Fathers and Sons

Each year, the men from our church take their sons on a campout.  I'm not sure when or where the tradition started, but I always looked forward to it.  On that weekend, my mom and I would craft together or go shopping in some little town that my brothers would loathe.  Then we wrapped up the evening by meeting my aunt and her daughters at Plush Pippin for some delicious pie.

Now it is Nick's turn to take our son (just one for now), and I am left to manage the girls and baby.  He and Rigby went last year for the first time.  Since then, this annual outing has become the highlight of Rigby's young life.  He talks about it weekly.  There was rain in the forecast this time around, but there was no way that Nick could get out of going.  He knew a little heart that was set on it.

As you can tell from the pictures, the weather actually behaved nicely for them.  There was something of a torrential downpour when they first arrived, but the clouds worked themselves out and eventually gave-way.

Here is one happy kid roasting a marshmallow.  That is my favorite smile.

Nick and Rigby took some friends, Adam and Beckett, with them.  They palled around together for most of the campout.  At night, Beckett (five years old) told a ghost story that Nick could not quite recall exactly.  It had something to do with zombies and kidnappings and the moon, I believe.  Then Nick told a ghost story that went like this:  "One day, Rigby and Beckett went camping with their dads.  At night, they snuck out of their tents and went down to the river.  It was very dark.  Rigby and Beckett fell in the river and drowned.  The end."  The point was taken.  Everyone slept well.  Or, as well as could be expected in a tent.

I was not there, of course, but I think these next pics were taken the following morning.  I'd like to narrate them for you, but I'll have to let the pictures do the talking.

And what of "girl night"?  With the baby in tow, I decided to save the tradition of pie at a restaurant for another year.  I took my little crew to Fred Meyer, where we picked up some treat ingredients and a movie.  We came home and watched the Chipmunk Squeak-quel with smoothies.  In the morning we had pancakes and made cookies.  The girls seemed pleased at not being included in the camping.  We'll do pie the first year that Pierce is deemed old enough to camp.  Any of you ladies out there are welcome to join us!