We're baaaack...

Hello all of you out in blogdom. The family has returned from our month of travel, and boy, we are glad to be back. We had a marvelous time in Yosemite, Atlanta, and Seattle, but there really is no place like home!
Gretchen just whined over my shoulder, "We are NOT glad to be home!" So, I will modify my previous statement:

Everyone over the age of 30 and under the age of one is glad to be home. There, I am certain THAT is true.

Anyhoo, I will give a synopsis of our first-ever family camping experience in Yosemite. First off, it is breathtakingly beautiful. Really. Completely amazing. Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El Capitan...pictures cannot do these places justice. You just really have to see them to appreciate them. The majesty of Yosemite was such a testimony to the awesome, majestic powers of the Creator Himself! The grandeur of His creativity a glimpse into His character.

I think we did a pretty good job in our debut camping trip. It was A LOT of work! Definitely not one of those sit-back-in-your-beach-chair-type vacations. The food preparation and packing for 7 was tiresome, but I have to say, it was worth it once we were there. A time in God's glorious creation, without computers, cell phones, jobs, TV's, etc. was...well....a true vacation. It was just time together with family and friends. Simple fun.

We had a wonderful time getting to know the Harasick, DeShong, Berggren, Tubbs, and Brooks families. Every one of our children had someone just about their age to play with. We ate really well, had s'mores every night, and hiked, biked, and swam as much as a family with young ones can.

On a funny and ironic note: we had a visit from a bear the first night we were there. This may make those of you in CT laugh, as you surely remember our run-ins with a different brown, four legged, bird-seed stealer in our backyard. The others in our group had collectively been to Yosemite many times, with nary a bear sighting in their campsites. How ironic that on our very first night there, a bear broke into one of our Rubbermaid bins and shredded a role of paper towels. Thankfully, we heard him and my big, strong, brave hubby scared him away. Apparently, we attract bears like others attract mosquitoes. Bear repellent, anyone?

The above picture was taken at Glacier Point. We had a picnic lunch there, overlooking the most magnificent view! We only had a three-fifths happiness rate in the offspring, as you can see, but hey, we were all in the picture!

Many thanks to the wonderful Harasick family for their invitation to camp with them. We found ourselves thankful many times that their trailer was right next to us!

Up next: "Nancy and Kurt's adventure to Atlanta" a.k.a. 'Why I may never fly again" (at least on American Airlines!)