11 Months Old, Last Swimming Lesson, and Memorial Day Camping!

Isn't it funny how the days seem to go by so slowly when you're at work, but then fly by on the weekend when you're having fun?  That definitely happened to us last week even though we were incredibly busy.

First, Tuesday the 24th was Nathan's ELEVEN month birthday!!  Less than one month and our little guy will be a ONE YEAR OLD!  I can't believe it!  Here is my handsome little man in his monthly pictures:

Then Wednesday was the kiddos last swimming lesson for this session.  They had a little bit of playtime before their classes started.

Swimming?  More like crawling in water.

Mads was telling me all week that she was going to jump in without the teachers help.  Mads said that she was a big girl and big girls can jump in alone.  She actually dive-bombed the teacher and jumped at her when she wasn't looking!  Whoops!

At the end of class Mads was able to go down the water slide on her teacher's lap.

Nathan made sure to look over his graduation form and check the skills he needs to be working on for next time!  :)

This picture cracks me up!  On Thursday we went to Festival to stock up on the supplies we needed for camping.  While we were picking up the burger meat, Nathan found a very comfortable way to shop!  :)

For Memorial Day weekend we went camping at Rocky Arbor State Park near the Wisconsin Dells with some of Andrew's friends from undergrad in LaCrosse.  I worked on Friday and our original plan was to leave for camping on Saturday morning.  I ended up getting done with work a little early so Andrew packed up the van before I got home so that we could take off as soon as I was packed up. 
We got to the campsite around 7:45 and got the tent up pretty quickly so that the kids could get to bed.  This was both kids' first time camping so we weren't sure how well they would do.  In true Josephs Kids fashion they rolled with it and crashed easily that night.
Nathan snuggles in his bed:

Mads and Lily passed out on their air mattress:

The next three days were full of fun.  Mads got Loren to play some softball with her.  (Look at her keeping her eye on the ball!   She's ready for the St. Paul's Softball team next season!)  :)

SWING!

Saturday afternoon another family of friends showed up.  They have a 10 year old son and 6 year old daughter.  As soon as they were unpacked Mads and Jackie wanted to go to the park.  We tried to take the hiking trail but it was way too muddy, so we took the road down to the park.

It wasn't a very spectacular park, but Mads had fun!

Later Saturday night Mads and Jackie did some coloring:

Saturday night was SMORES night!! 
Mads got the marshmallows ready:

This was Maddie's first time with S'mores, so she made sure to watch Daddy's technique:

First bite!  Mmmmm!

The makings of a perfect s'more!

Sunday morning Corrie and Glenn made pancakes on the propane stove.  Who new you could enjoy pancakes while camping?  :)

Nathan kept himself busy making some noise with the pans!

Unfortunately it rained for an hour and a half or so on Sunday.  Before the rain came we set up our screen tents.  Mads made sure to lend a hand.

Hanging with Jackie in the screen tent:

After it was done raining and things had dried off we went to the clearing for some games.  Mads and Jackie played some soccer while the adults played Bocce ball.

Later, back at the tent, Nathan got ready for the dark with the flashlight:

Lily was wiped out after a busy day!

Mads also took some time to rest and watch the fire:

Then Corrie brought out some sparklers.  Both Andrew and I thought that Mads would be afraid of the sparklers.  We were totally wrong.  She LOVED them!!  First she had one:

Then she had two!

Mads was having a blast!

Nathan couldn't take part in the sparkler fun, he had crashed in my sleeping bag:

We had a fun time camping!  Both kids did great, which is super since we're camping again in July!

After we got home on Monday the kids got a much needed bath and then we went to play outside.  Mads decided she wanted to be a "golfer."  She does totally look like she's ready for the LPGA!  Nathan, he's just stinkin' cute!  :)

One more picture to leave you with.  Nathan has found Lily's food bowl.  And it's fun....  :)

Thanks for stopping by!