Sointula with Dodds family

 

 I have SO much catching up to do, hundreds of photos to sift through and weeks worth of project life to document, but I wanted to take a few moments to share a slew of photos from our most recent vacation in Sointula with the Dodds family.

 

Our fun started with a day trip to wild play here in Nanaimo were our herd of children learned how to navigate an obstacle course in the trees.
 

  

 

Afterwards we took a swim at one of my favorite swimming holes.

 

The back home for some grub. So glad I had an extra table kicking around for all those kiddos.

 

When we arrived in Sointula, the skies were clear and the sun was warm.
 

Allan and Julie had arrived  five days before us and  had constructed a fantastic tent city in anticipation of the forecasted rain. It was pretty awesome to roll up and just move in.

 

We saw orcas from our campsite the next morning and followed them out to Bere point where we hoped they would come to the beach to rub.

 

 

 

  

I am so glad that I brought a muddy buddy for Levi.

 

 

Everything was fine until the cloth line holding up the main tarp snapped just as we were about to leave for the "Salmon Days" festival in town. I am so thankful that it didn't happen during the night during the torrential rain. Julie and I loaded our kiddos into her van and took them into town while the boys spent the next three hours putting up new lines and tarps.

 

Probably one of my favorites parades ever.

 

 

Fresh bannock smothered with berries and whipping cream.

 

 

 

 

 

When we got back to camp we found out that we had missed the whales rubbing. Gah!

 

 

They literally spent HOURS throwing rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

Julie made apple crisp in this cast iron pot. It was GOOD! I was impressed.

 

 

Our new tent has proven to be pretty awesome this summer.

 

When our children got sick of the rain they piled into the Dodd's "fancy" van and watched a movie. I love the look on Eli's face.

 

Us mommas would dry out the children's sweaters and coats at the end of  each day so that they would have something to wear the next day.

 

*Sigh* Allan thanks for helping me get this shot. What a pretty moon.

 

My parents came over from the mainland to visit us. They even brought Sheppard's pie and my dad's version of Nanaimo bars. It was a nice treat.

 

 

 

Updating instagram out at Bere point which was one of the few places that had internet access.

 

 

 

 

Trying to stay dry in the rain

Milo photo bomb!

 

We were huddled around the fire at the end of the last day with the wind and rain howling through our camp discussing  which ferry we would catch the following morning, when someone suggested that we try and catch the last ferry that evening. It was as though an "ah ha" moment rippled through our group simultaneously. Within minutes we had started breaking camp with huge smiles on our faces,  relieved that we wouldn't be spending another miserable night camping in the rain. We were impressed at how quickly and efficiently we packed in the POURING rain. It was teamwork at its finest. Within two hours we had washed up the dinner dishes, packed every tote, tent and tarp into our vehicles. Possibly even more amazing was the fact that the children  didn't complain about our sudden decision to leave or the fact that they were soaked.  Instead they happily played in the rain, pouring all their energy into digging a river into the side of the hill. Up and down they would run with whatever receptacle they could find and filling them with puddle water to fuel their stream.  Hurray for an awesome camping trip!