Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop: Camping at East Park

Monday, July 28, 2008

Camping at East Park

Sorry about all of our "vacation" posts, but I thought if I posted enough beautiful fun places, someone might come visit us! We went camping this past weekend at a place called East Park. We LOVED it! It was a great camping spot, only $8, and as beautiful as you can imagine! There's a reservoir there that is just gorgeous.

Cooper found this rock and called it his "chair". He sat in it for quite awhile, and generously told the rest of us we could sit on his chair whenever we wanted to.

This is what amazes me so much about this place we live in. It's red rock desert in one place, and ten minutes later you're in the forest.

Cooper found a great "picture" spot.

Then Aubrey had to try it. She had a harder time getting back down, though!

Tyler is learning all about trees here. Brandon taught us that Pines have needles in Pairs or Packages, Firs have Flat needles, and Spruce are Square. The neat thing was that all three of those kinds of trees were right next to each other.

We had to get our feet wet, and boy did it feel good! That water definitely had bite.

Poor Cooper was sick on Friday night. He didn't even want any treats, and he didn't want to play any games. He just slept while the rest of us played Yahtzee until midnight. Luckily he felt all better the next morning.

Eating bagels at the campground... we went really easy with the food... hotdogs for dinner, bagels and boiled eggs for breakfast. We even skipped the s'mores, since it started raining like crazy when we were going to make them.

Here's our campsite. It smelled so good! I can't wait to go back.

This is Aubrey and Brandon looking out onto that nice cool water. I went for a 3 mile run that morning, and Brandon dared me to jump into the water right after. I was seriously tempted, but after feeling it with my feet, I was glad I didn't attempt it. Refreshing would be an understatement!

I think this was one of my favorite campsites ever! We'd love to go again anytime, if someone gets the urge to go camping with us!

5 comments:

V and Co. said...: beautiful!; 8:27 PM
galleygrapevine said...: I've always loved East Park. It's a good place to camp, fish and relax.
When I was a fourth year at girls camp, we hiked into the park and then swam and canoed. It was cold, but back then we were stupid!; 8:28 PM
Jason said...: Looks pretty cool. I bet camping is a lot easier with a trailer. I'd like one of those...and a truck to pull it with...and a house with room to park it.; 2:57 AM
Brenda said...: I love the puke bowl next to Cooper. Ha ha! I've learned to use a towel instead of a bowl, though, because then there's no splashing. Ethan threw up last weekend when we went camping. There must be something going around.; 8:25 AM
leslie mae said...: I'd be there in a heartbeat if it wasn't so stinkin expensive to get there!!! What a gorgeous place! Looks like a great lake for paddling a kayak or canoe! What fun!!; 12:27 PM

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To Do Today

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

from "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit by F. Enzio Busche