Last weekend we went over to the Anderson Valley to go camping with friends. We drove over Friday afternoon and met up with Emma, Melina and Joey's families. It sprinkled on us a little on the way there, but it was pretty dry when we arrived. We set up camp (with a separate tent for the 6 year old girls!) and made dinner. After dinner, it started to rain. We sat around the fire with our umbrellas eating s'mores before everyone went to bed. The big girls woke up early and after a trip to the bathroom and settling back into our tents, it poured for the next hour. We got up and made breakfast and used the break in the rain to go for a hike in the big trees. Here are a bunch of the kids (there were 9 of them altogether) look at the root end of a huge tree that had fallen down.
Here is Lily in front of the same tree minus two teeth.
It was a pretty neat tree.
Here she is with all the kids except the babies, minus 3 teeth! She pulled one out just as we were taking the pictures.
We found a tree with a hole in it that you could get through on the other side. Lily, Nolan and Maya hid in the hole and then scared the rest of the group when they caught up with us.
Fiona decided this was a good time to nap, seeing as she didn't do much sleeping in the tent.
A picture with Lily, Nolan and Maya.
We managed to get the little ones out for a picture of me with Lily.
Then we each did a family picture, though ours looks as though Fiona is not there since she is still asleep on James' back.
Another cool tree with Emma and Melina.
After climbing up this tree, James found a dead vulture on the other side in the hollow of the still standing tree.
This was very intriguing to the rest of the group who all climbed up to take a look.
Continuing on our walk.
This tree had a little archway in it.
Towards the end of the walk, Lily was examining something on a fallen tree.
We then went in to town for some lunch, after which we stopped in at a brewery for some beer tasting. The kids and I walked over to see the goats and horses and were joined by the other moms. After that, we headed over to the horseshoe pit to listen to some music.
Fiona was fighting a second nap the whole time we were there.
Soon after, it began pouring so we all went inside, including the Maloney's dog who was Maya's best friend all weekend.
We next traveled to a winery where Fiona did eventually nap. The big kids checked out the llamas with some non wine tasting parents while some of us tasted wine and cheese. Here is Fi having a snack after she woke up.
Here is another part of the group having some play time and grape juice under the pergola near the vineyard.
Daddy bought some cheese which Fiona decided was hers. She took both cheeses for a walk in the grape vines.
Back at the camp ground, she tried out a new fashion. She worked hard to pull her pant legs up to her knees all on her own.
Later we sat around the fire while Daddy cooked dinner.
Fiona really liked Maya's sparkly silver hat.
She even tried it on herself.
All in all, we had a good time camping, but Anna, Joey and I all agree that it will be a while before we venture out there again.
