Wee Williams' birthday camping weekend...

We decided to continue a tradition I guess we began last year... kicking off our camping season on the kiddo's birthday weekend. Last year it was in the 20's one night and was pretty chilly most of the days too... This time around it was almost 80 during the days and just below 50 at night - made the camping season kick-off much easier :)

We headed to Shenandoah State Park after work on Friday 3/16. As usual, the kids drove us nuts while we unpacked/set up!
But, as always, the next day was perfect! A little cool in the morning at the campsite - on Charlotte's 3rd birthday!!!
After some sausage gravy biscuits, we headed out for a day of fun/exercising in the 75 degree weather. Tony rode his bike and pulled Lottie in the bike trailer. Lucas rode his bike behind them. And I ran behind all that!
We rode to the low water bridge on the Shenandoah, where we stopped to throw rocks, rest, and fish!
After about an hour, the exercise caravan headed back. Just like last year, we stopped to climb a mountain like a bunch of billy goats. Lucas is amazing... In crocs, he scaled the hill like it was nothing - and super fast! Can you see him at the top - arms raised in victory???
When we got back to camp, we had much needed snacks/lunch and let Lottie open the one gift we brought with us - her own baseball glove!
I'm not quite sure what this pic is all about, but that facial expression is priceless...
After a little more relaxing, the exercise caravan headed back out on the trails... in the opposite way from where we went this morning. I, however, forgot the camera :( So you can imagine how devastated I was when we stopped along the trail and this kids threw rocks/waded in the stream and I couldn't document... No!!!

When we got back to camp after adventure #2, we got in the truck and drove up to the visitor's center. We checked out the stuffed animals (toys and real) and got the kids their promised treat for being so good riding all day. Lucas picked a M&Ms and Charlotte got little white cakes with sprinkles. While eating on the overlook, we sang happy birthday to her!

In the evening, there was more campsite fun... Lacrosse for Lucas and the balance beam for Char.
By 8:00, Lottie was passed out in my lap. She actually fell asleep eating a box of raisins. The box fell out of her hand and her head just rolled back.
Lucas did a few sparklers...
But by 8:30, this was my company by the fire...
Sunday was another gorgeous day, so we were in no hurry to get home. We made some breakfast and then took down camp.
With the truck mostly packed, we set out on one last exercise caravan. Some lady referred to me as Forrest Gump as I ran by her site again. We headed back towards the visitor's center... the same trail we walked with Mommom & Pop last Fall. After all the running yesterday, my legs were tired...
Because Tony knows I'm neurotic, we stopped at the same place as yesterday to play in the water. The kids weren't wading across like yesterday, but I'll take any pics I can get!
Once you hit the end of the river trail, you have to go almost straight uphill for over 1/2 mile to get to the visitor's center. Last Fall, Tony rode most of it pulling a sleeping Lottie. Mommom and I walked. Pop carried Lucas' bike most of the way while Lucas walked alongside. This time, Tony couldn't even pull Lottie up it (sissy! ha!). She had to get out and we put Lucas' bike in the trailer. Tony pulled the bike. I pushed the trailer from behind. Lucas and Lottie held hands and whined in the rear...
And alas, we made it and more special treats were had - M&Ms, a Milky Way, and Gatorade.
We got to go on a really cool "mountain bike-ish" trail on the way back that had a lot of downhills. Lucas did an AMAZING job doing it all by himself!
After all that, this is what we saw most of the way home...