Camping In Style

Trip #2 - Camping, and the Ridgways do it in style!

Look at that setup.  Now who wants to camp with the Ridgways!?!

Taking the girls fishing landed Marcus in the water most of the time retrieving their lines.

Crawfish were the only things the girls caught, but that was good enough for them.

Ainsley decided that she loved holding and playing with the worms we bought for bait.  She wasn't much for fishing.

We took nature drives every dusk and saw three Mexican Grey Wolves one evening.

Plenty of hot chocolate and marshmallows to go around and a nice roaring campfire.

Bot does mommy look pretty rough so early in the morning after sleeping on the ground (air mattress actually, but still not like my bed.)

Fisherman daddy resorted to using a Scooby Do pole as he didn't bring his own.

Now this is the life, oh to be two again!

My sweetheart who makes camping so enjoyable.

Once again, the lazy days of summer!

We really had a wonderful time camping, but I was also very ready to get home.  I have never been much of a camper, as an adult that is, until I married Marcus.  He really does know how to camp "right" with all of his gadgets and do-hikies he spares no expense.  All I did to prepare was pack the girls (which I always do) and the food.  He got everything else ready and did all of the cooking while we were there.  He loves to dutch oven cook and we also use a four burner propane gas stove.  It is literally big enough to be in someone's house so cooking is likety split.  We also have a lovely 2-room tent so the girls have their room and we have ours.  Our favorite camping spot, which is where we were, is not in a designated camp ground so the only downfall is the potty situation.  Thankfully there is a campground with a nice enough outhouse about 1/2 mile away so I walk to avoid the whole hole digging experience.  If you are familiar with Arizona, we go to a place called Buffalo Crossing which is near Greer and Eager and Big Lake.  The weather is fabulous and the scenery is stunning.  

The highlight of the trip for Me and Marcus was our evening nature drives.  We took dirt roads that were hardly ever traveled and the wildlife was amazing.  We saw the wolves and they even leaned theirs heads back like wolves do and howled for us.  We saw hundreds of elk and one night we happened upon a clearing there were literally over one hundred elk eating.  It was a spectacular sight.  We also saw deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, chipmunks (the girls swore they were Alvin, Simon and Theodore), squirrels, a snake and a coyote.  Of course there were plenty of bugs and beetles and lots of cows and horses.

Now for the fishing.  Let me start by saying that Marcus is truly a fisherman.  In his pre-marriage life he was a fly fishing guide for Robert Redford's resorts and lived to fish.  He really wanted to teach the girls to fish.  We set out to get them poles before we left and he wanted to buy the nice children's poles.  The girls had other plans though because when they saw the Scooby Do and Pirated of the Carribean poles they had to have them.  I didn't mind because they were half the price and I was skeptical about their commitment to fishing anyway.  Marcus learned very quickly that fishing is not fun for 2 and 3 year olds.  They want to cast the line, immediately have a fish bite and reel it in.  This did not happen so all they wanted to do was "wind it up" all the time.  I know it frustrated Marcus at first, but he adjusted and would end up fishing by himself (with Scooby Do) while I took photos and the girls played in the river with the worms.  What child can resist getting completely wet in a beautiful flowing river?  Water is too much of a temptation for my girls!  All in all, no bites, but lots of memories.

We had a great trip and arrived home on Friday afternoon after stopping for our traditional milkshake.  When all was said and done, I did 12 loads of laundry between all of the blankets, towels and clothes, but it was well worth the work.  I have loved taking these small trips with our family and it has been very good for all of us.  Ainsley still brings Eden up from time to time and talks about how fun it will be when she gets better and can come with us on our trips.  I hate that I have to remind her all the time that she is not coming home or getting better because then I have to use the word "dead" to her.  It's still hard for all of us no matter how you look at it, but I think we are all trying our best to cope and move forward and that is the most important thing.

Next week we are off to Rocky Point, Mexico to the beach.  We love you all and continue to thank the Lord daily for all of your love, concern and prayers.  They help us to make it through each day.