Parker Canyon Lake

We went camping Friday night at Parker Canyon Lake. Yes, there are lakes in Arizona, quite a few I've learned. Justin got back from his conference trip at 6 (YAY!) and we drove down to Hereford, AZ.

Things I've learned over the years...TRUST YOUR GPS! I printed out a mapquest of how to get there just in case I couldn't find it on the gps. Well, I didn't find it on the gps but I found the lonely, winding road that takes you there. It was misery for a carsick girl like me. Plus it was dark, and Justin insists on driving because it's his manhood right. There was a funny little turn on the gps that we hadn't actually arrived at yet, but thought we had...a dirt road. Should have known, except that mapquest said parts of the road were unpaved. In reality there really wasn't any unpaved road on the correct route. Another clue that should have cued us..."RECALCULATING" (the voice of gps Jane). It really should have just said "make a u-turn" but for some reason it didn't. It took us down an even more winding road, made of dirt and so hilly and wooded that we had no idea where we were going.  Then we started seeing old abandoned barn shacks and barbed wire fences, finally coming upon a gate...a private residence. Alright, maybe I should be leery about trusting everything gps Jane says but maybe we could have actually gotten there by that road if it wasn't gated off...and if it wasn't someone's private property.

So we drove the 15 minutes back to the main road. Justin wanted to make up some time (by now it's 8:30 and we still have to set up camp when we get there) so he's going as fast as he can around treacherous curves. I'd had enough and insisted on driving or he would have to clean up my sickness all by himself. I "kicked the car into the driveway" as the expression goes and we were there in 15 minutes. We were camping with some friends from church so they already had hot dogs cooked and ready for us to eat and helped us set up our tents. Thank you!

It was a fairly pleasant night. The girls asked to go to bed after hot dogs and marshmallows. Shocker! We usually have to fight them to go to sleep, especially when we're camping. Poor Seth couldn't sleep in this strange new environment so he cried for a while. I felt bad for all the campers around us trying to sleep, but that's the nature of camping in tents. I held him by the fire for a while and he smiled at everyone and watched the fire for only a few minutes before he was out. It must have been Justin's serenading with the guitar that calmed him down. ;) Too bad I couldn't sleep all night. It was cold and the wind blew really hard all night. I was worried about Seth getting too cold. He and Justin slept like rocks, of course.

The next day we set off for the marina at the lake. Here is Seth sporting his new swimsuit.

Tell me those aren't the cutest hat and sunglasses you've ever seen! Small = cute. That's mathematics! They strap around his head. Oh man, that was fun picking those out.

We picked out a 5 person pedal boat. Way fun! The kids had to wear life jackets.

Seth was not too happy about it. The baby life jacket was choking him. He would be safe if he fell in the water but keeping it on him wasn't going to be easy. ("I can't move my arms!")

He's really wailing now. Candace is showing a rare smile for the camera but Meagan wasn't happy. I can't remember why. It must not have been important.

We all took turns pedaling. Here's Candace stretching her tiny legs out to pedal. Seth fell asleep for a while in his seat, despite his lot.

After Meagan had her turn she stretched out in the back to catch some rays. Just kidding, that was only me trying to catch rays for this whiteness. I did get a nice flip-flop tan, though.

This was probably the most pleasant time we've had together in a really long time. After we first set off, we were just pedaling around the lake. The girls were quietly enjoying the breeze and the new experience and Justin and I were enjoying doing something together after a week long absence. It was wonderful.

After we got of the boat and took our life jackets off, Seth was much happier.

He wasn't liking the sunglasses after a while so I took them off. He kicks his legs a mile a minute when he's happy, as you can see in this next picture.

Back at the campsite, Justin was enjoying our friend's hammock...

...and Candace was enjoying her daddy.

Seth was enjoying his little bedtime snugly dog, and his ever faithful companions...his two middle fingers.

Justin got Meagan and Candace (and a few of the other kids) to help pack up all our tents and things. It took us a little longer than everyone else because of that but I'm glad he taught them to help. He's a great dad. He teaches me how to have more patience. What a great weekend.