Happy Fourth of July from Elodie!
This year we decided to celebrate with a big group of friends out in the mountains. It was Elodie's first camping trip and she did great!
Rain was forecast, but we were determined to go and have a good time. We must be crazy to take two dogs and a baby camping in the rain. Eric says it builds character. I say it makes for good stories...
All together our group of over 20 people and 5 dogs set up camp. Some smarter people than us thought to bring pop-up shelters for everyone to hang out under. They were the perfect spot to drink beer and talk until the rain passed.
Elodie's favorite part of the trip was when we went on a hike. She loved it! I put her on my back and she wouldn't stop smiling and looking around at everything. Belle also loves going on hikes, and just like before, she got so into it that she ended up with blisters on her paws. I've never heard of such a thing until her.
^^Heading for the trail^^
All of the rain we've had made for very tropical hiking conditions. It felt like we were in central america
Back from the hike it was time to for food. And when 20 people all bring food, there is a lot to eat.
Jenn and Mark made beer bottles with everyone's pictures on them. So fun.
After dinner and tailgating, we headed to an overlook to watch the fireworks down in Luray. It was a cool perspective to watch them from above. We also bought sparklers but then forgot to use them and ended up playing with them when we got home instead.
I won't lie and say that camping is one of my favorite outdoor activities. I'm usually glad we went, but never get too excited about it beforehand. However, one thing I really love about camping is that you wake up so early. The sun comes up sometime around 5am and when the sun's up, everyone's up. Early morning is my favorite time of day with gorgeous lighting, dewy surfaces, and vibrant smells. With her sisters standing guard, Elodie happily played with her favorite cups while Eric and I packed up to head home.
