Camping at Fish Creek Idaho

Went on the first of many camping trips and the weather was beautiful. I think this is the first Memorial Day weekend that it didn't rain on in 10 years. We went with our good friends the Browns and had a good time, at a real nice camping spot.



Frank and Steve took the four little ones up on Friday night since Amber had to work. Her and Christie drove up on Saturday morning. We picked a spot just across from the spot we camped at last year. We had an excellent location. Just 30 feet from the Fish Creek, nobody in sight, and nice scenery everywhere. Even on Memorial weekend it was nice... we didn't have anyone within site, but a few within hearing range.



Saturday morning we woke up to a bunch of hillbillies blasting their guns and rifles into the creek. Woke us all up at 8:30 or so... Steve and Frank both unzipped the tents and had a few not so kind words with them. That was the last we heard of them shooting :)


We saw 3 Moose while camping this time. The first one in the morning of the first day, a large cow and her just born little one. It was maybe a month old if that, the size of our dogs. They were about 100 feet from us across the creek.


The other moose snuck up on us Saturday night. Amber was in the tent and the moose chased Pinot right to our tent. I'd guess maybe 15 feet at the most from the tent. Then...it just cruised back into the trees and went about it's business.


Poor Buddy, Steve's dog. Friday night we were putting the kids down in the tent and heard a giant dog yelp. Buddy got hit by a porcupine again. I think this is the third time I've been with him and he's been hit. This was by far the worst. He had about 25 quills (each 2 inches long) in the soft part of his nose. About 50 across is body, and about another 50-70 in his hind leg. We had to sit in the dark with our head lamps pulling each one out with pliers and our fingers...while the kids just sat their and watched. He took it well, incredible pain suppression.



The kids got to play in the creek, play with a frog, fish... see tons of fish swimming in the crystal clear Fish Creek. We got in a little hiking, and everything just went pretty smoothly. We brought them over to Big Springs (about 5 minutes from the camp site) to let them see the start of the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. It's spring fed and is strange looking as the start is from the side of a mountain.

3 Panoramic Shots

VIDEO: Around the campsite


VIDEO: Short one of Graycie on their tree horse


VIDEO: Fishing on Fish Creek (at the beginning you can see the fish in the water)


VIDEO: Kids taking the Dads on a hike


VIDEO: Hiking and checking out the fish


VIDEO: More campsite stuff

Swimming and playing at home

Just another nice weekend with a little breeze. Joe's pool (2 doors down) was a nice relief this weekend, the kids were in the pool pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday. BBQ'd over there last night and did some more yard work.


The kids helped Dad get the tent, kayaks, and other gear ready for camping next weekend. We are planning to head up to Fish Creek, near Island Park, Idaho. It's about 1 hour 20 minutes from Idaho Falls and plenty to do. We did a camp at Fish Creek last year and had a blast.


Graycie's late night party was Friday. Both Amber and Frank had to help out... so Mia got to join in with the Spectrum class. It was the 1st - 3rd graders in Grayice's class and they had games, food, and activities to do from 6pm - 9pm. Amber had a station/activity in the gym with kids playing soccer and Frank had to man the kiddy pool to show them how to fish. Oh such fun. Yup.


After that they watched a movie for an hour and a half. Amber and Frank walked home for a couple glasses of wine at this point. Then we walked over at 11 and got the kids.


So, here are a few photos and videos of the weekend. Other then that, yard work and camping preparations.

VIDEO: Joe's backyard and filling the pool up for the first time


VIDEO: Girls jumping into pool for first time at joes


VIDEO: Swimming at Joe's Pool, 2 houses down... the West


VIDEO: Short one of Graycie's class lining up (You'll see Mia holding Kelsy's hand and Graycie right after them)

Graycies 1st Grade Play

She did great. There was a lot of dancing and singing and individual speeches. Graycie had to memorize 5 sentences. The play's theme was The USA and Proud to be American. They did a couple of fun dances, one to "America" by Neil Diamond, and New York New York.

Video: Here's the first 5 minutes of the play (graycies speach is at the very end of this video)



After the play which lasted about an hour we had an after party viewing of some of her school work and there were treats and all kinds of food. Here are some video's and photos of the night. You can click on the photos for a larger view... then hit "back" on your browser.

VIDEO: Graycies Class coming out to the stage (she is in the front row, all the way to the right)


VIDEO: Surfin USA dance and song


VIDEO: Getting ready to do New York, New York


VIDEO: Singing Coming to America by Neil Diamond


VIDEO: Cotton eyed Joe Dance


VIDEO: More Cotton eyed Joe Dance


Photos..............