Camp Walsh 2012

We are honored to be considered a Forest Friend.  Let me explain....the Walsh's are recreating an annual camping tradition they had with their kids.  They used to camp on Jones Island but our tradition will be camping on Whidbey Island at the Walsh's.  Maro and Charlie have spent months creating a camp site in the forest on their property. 

It was such a fun weekend with the Walsh's big, small and smaller, the McDonald's big and small and the Alston's.  There were so many pictures and moments to capture...here is a few!

Maro welcoming the Forest Friends to the Friend's Forest.

Bob McDonald making a few last minute phone calls....

Making up for the phone call, he is raking the tent spot for his granddaughters.

Taking a rest...

Scout was a welcomed addition to the camping.  He was the best guard dog, as we would have expected.  Once darkness fell, he was on high alert listening with ears perked at all the sounds in the forest. 

Beckett asking Oli, "want to wear my hat?". 
Oli, "no, I'm playing baseball."
Beckett, "but it is so cool." 

On our way to the Comfort Winery, next door to the Walsh's.  Nope, we weren't there for the wine, we were there to collect eggs from their chickens for our breakfast. 

It was a long walk for little legs, especially legs with a boot on.  Nice to have a big brother to give you a ride.

Instead of napping, they expect me to pick my own eggs for breakfast??

We took a shortcut back to the Walsh's through the field.  Good idea until the wagon tipped over dumping all the little ones out.  It was all laughter after that.

Back at camp, it was game time...water guns...

more games...watching those high pitched squealing balloons fly high up in the air.

Craft time!  Glow in the dark jars with names to mark your tent. 

After homemade pizza's over the campfire in the garden, we settled into the campsite in the Friends Forest at yet another camp fire for smores and songs.

During smore's, Scout took a small break from his watch dog duties.  I suppose he knew that he wouldn't get much sleep once he was in the tent with Brett, Oli and Julia.

With some of the little ones, we weren't sure if everyone would stay the whole night in the tents but sure enough they did!  And they all loved it!  A special morning snuggle by the morning camp fire. 

Beckett, "is this how i do it?"

All the Forest Friends: (from left to right) Olivia, Wyatt, Beckett, Julia, Oli and Sydney.

Tyler enjoyed the weekend as well...plenty of attention and a nice warm bed inside. Next year he will be out with the big kids!

I made sleeping bags for everyone's stuffed animals.  All 4 of the other kids LOVED them...Oli and Julia tossed their's aside.  Julia was convinced it was Tyler's sleeping bag, not her stuffed rabbit.

A tradition that has lived a couple decades (the Walsh's and McDonald's even have a song for it).  Scones on a stick...the best part is that when the scone is cooked, you are left with a nice size hole to put in your butter, jam, cheese...

All in all an incredibly fun weekend and one that we will look forward to in the years to come.  It was very special to see the work that Maro and Charlie put into the weekend pay off in spectacular fashion!