Family Acorn Gathering Camping Trip

Last week our family went camping just up the coast a little ways on a nature preserve. We joined a little over 100 other people, participating in a "gathering" experience, where we all came together to learn from one another's primitive skills. During the week, there were multiple instructors who held classes on everything from knife sharpening and wood carving to tracking and pottery. There was yoga instruction offered each morning, I attended two mornings. Billy learned how to weave a basket with cattails and went on a tracking class where he tracked a coyote and a bobcat.

 

 I took a trail walk and learned all about some of the local edible and medicinal plants that I see all the time and never knew of. Who knew all these "weeds" everywhere were so awesome :) I also learned a little about the benefits of fermentation and made a sour croute. (well, it's in the making... fermenting)
The boys participated in a kids club where they had circle singing time, went on a nature walk and got to shoot a bow and arrow. They got to keep their bow and arrow too! We have been having some fun since we have been home. They also did art each day, painting and leaf rubbing.  We would have all done more, but we got rained on the first day there.

 

They served breakfast and dinner each day, we were responsible to bring food for lunches and snacking. In prep for this, one thing I did was make salads in jars!! Taco salads, they were so wonderful :) and it's amazing how much salad fits in a jar. They hit the spot for sure.

It was a good experience for our families first time tent camping. 3 nights in a tent was a good start for us and the education and experience was a good one for us. Who knows if we will return for the gathering next year... but, we have gotten our feet wet for camping:) Maybe I will try taking the boys this summer, to camp at the beach for a night with some friends.

we camped next to our friends, the Ford family, Billy's coworker Chris is the one who told us about the camp. This is their tent called the Kingdom! We had two small 4 man tents. 1 for sleeping and 1 for gear :) We will tent shop soon.

 

 

1st Tooth!

William lost his first tooth! What a big event for our family... it's just another little reminder to me that he is growing up. His tooth fell out last night, while we were camping, around the camp fire. There was a little celebration with all the random people who were directly around us at camp. It was pretty fun/ funny.
He had showed me earlier in the day that it was loose and I think it was bugging him so much that he just wiggled it all day until it was out. He kept saying, "Mom, my tooth feels so weird!" and "I just can't wait for it to fall out because it's hard to eat with a loose tooth!" Well, it didn't take long at all for that little thing to come out :) He looked at it and said "Mom, my tooth is soooo little!" What a cute boy. I told him that the tooth fairy probably couldn't find us where we were camping... but I totally forgot to have him put it under his pillow tonight now that we are home! Whoops. I guess we will do it tomorrow night. :)

Family photo on the old 40

I was going to put these picture in my post about our trip to Truckee... but maybe I maxed out on pictures for a post because I couldn't add any more. Maybe I just don't know what I'm doing :) (most likely)
Anyway- here are a couple pictures taken by the photographer who happened to be there when we pulled up. (I just wish I was a little better at knowing how to edit and enhance)

Our trip to Truckee!

It had been way to long since our family had made the trip up to Truckee, our last time there was a year ago Christmas! Although it is a bit of a haul in the car, it was a long over due road trip. So we made the plans and stuck with them! We spent 5 nights and 4.5 days visiting Billy's family and it was an awesome trip!
The weather was amazing for March, hardly any snow to be seen with highs in the low 60's! This meant, we were not stuck inside all day and instead we explored all that Donner Lake and Truckee had to offer :)

We went twice to the Regional park to play on the playground and walk the trail to Truckee river. The boys had a blast throwing rocks in the water, as always.
 Friday, we took a trip to Reno and spent several hours at the Kids Discovery Museum. The boys loved it! They built things, climbed in "the clouds", played in the dark caves and on the huge water table. So much fun to be had there.

Saturday we spent a big part of our day doing yard work at Grandpa and Grandma Great's house! I have some hard working boys :) We also went down to the docks a couple times to, what else, throw rocks in the water!

The boys played at the playground on the west end of Donner Lake one evening, they had a blast!

Billy and I got a run together as well as an evening out to B of A to listen to a band and do some dancing. Hooray for some dates!

I can't forget that the boys colored eggs with Grandma and had an Easter egg hunt! A little early, but, hey, I think they would do that every day if I planned it ;) What better fun than an egg hunt!

On our way out, we stopped at the old 40 bridge to see the view from above. A very nice man and photographer offered to take our picture! Score!

We visited our friends the Shadels on our way home and took a 5 hour stretch break :) They had invited us for dinner and bbqed steaks! We didn't leave until just before 9pm, (whoops) which put us getting home a little after 2am. Oh well, we made it and it was all worth it!
It was super fun to be with family and see old friends. The boys are already asking when we are going to go back to Truckee!

A new door

 Ever since we moved to this house 10 months ago, I have been bugged by the front door. It was old, water stained, drafty and just didn't match the house. To top that off, when Billy added on the office/ guest room and bought a new door over there, we tried to replace the front door lock so the two would match. Mid lock removal, Billy realized that the old deadbolt hole was too small to fit the new lock set. So, we have had a hole in the front door for at least 9 months. :)
Well, that all changed a couple weekends ago. I found a door on craigslist for cheap and, with Billy's permission, bought it. He changed out the doors and locks and just this last weekend, we finished trimming it out. The doors were slightly different sized (of course) so Billy had to cut new trim pieces. Then I got to work with the putty and paint. The house is two different shades of gray... but, maybe I will change that one day, maybe.
As for our screen door, it is no longer compatible. :(  I am toyed with the idea of a retractable screen door. Our friends have one and it's pretty sweet. Maybe our old screen will fit down at our condo?!? We have been meaning to put a screen on the door for our tenants.
Hooray for another house project done!