River Rats!

(click the image to enlarge it)

It's official...my kids are some regular river rats! It's great! I will never forget all the memories I had growing up here on the Mississippi River in Prairie Du Chien. My parents' first camper was a pop-up and I can remember waking up on my end of the camper and being able to look out at the river. We camped in ours for the first time this last weekend and I got to experience that memory again as an adult. I couldn't stop smiling as I watched Keziah get to experience things just as I did when I was her age. My parents are gracious enough to share their lot with us so we can have many more weekends just like it!

The top left picture is of Kezzie up past her bed time, sitting around the campfire. You can tell she is looking pretty out of it and mesmerized by the flames! She was just trying to stay awake in hopes of getting another peanut m&m (we tried giving her a marshmallow and she still really hates them-something with the texture, I think)!! The next one is of us out on a boat ride ...Keziah enjoyed hanging her arm over the edge to touch the water and Adah just relaxed in my arms and fell asleep. I don't know if Adah was ever fully asleep but she was lulled by the rocking and humming of the boat! The next one is of Leora and Keziah playing in/near the water. The water was ice cold but it was pretty warm outside. Leora asked her mom if she could get in the water and she was told she could get wet up to her chest. Leora had a blast jumping off the dock and into the water while Kezzie sat watching. Kezzie wasn't quite brave enough to do it too nor would I let her (I didn't have anymore shorts to change her into and I didn't feel it was warm enough to put on a suit). She had her water shoes on though and just stood with the water up to her ankles. While getting packed up to come home on Sunday, Kezzie kept herself occupied by playing in the little pool filled with river water! It was exceptionally hot that day so I had no problems letting her get her suit on and 'go for a dip'. It was really sweet of Josh to take Kezzie in under his wing like he does his three younger siblings. Austin wasn't around to help keep Josh company so he moved to the next best thing and that was playing with the younger ones. He rigged Kezzie up a pole without a hook and she sat by the water's edge practicing her casting! Rylan and Adah mostly played in the pack-n-play or on a blanket laid out on the ground. We took a couple of relaxing walks and Kezzie and I stuck our feet in at the boat landing. With all the outdoor exposure I was left with two VERY tired little girls on Sunday! Kezzie fell asleep before she could even turn her book to the next page! And I threw a picture in of Adah in her bed in the camper. I got this really old bassinet at good will for $4. The legs fold under so it sat really nice on the couch next to my bed. It is a really nice size too so it should last her all summer. She slept through the night in it both nights that we were there!

I look forward to many more fun times like this!