Platte River Camping

We went camping.  It was wonderful.  Wonderful.  It is wonderful for so many reasons.  Here is a taste of our week-end.  16 adults.  25 kids.  9 tents.  3 nights.  8 meals.  4 campfires.  Endless memories.

Garrison found some poles in the dumpster (shocker!) and made his own tent.

Don't go any farther!

In an effort to not get her clothes wet, Noel just went down to her underwear.

Simon caught a crayfish, so we cooked it up and he ate it!  Notice how he kept his bicycle helmet on.  Funny kid.  Awesome kid.

Getting supper ready.

She fell asleep before supper.  Then she ate supper and asked to go to bed.  She slept until 7:30 the next morning.

Happy with his smore.

A common sight.  See the frog in the bottom?

I think Simon liked it.

A close up: two cookies, cookies-n-cream candy bar, and a giant marshmallow.

I think this was a bite she didn't like.

Ready for our hike.

Beautiful!

Simon keeping the bugs off.

The ducks and their head gear.

The awesome beach!  Platte River meets Lake Michigan.  We can see Sleeping Bear Dunes and South Manitou Island.

Ever since camping at Platte River last year, Penny has thanked God every night for "the beach".  Every.  Night.  She was thrilled to finally go back to the beach that began her love affair.

Our group on the beach.

Garrison loved floating down the river.  I did too.

Attempting to set up for the group shot.

All the kids minus one.  Who would have thought 17 years ago that there would be 25 kids?  I chose this one from the 15 that I have because Simon and his friend Luke are debating about who is taller.  Simon is not, yet he insisted that he was and would move his hand higher when he measured.  Oh honey--there are very few times when you will be taller than your peers!  

Baked bananas!  So good.

Some sort of baseball game thing-a-ma-bob.

Mr. Dave always ends camping with the poopy in the desert story.  The kids love it.

I love this picture.  Love it.  Love.  Eager to put Michael in the mix.