Our First Camping Trip of the 08-09 year

This past weekend, Josh and I went on our first camping trip of the 08-09 Scouting season. We went to Sid Richardson Scout Ranch or SR2 as it's commonly referred to. They were having two events this weekend -- a Fall Festival and Haunted Hay Ride and a Family Adventure Camp. Some of our families accidentally went to the wrong camp site so a few phone calls later and we were all setting up at the correct site. The location couldn't have been more beautiful... there was a little historic building there as well... we were close to the lake and the Canoe Basin, though we couldn't take the canoes out -- some day!

Tent sweet tent


One of the things I've discovered is how much children NEED nature and the outdoors. They can be in the house SURROUNDED with electronics and games and movies and tv shows but inevitably you will hear them bellow how bored they are. Take them outside, however, and give them some dirt, sticks and a few rocks and they're enteretained for HOURS.



The Fall Festival had a station set up for the boys to carve pumpkins.


Sprinkled around they area, they also had setups for them to play ultimate, shoot various balls from mini catapults, practice their aim with marshmallow shooters…

Here is one of the little gaming areas set up in a little pocket throughout the camp area... this is a giant game of lunar golf.


However, the true motherload was that the boys were lucky enough to have the opportunity to pull the pin to launch their jack-o-lanterns from a ginormous trebuchet (pronounced “tray-boo-shay”) brought out this weekend only for the Fall Festival — THAT was a big hit! I’m sure the critters at Sid appreciated dinner too!




See this little spot in the blue? That's Josh's pumpkin!


It was also great fun just watching all the different boys having a great time playing ball.

We went on a haunted hayride and then came back for a campfire, smores and cracker barrel. :) We had NO problem falling asleep this night. It was really a great time.