Camping in the San Juans - Our First Morning

MEETING THE NEIGHBOR GIRLS
Mama, Papa and I finally got to our campground last Thursday night. We took a long drive from home in Seattle to catch a big car ferry in Anacortes that took us across the water to Orcas Island in the San Juan Island chain.

Papa made us dinner outside on our little propane camping stove, then we went to explore the lake and beach...it was really cool! Mama and Papa let me get my regular clothes all wet too, I didn't even have a bathing suit on!

Then we slept in a tent that night and I was pretty excited about it, but eventually I fell asleep. In the morning there were a bunch of kids in the campsite right across from us. There were two bigger boys who I didn't really meet, but there were GIRLS! Three of them! There were 3 year old twins and their little sister Ariel, who was born 2 days before me!!! Mama and Papa thought the four of us were quite the adorable ensemble and soon after Papa saw the four of us with our arms around each other, Mama ran to get her camera. Check it out!

And of course there are photos too!

pictorial review

So, you've seen a lot of the video from our trip to Pennsylvania. Well, Mama & Papa took a lot of photos too and Papa made them into a slide show to share.

Here you'll see me with my Opa and GranSmoky, uncles, aunts, cousins, new friends, new places, new experiences...oh and with Mama and Papa too! Enjoy!

An Ode to Opa & GranSmoky

Sorry we've been away from the blog for a few days...but we've been very busy playing, playing, and more playing all around Seattle. Mama and Papa say I'm a very busy boy and they use up all their energy every day playing with me.

Anyway, this video is still from our Pennsylvania trip and it shows me hanging out with Opa, GranSmoky and Uncle Silly Mark too. We had snacks and worked on the yard, were generally silly and played together...it was really fun! I miss them all a lot and can't wait to be with them again soon. I love you and miss you!!!!!

Now I need to get back to my busy playing schedule!

Hiawatha!

Another super fun thing we did when we were in Pennsylvania is we went to visit Opa's hunting and fishing club, Hiawatha. Hiawatha is a place where Mama and my 3 uncles used to go to lots as kids and they have such amazing memories from there. Mama was really excited to share it with me and Papa. Unfortunately, Papa could not make it this trip, but I went and it was like Heaven for a toddler.
First thing, my 16 year old cousin Eva was there and I fell absolutely in love with her the moment I re-met her (we met when I was just a little baby before), then the caretaker had a daughter, Kalli, who is 5 years old and she had tons of really fun toys and stuff that I got to play with. There were also muddy puddles, sidewalk chalk, a kid-sized jeep that really worked (much to Mama's terror when it started up while I was sitting in it alone!), and a huge sand pit area, a forklift and Bo the dog. There was a kid sized vacuum (which I just adore) and warm brownie dessert one night, and a sprinkler to play in (first time I ever did that), and a tractor to climb on, and a lake with docks!!! I had no fear of the water or the very wobbly docks and wouldn't even let Mama hold my hand when we were down at the lake...this made Mama VERY nervous and she decided we'd play most of the time up the hill away from the lake.
It was so, so fun! I'm so glad Opa and GranSmoky took us there and that cousin Eva was able to spend all that time with us.

Working hard in the sand pit.

Playing in the mist with Eva.

Posing for a picture on the dock with Eva.

No fear on the wobbly docks!

Eva took this amazing shot of me.

Mama and I touching the lake water.

I'm King of the Mountain!

Opa, Mama, me, and GranSmoky in the "back yard" of Hiawatha.