What a gorgeous spring day we had today! The temperature reached 80 degrees and the best part? NO WIND! That is supposed to change by Thursday, unfortunately, if not sooner. We will just enjoy it while we can.
I did notice as we were returning home from picking Colton up from school, though, that we had our first flower of the season blooming in our front yard. It was on our barrel cactus and there are a couple more ready to follow suit. So beautiful!
Colin also put the sprinklers on in the backyard for the first time. I guess that was just too much for the kids and while I thought they were just playing in the backyard like they usually do, they were really running through the sprinklers! Really? I mean I know it was 80, but there was a breeze and Cady had been complaining of a sore throat this morning! Plus, they were still in their clothes! I did have a good giggle at them, though! Kids will be kids!
We were in my neck of the woods, although that is the first time I had been to that campground. It was always closed when I was growing up there. I sure loved it, though, and can't wait to go back, but this time without the wind! This was our third straight camping trip in the spring and no matter where we have gone, we have had to put up with the wind! This time, however, seemed worse than ever because it was also very COLD! It is a good thing I packed some winter hats, coats and gloves, because the kids sure used them! This was the first time, however, that we have had friends join us for the entire trip and that made the wind so much more bearable! The Giffing family, whom we met through soccer almost 4 years ago, and who also attend First Baptist with us, took their camper and went with us. We arrived Friday around 12:30 and got set up just in time for the wind to start. The power even went out around 3 that day and didn't come back on until after 8 that evening. We didn't miss it too much, though! The kids weren't phased at all by the wind and had fun riding their bikes and playing in the dirt. Here is Cady with Jackson, who is just 6 months younger than her. They played so well together and you could really tell they enjoyed each other's company. She even told us that night that Jackson was another one of her Best Friends! 
Here is Colton, always by the campfire ready to help! We always call him a little Fire Bug like his Uncle Jeff was and still is!
The wind didn't die down until late so we didn't hang out by the campfire as long as we would have liked, instead retreating to the shelter of our campers, praying for a calm and warm Saturday.
By about 10 o'clock that morning, though, the wind began to pick up again and then there were clouds in the sky that would block the sun and make it very chilly. We decided to go on a hike to warm up. The Purgatory/Chasm trail is a loop and is located just across the road from the campground. My parents and I would do that trail quite often because it isn't too long (about a mile or so I would guess) and it makes a loop.
Now, Cady doesn't have the endurance for hiking that Colton has always had, so I was a little hesitant to try this with her. Colin did put her on his shoulders for about 10 minutes at the beginning but she surprised us all and wound up walking the rest of the trail all by herself and even said it was fun!! We were very proud of her! Below, she and Jackson are taking a break! He did well and walked the entire trail by himself too!
About halfway, we stopped where there was a little bit of water and rested up a bit, and took some pictures, of course!
Then we were on our way again. Jackson and Cady were impressed with the size of this pine tree:
That afternoon, after lunch, we hung out some more and watched the kids ride their bikes and played a little ladder golf.
The wind finally seemed to calm down just a bit around 4, so we went down to the lake to try out Jeff's and Joy's peddle boat. They went first to show us how it's done:
It was so much fun and I really want one now! ;-)
The guys then took Cady and Jackson for another spin, but I went back up to the campground to get dinner ready and meet my friend, April and her family who I had invited to join us, along with Gramma Suzy and Papa Jimmy. April was one of my very best friends from the time we moved to Mimbres when I was in the 3rd grade, all the way until I switched school districts my sophomore year in high school and we didn't see each other as often. Can you believe it had been almost 20 years since we have seen each other? That makes me so sad and I cannot believe I let that much time go by, especially since she still lives in Mimbres with her husband and beautiful little girl, not too far from my parents! Thanks to facebook, though, we are back in touch and got to see each other on Saturday!!
The two of them became instant friends and had a great time playing together:
It was a great evening with lots of company, a warm campfire and fajitas for dinner! We all laughed and visited until April and her family and my parents left around 9 pm. Cady went to bed in the camper, Jackson fell asleep in his mama's lap and the rest of us stayed around the fire for another hour or so before we decided to turn in as well.
The next morning, when it was finally calm (although seemed a little colder), it was time to clean-up and pack-up. Had to get a picture of all four kids on their bikes first, though! Thank goodness for bikes!!
Jeff and Joy wanted to eat lunch at the City of Rocks on the way home and that sounded great to us, too! We love the City of Rocks and really need to go more often.
Jagger and Colton enjoyed climbing as high as they could before their mamas would start to panic! Also, Jackson is a brave little guy who thinks he can do what the big boys do, so they had to be reminded a few times to not get too fearless!
Jackson loves posing for pictures!!
Colton found a nice little resting spot:
Push!!
And the cows were very friendly, not minding me leaning in to snap pictures of their beautiful babies.
This one below was our favorite! It kept hiding behind its mama and then peeking out at us from underneath mama's belly, like it was saying, "peek-a-boo"!!
There were lots of lambs, and I especially loved this one and its markings:
I wanted to take it home with us! :-) Sooooo cute!
Then it was off to the horses with a couple of carrots we had in the fridge. This one was mighty happy to see us and the carrot!
Fun times!