The Happiest Campers

The McDermott Family went on a camp out this weekend!


Steph and Jerad were crazy/kind enough to extend an invitation again this year since we all had such a blast year camping Yosemite over Jerad's birthday weekend. Due to our hectic work/social event calendars, the group voted to keep it closer to home this year and we ended up camping the exotic wilderness in the lazy back country of good old Santa Margarita.


Dawson's trip highlights:

Fishin with his dear old (and undoubtedly world's greatest) Dad,



Real live WORMS!



Having the perfect opportunity to show off his new mad bike riding skill,


Miss Dom (who is his AND mr. taylor's 'special friend...')


This here band of hillbillies and their cool taste in music,


Mr. Jerad offering an uninhibited lift in his cool death trap truck:


Being one with nature, and expressing himself in his art,


Staying up late watchin movies with the gang:


Sleeping with the worms and not another care in the world,


Choppin wood like Mr. Taylor,


Anabelle's trip highlights:

Being included in the blessed fishing event,



Freeing the wormies (into the lake),



Boys with guitars (uh-oh...),



Miss Stephanie and Mr. Jerad's new child (particularly his mouth),



Bonding with her greatest hero of all time,



JUNK FOOD,


Sitting at the cool kid table,


Being 'one of the girls,'




And the privilege of wearing Mr. Jerad's sacred cowboy hat,




Mom's trip highlights:

The great outdoors with the wilderness man,



And enjoying how fun he is to look at,


My lesbian soul mate,



Cozy good morning snuggles,






Old friends,



New friends,



Teaching Anabelle the simple joy of a ball and glove,





Being silly,
And having a silly little girl,


Being around other fun couples,


And fellow maternal/family bonding.


Dad's trip highlights:

His hot wife,


His beautiful little girl,
Taking his little boy fishing with the bigger boys (and relishing every photo op),







And, sharing all his cool and completely useful camping equiptment with his son.



This morning is Dawson's sharing day at pre-school, and he wanted to share a camping picture with his class, so his amazing Daddy got up before the sun to sketch this out for him to color in and share with the class:

Dawson was (naturally) BEYOND excited to color his Dad's amazing handi work, but kindly requested Ty add Mr. Jerad to the masterpiece, playing his "Dawsie Bug" song on the guitar.

After he left for work, Dawson also noticed the lacking presence of the tarantula he was lucky enough to spot on Saturday afternoon... so he drew that in himself, in a path leading AWAY from Mr. Jerad (and toward his sister...) Coincidence? I think not.




Needless to say, the kids had a BLAST (as did we). I might get brave and plan a huge multi-family trip for this Spring/Summer since we now know our kids are capeable of braving the extremities, and we've found such a fun group to enjoy the great outdoors with.

I tried a couple times to upload the video of Dawson worshiping at the feet of Mr. Jerad and the hilbilly boys as they serenaded him with the "Dawsie Bug" song and he sat in wonder at the campfire with stars in his eyes... but it kept taking FOREVER. Maybe in another post. Seriously, tho, the look on his face... I've only seen once before, in his battle against Darth Vader at the Happiest Place on Earth. So, in essence, that makes Jerad better than Disneyland to my lil cowboy... which is completely priceless to a mom of a wild (and somewhat hard to impress) toddler man.

Thank you, Mr. Jerad, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Noah... and to the rest of the gang as well. I keep thinking of how good it is for my kids to be fortunate enough to have a circle of adults in their lives who care enough to look up from their scandel mags and put down their adult beverage of choice to make room on their laps for the cause of my children. Their self esteems and self confidence have been permenantly influenced for the better by each of you, and it means the world to me. You guys are heros to our whole family legacy!

Happy trails till next time.

xo