question whether it was possible to finish it at all--we all took turns staring at the pieces until our eyes were crossed. (Notice in the beginning it is daytime)
Susie finally finishes the puzzle (notice the nighttime!). I've got to hand it to her, the last 20 pieces were awful. You literally couldn't decide if you should just jam them down and make it work. Once it was completed I threw the whole thing in the fire. Shortly after that, Jack threw up all over our sleeping bags and we hopped in the truck and spent the night at Nanny Nancy's house. It's probably the first time I've been excited that someone puked on my bed.
Jack throws one last stick on the fire. Notice the sour puss look on Lachlan's face. She was one grumpy grumper that morning. Ahh, nothing like the fresh air to make you want to get a good night sleep!
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