Camp S'more - Part 2 "We Can Do So Many Activities!"

Pardon the 'Stepbrothers' quote but there are just so many things you can do while camping!  Generally, the family is not too keen on strenuous exercise but sometimes the surroundings are just too pretty to pass up.  For instance, while in Sedona, the family hiked and it became one of our favorite memories.  So while camping at Lopez Lake, the desire to walk and explore the surroundings was a looked forward to event, even for Sienna who tends to frown upon such activities.  Well, there's no frowning when you're camping!

Our first hike involved a morning jaunt around the lake perimeter.  We were also in search of kindling, to help stoke the fire to epic proportions.  Here is Spenser with some great 'kindling' finds.  We loaded them in a plastic bag and took them home to camp.  Shh!  Don't tell the park rangers!

Here is Sienna on the hike, looking good and keeping us on schedule.

And the true schedule keeper, MOMMY!

After some kindling collection, we walked past the lake marina,

then up a big hill, and thankfully down, back to camp.

Our next hike was the following morning, and this time our goal was to collect pinecones.  They make awesome kindling.  Here you see the kids scaling the hill behind our camp, after hitting a pinecone gold mine!

Check out the size of that pinecone!

Buddy and I can't contain our excitement!

 

Our second hike was another success.  Now for our third.  We had no intentions this time, except perhaps to not go too far.  This path took us along the lake, as you can see, it's quite scenic.

Spenser enjoys some brisk walking with his mommy. 

And I think he learned that every hike has a reward, and it's not just bonding with his mom and sister.

Yesterday it was a pinecone on steroids, and today it's a ..............

Sorry - you'll just have to wait for the Camp S'more Sequel! Coming soon.....

 

Camp S'more

Most kids go to some type of summer camp and let's face it, any camps in Arizona would be indoors, and what fun is that?  But luckily Sienna and Spenser have grandparents who love to camp and just happen to live in a gorgeous part of the central coast.  After much packing (on Papa's part) of two trucks, it was time to head to the lake and begin camp set-up.  Here are Papa's helpers.

After clearing a level spot, it was time to erect the tent.  Here are our sleeping quarters.

One more thing to do before the sights can be enjoyed, set up the kitchen tent.

Here is a panoramic view of what Camp S'more looked like. 

Now that the work was done, it was time to have fun, starting with sightseeing and rock skipping-

and catch.

Let's not forget scenic walks, with stops for pictures...

As the sun sets, fire time begins.  Spenser loves this time of the day.

Playing with fire, feeling its warmth, and of course - roasting marshmallows!

As you can see, Sienna likes hers charred.  Spenser likes no blackness whatsoever, which is actually hard to achieve.

I think mommy built a perfect s'more.

And I even enjoyed one myself!

  So that's how the first night of Camp S'more ended.  After sitting around the fire the next thing to do is to go to bed, which is surprisingly early by Samour standards.  We were tucked into our beds by 10 pm, hoping that we would make it through the night without needing a trip to the bathroom.  Unfortunately there was only a one night reprieve in that area, but we all survived and fared rather well.  I've got many more pics to share, but so far blogging is a slow process.  So stay tuned and be patient, you myriad of followers out there! 

Say Goodbye 5th and 7th Grades, Hello 6th and 8th!

Another successful school year is done and the kids have grown, matured, and worked hard.  They now deserve some rest and relaxation, as well as some boredom, but hey that is what summer is about. 

Rob continued his tradition of meeting the kids on their last day and videoing the event.  Here is Spenser on his last day, and can't you just hear Alice Cooper's words, "Schools out for SUMMER!!"

Here is our no longer 5th grader, now a 6th grader.

Rob attempted to video Sienna as well but she wasn't so keen on that idea, as you may expect with a pre-teen.  She could see us across the field and she turned around and went the other way.  Sadly, I won't further embarass her with the video of that.  It's hard to be upset about her reluctance to be videoed when she handled the transition into junior high so famously.  As a junior high teacher myself, I know first hand how tumultuous this time can be, and how many students struggle with the number of teachers and expectations they have.  I'm very proud to say Sienna, the independent and self-motivated girl that she is, shined with no help from mom and dad.  She was like her own parent, monitoring her progress, grades, and workload.  It certainly paid off as evidenced by her final report card!

Her hard work was further acknowledged by her acceptance into the National Junior Honor Society.

Here she is at the induction ceremony.

So let summer commence. 

We'll be taking in the beauty of the Central Coast for the next three weeks.  Hopefully we'll be able to post from there.   

Blazin' Up the 303

Arizona celebrates the birth of its new freeways with a pedestrian party and we have participated in several celebrations since Rob began with ADOT 15 years ago.  Today's events commemorated the completion of a new section of freeway called the 303. 

It's a fun time to be on new pavement before the motoring public, and to also honor all those involved with its inception.  Many dignitaries are on hand as well, like the Governor, the Director of Transportation, and the various involved city mayors.

And to make it official....

In Rob's absence, the rest of the family stepped in.  With Rob's dad and niece in town, it made for an interesting and fun thing to do.  Here's the crew.....

and me too!

And of course all of Rob's cronies were there and I took pictures to prove it!

Here's a panoramic view, something my new camera does.

Hope you enjoyed the new Loop 303. 

Happy Hoppy Easter

Easter Sunday started with sleeping in (and for some - recovering from migraine) and then heading to Mass.  Easter Sunday is one of two days the whole Samour clan attends church (the other day is Christmas Eve), so it's pretty special.  One of Spenser's best buds sat in front of us so that made it a bit more fun.  Here we are as we arrived.

After Mass it was errand time at Walmart, and then lunch at Filiberto's.  Once home, the family changed into work clothes and the Easter meal preparation began.  Sienna assisted Rob in the kitchen, I did household cleaning and laundry chores, and Spenser managed the whole operation.  Lasagna was our holiday meal of choice.  For some that may seem strange, but it's special to us because it's something we never eat.

Our yummy dinner consisted of caesar salad, lasagna, chicken sausage, and garlic bread.  Dessert included strawberry shortcake. 

Cheers to another great holiday.  I'm so glad the holidays are spread out.  Eating like this every day would definitely contibute to junky trunkies, and nobody wants that.  Unless of course you're Jennifer Lopez.

A Good Good Friday

Who doesn't like a three day weekend?  Obviously there are no hands up so I will proceed with my story.  The day started with sleeping in, always a great thing to do on a day off, and then to K1, an indoor go-kart facility in Phoenix.  Sienna and I attended this family trip for moral and tech support, as we had no plans on driving.  Rob and Spenser on the other hand, had dreams of taking the checkered flag first and bumping a few other cars in the process.  You know what they say - rubbin' is racin!  (By the way, Good Friday Eve started off with a bang as well for the girls - check Samour Sounds soon for more scoop).

The facility is very clean and quite nice.  Those kids are cute too!

First up to race was Rob.  Here he is getting helmeted up, not an easy task when you're bespectacled.

Here is the Deputy, #5, ready to race.

Look at the scoreboard!  Yeah boy!

Sure there may have only been three other racers, but a win is a win, so booh-ya!

Livin' his dream....

Here are Rob's skills in traffic.....

Not too shabby.

Here is Buddy, strapped in and ready to put the pedal to the metal!

Still looking good in the turn.

Check the leaderboard.......booh-ya!

Here is Spenser in action.....

Both boys made good showings.

They're both number ones in my book.  But we'll give the little guy the edge.

Happy Good Friday!

Hippity Hop

Spring has sprung in the Samour household.  As Easter nears, we await the arrival of E.B. (that's the abbreviation for the Easter Bunny) and isn't he adorable?  Can you believe that E.B. plays the drums too? 

How cute is that?  Just like my little bunny, or rather my little buddy.   If you haven't seen Hop, too bad for you.  It's cute and gets you all sweet on candy, cuddly things, and a drummer's big dreams of Hollywood.  Okay, shameless plug over. 

So we have some very special guests headed our way soon and we have been busy like little easter bunnies trying to get ready.  Rob had the air conditioning units serviced to make sure our snowbirds don't experience a meltdown, and is completing landscape duties so that the curb appeal is up to 6 Meadowview Drive standards.  Sienna and Spenser have even lent a hand by pitching in to build a new patio set.  We know how much our guests enjoy sitting out on the patio in the morning to read the paper and have their coffee.  We don't want to disappoint.  To further the outside ambience, we upgraded the decor.  Drum roll please............

Here is Sienna enjoying the fruits of her labor.  (She's writing war poems for an anthology due in Social Studies.....quite serious stuff)

The sight of this new patio set makes me want a strawberry margarita for some reason!  Tee hee!

Mony was the foreman of this job, since the Deputy State Engineer is so busy overseeing the Valley Freeway Transportation System and hitting the gym to stay svelte.  Building things can be fun, although I can only say that now that the job is done.  In the middle of it, it was frustrating and yes, even involved one structural error and one trip to Home Depot.  Well Grandma, Grandpa, and Tara - hope you like it.