Camping at Strawberry

Matt did his annual Strawberry Fields Forever Endurance Ride this past week. For the past 5 years or so he heads up near Strawberry Reservoir and works as a veterinarian for the endurance ride every Father's Day weekend. This year the ride started on Wednesday evening. They extended it a day because it is becoming such a popular ride. Oh by the way, the endurance part is horses and riders - there is a 25 and a 50 mile ride/race every day Thursday- Sunday. It is pretty amazing.

We took our tent up and set it up a mile or so down the road from the main camp. There are too many horses, people, and dogs for us at the main camp. When we set the tent up Wednesday evening the wind was blowing really badly. We just got the tent set up and we were all inside, except Kelsey, when we heard a huge boom sound. I yelled "Kelsey? Are you okay? What happened?" She said very nonchalantly "Oh, a big tree just fell over."
We ran outside and a rather large quaking aspen tree had just blown over and landed about 15 feet away from our tent. That was creepy to me. I said "Matt, we are not sleeping here in this wind." Well, he slept there that night but the kids and I slept in our own beds. That was the plan to begin with and I was very happy about that plan, but nervous for Matt!

We got busy cutting up firewood for the stove in the tent. We knew we would need it. We also cut up a bunch for a nice little marshmallow roasting fire also. I love the smell of the chainsaw; there is something very rustic and manly about it. Love it love it love it. It reminds me of my dad, my brother, fighting fire, and my husband - all great memories.

Me and the kids on the tree that blew over near our tent.

Emmitt loved gathering wood.

Kendal was pretending this was her motorcycle. She was making great sounds, but I don't think she has even ever been on one!

Matty and Rachel

The girls were in love with the new wash basins the Proctors gave us. Dip your hands in the warm water bowl, then the cold water bowl, warm water, cold water, on and on. What fun!

Emmitt's first marshmallow - he loved it.

Thursday afternoon the kids and I returned and spent the night with Matt in the tent. It was a cozy night thanks to the stove and me waking Matt up every hour and a half to put wood in it! The girls love camping and so does Emmitt, but that lad sure made going to sleep hard for everyone! He was not sad or crying, just happy and wallering!

The kids and I returned Friday evening and spent a few hours with Matt after he was finished with the horses for the night. We took a little walk and threw rocks in the creek - it was a wonderful evening. Matt came home Sunday afternoon around 5:00 and was so happy to sleep in his own bed, but I have to admit his cot is pretty darn comfortable!