Deadwood

Boy has it been too long. You know when you have that one post that you need to write about but it is also that one post that keeps you from writing more recent posts. I have yet to document information about Brecken's 12 month mark. It really comes down to being too lazy to get up and get the calendar to reference the milestones for the blog. I feel like I can't document anything past that until that post is done until right now. I need to just move on.

A few weeks ago the camera that I was using finally bit the dust and it was from a stupid thing too. I had just downloaded pictures onto the computer from it and the camera was saying that there was an error in the card reader. After carefully inspecting it, I noticed that one or two of the little prongs were bent. I tried with all of my might and anything small to get them bent up again. It didn't work. I was bummed. I had an album that needed pictures for Etsy, we were just getting ready to go on a camping trip and Gunnar starting kindergarten was just around the corner. I couldn't afford a new one. Heck I couldn't afford a used one. I emailed my mom late at night telling her my dilemma and that I found a used one on craigslist that I liked and if she would be willing to pay some as an early birthday present and then I would make up the difference. She called the next day and told me to see if that one was still available and that she needed to talk to dad. To my complete surprise, they showed up the next day with a brand new beautiful Nikon P500. I was SO excited. I love it. It is so light compared to the 10 year old cameras and takes awesome video.

Before I got the camera, we went on a camping trip to Deadwood Reservoir with friends. There were definitely moments where I wished I had a camera on this trip. Mindy and Rillz were supposed to come but Mindy needed to work that day since her nanny family was leaving the next week on vacation (for her that equals no pay for the week) and coworkers at Rillz's work were giving him a hard time because he would be gone to Hawaii for a long time to get married. They needed to work. We really missed them and I know they really wanted to go. We have next year and I am hoping to get a yurt that you walk a mile into. Back to Deadwood. The drive stunk. It was long and there was this incredibly steep pass we had to go through. It would go up and down and then up and down for so long. I friends little girl ended up throwing up on the way up (I think she actually did on the way back too). We also quickly learned that you really need to adhere to the speed limits on the pass if you don't want to smell your brakes burning up. The reservoir has 4 different developed campgrounds and we reserved a spot on the river that fed the reservoir. It was so lazy, lazy, lazy. Our friend fished from a float tube up and down it and then Jared and Jeff took the canoe out one night to fish. Jeff and Jared also had a blast going on trails somewhere mountain biking. They loved it. So what did April and I do...oh wait...I totally forgot about the night before. We decided to leave Thursday night late to get up there at least halfway. We ended up pitching tents basically at a reservoir we knew about just outside of Cascade. I slept so well that night and it was crazy warm. I loved it and Brecken pretty much rolled himself around the tent in sleep. Gunnar was out like a light. We found REI kid sleeping bags on craigslist a while back so Gunnar got one and our friends (that we were with) little girl got the other because they had two. They are warm mummy bags and actually get pretty small. Anyway, back to Deadwood. April and I found a little hidden access to this fun sandy beach by out site that had millions of frogs and then the tadpoles in the water. It was insane and Gunnar and Paige loved it! April was smart and brought sand pales so they had fun catching them in there. We were brave and took our crazy Golden, Diesel with us. Poor thing was so unsure of his surroundings that he had no problems sitting in his crate watching us. We had him tied to a tree but he still wanted his crate. Which I didn't mind because there were other dogs everywhere. Our friends took their lab Kenda too and both dogs love each other. We had lots of fun taking them to the water. I discovered that Diesel doesn't like to swim or he doesn't know how. He would swim. So Kenda would retrieve the sticks in the water, Diesel would wade in to his belly, snatch the stick from her when she got to him and he would bring it to me. They did that over and over again. It was pretty comical and it gave them both great exercise. We have a doggy life vest for him but never had to chance to push him in...I meant use it. He was a dream to camp with actually. He was nice and quiet. Even at night when I worried about it. At one point, April and I left the kids with Jeff and Jared and took the dogs down the road to a trail that was straight up. I had Diesel's pack on and let him loose. He did awesome staying nearby and loved it and this trail wore us all out. One of the biggest highlights and one that I wish I had on camera was Gunnar just decided he could ride his bike on his own. He could never start by himself. It was so annoying. He wanted to take his bike along and I questioned Jeff as to why we were taking one more thing that he would not touch. Sure enough touch he did and it was the saving thing to keep that kid entertained. He rode that bike constantly up and down the little lane and campsite and I was so proud of him. Why he couldn't figure it out on a nice flat bumpless road near home beats me. That night stunk so bad! I slept like crap and was so crabby. The conclusion, Brecken is going to be in his own sleeping bag next time. We were at a higher elevation so it was colder and that dang baby had to always be touch me and it usually was around my head and then I needed to keep him warmer so I stuck him sort of in my mummy style bag and had my back exposed to the outside because the zipper wouldn't zip up with both of us in it. It stunk and I was so tired. But our last day I had a fun time. We took a little hike with everyone and then packed up and started heading home. Jeff wanted to learn to fly fish and Jared only knows how to fly fish so we stopped in some random meadow for lunch and to play while they fished. This was probably my most favorite part of the entire trip and I so wished that I had pictures. It was so pretty and open and little streams were running all throughout the tall green grass. We walked in a ways and let the kids just play in the sand and stream (it was really shallow) as April and I talked and Kenda ran around like crazy. I loved it. It was away from everything and really relaxing and the weather felt so good. If I knew that it would have been like that, I would have voted to scrap the family hike and head there. the only downfall was that there were HUGE horseflies and they bit and they bit hard! Towards the end of our adventure Gunnar got bit hard on his cheek and he was screaming and freaking out then another one would come around and he would flip all over again. I have to admit that I know it hurt but it was pretty funny because he was over reacting so bad. Thankfully the guys were coming back from who knows where and Jeff took care of him. There is an area called Landmark that is very similar to this meadow with spots with shade trees and camping sites. I told Jeff that I actually wouldn't mind camping in one of those, letting the kids play in the sand and water, letting the dogs run and take the bikes. The only downside is that there are no vault toilets or anything. I wish I was able to get a picture of Brecken. He was black with the color of dirt. He was one happy boy. The food was yummy, we had yummy cobbler and great company. The weird thing though is that our friends admit that they never have campfires because they are too lazy. So weird. When you camp you have to have a campfire. That is just part of camping, especially car camping. Jeff and Jared were still out on the water, April and Paige decided to go to bed, it was so not that late and I was stuck with two boys and no fire. So we just sat and ate muddy buddies till Jeff and Jared got in. It was just a little weird. Especially when we had a big group of younger couples next to us with a roaring fire and beer flowing freely till wee hours of the morning. We did have a morning fire which Jeff got going and I think our friends actually really liked it. I know I did.

On a funny camping note, we went to REI a few weeks ago and were having Gunnar try on kids backpacking packs for reference. We hope to get one for his birthday. The salesman was talking about how when Jeff took me on my first backpacking trip or vice versa and it was so important that you make it a fun, enjoyable trip so you would want to do it again. It is the same with kids. You don't want to weigh them down so much that they don't enjoy it. Jeff and I had a good laugh after that because I have never been backpacking in my life. Heck, the last time I had been camping prior to this year was when Gunnar was about 18 months old. Jeff was just proud of me for camping twice in one year this year. I am proud of myself too and am actually enjoying it sort of. I've discovered that you have to be prepared. You need the right supplies and equipment and the trip becomes better. Next trip, Brecken will get his own sleeping bag!! Also the more you go the better you become at knowing what to expect. I've decided camping takes practice. The one thing I will never get used to is wild animals. Even if I don't see any, I know they are lurking out there and that creeps me out. I hate getting in lake water because I know fish are in there and could touch my feet. No thanks. My adventure next year is hopefully a yurt that you hike in a mile for with awesome views. Hopefully Mindy and Rillz can join us and they are cheap! Hey maybe Heidi and Ren would like to as well. My boys love the experience and too me that is great. I love that they can burn off energy and enjoy the outdoors. I also want them to love the experience as much as Jeff does and the only way for that to happen is to get them out...and I am willing to join them.

Oh...and did you know that you can sell your broken cameras on Ebay and people buy them? I didn't make a ton because the cameras are older but I made some and what would I do with them anyway.