{Summer's Last Hurrah! - McCall - Labor Day 2013}

"The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows,

spectacular skies and serene lakes,

It has enough lush forests, 

flowered fields and sandy beaches.

It has plenty of stars

and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day.

What the world needs more of is people to appreciate

and enjoy it!"

Michael Josephson

Upon getting into the car Friday afternoon and driving towards McCall, it happened.  As the city melted away, and the mountains rose up I felt the stress slowly drain out of my body.   I saw the river flowing past me on the left and then on the right - the forest of tree's soaring into the sky all around me and I breathed a deep sigh of contentment.  When I reached my destination this is what greeted me.

Is it any wonder that the mountains are my favorite and McCall especially.  After holding our annual Memorial Day Campout in McCall with friends and family for some 20 years, we found that this year and last year we could not make it.  Last year Eleanor had just been born and this year Taylor graduated on Memorial Day weekend.  So we asked our friends, "How about Labor Day?".  And so a new tradition begins.

It was the perfect weekend.  Family, great friends, great place, and great weather.  

 We went on an adventure one day and found Crystal Mountain.  It was pretty cool!  A big mountain all made of different colors of quartz.  The boys had a great time climbing it, the views were incredible and we all came home with a few beautiful rocks for the yard.

 Kamryn and Taylor

In the top middle picture I spy Jake and Trent up on top of the mountain.

 Kurke cooling off. 

 These boys are stinkers.  They took off on their bikes to go swimming and awhile later I went down to take some pictures and they were nowhere to be found.

I finally got into the lake to look as far as I could and I saw them way and the heck down and this is what they were doing:

Having a blast jumping off big boulders.  

The only problem was that I had to hike through brush and bushes for 1/2 mile to get to them so I could take these pictures.  When they saw me coming I heard Isaac say, "There's your mom - she found us!"  Ha Ha so funny!  I took a few pictures and left them alone.  They were having so much fun.

I think there are Werewolves out there!  Werewolf was the favorite game this camping trip.  It was so much fun that we played it most of Sunday afternoon and then Sunday night after the group dinner. 

 We also played Adverbs - my kids crack me up.  They are dramatic!  Well...except Taylor - Ha ha.

Kurke took this night photo with his panoramic camera.  Cool.

It was such a fun weekend.  So relaxing, lots of laughs, good food.  It totally rejuvinated me.  

Summer's Last Hurrah!