Annual Vorkink Camping Trip 2021 - Navajo Lake

I always worry about taking the kids camping in the summer, and then it always turns out to be so much fun! They don't sleep as well as they do at home, and it's harder for me to keep them out of stuff they aren't supposed to get into when we are camping. But the experience is just so much fun and exciting and new for them every time, that it's so special to watch them even when my job is a little harder. 

This year's Vorkink Family Campout was down to Southern Utah at Navajo Lake. Throughout the trip all of Ryan's siblings and step siblings were able to make it for at least some of the campout. We were there from Thursday to Sunday. We ate yummy food, kayaked at Navajo Lake, explored and played around Duck Creek, played games, looked for agate in the gravel, and enjoyed spending time all together. One of the nights we did everyone's eyebrows with these funny eyebrow stencils. (We also did this at my family reunion in June and I have to say that it was an extremely successful form of entertainment with both groups. I would highly recommend it!) 

Lucy was teething so she had a bit of a hard time being held by anyone besides me, but everyone tried to help. (Which is why you will find the pictures of her looking devastated while someone that isn't me holds her, including Ryan. You just don't mess with a teething baby, I guess.) In fact, while on this trip, Jason (Ryan's dad) tried to give me a break so I could spend some time with Rose and took Lucy over to the lake to look at the water. She was so far away, and I could still hear her screaming "MAMAMAMAMAMA!" #herfirstword 😅 I'm glad Mama was her first word, but I could have done without the screaming and the inability to be held by anyone else for 4 days. (Rose said Dada first. 🙄)

Overall, we had a really fun time, and are already making plans for next years campout. ❤️

I'll just leave this here as a reminder that I can go camping with kids successfully for next year when I'm stressing out about it. 

I'm just obsessed with this sweet sleepy face. 

We had the girls in pack n plays inside the tent, and would sneak out in the morning in hopes that they would sleep in. (With no such luck) On the last day while we were making breakfast we heard Rose say "I unzipped the WIIIINNNDOOWWWW" in a sing song-y voice. And I looked over and here she was with this cute little face peeking out. 😂 I'm grateful she didn't figure this out until the last day. 

A VERY small portion of the agate we found in the gravel.

Hubba Hubba. 😉

The whole group!

The eyebrows 😂

😂

This picture is probably in my top 5 from the camping trip. 😂

A snake Grandpa found!

Getting cleaned up 

Let a toddler play in the dirt, and they will get dirty. But they will also play for hours and hours without asking you for a single thing 😅

And one of the best ways to get genuine smiles out of a toddler: tell them to stop doing something they aren't supposed to be doing 😂 like eating rocks and dirt

Until next time!❤️