Fun In The Sun - Cultus Lake 2008

Another year comes around when we find ourselves planning meals, buying new flashlights and working on our tans so we won't look completely white in our bathing suits. Our yearly camping trip to our beloved Cultus Lake is something that our entire family looks forward to all year long. The gorgeous lake, spacious campsites, and "usually" sunny weather brings us back year after year. In fact my Dad figured that we have been to Cultus 25 out of my 30 years. I hope that my son can say that when he is 30. Right now I think that he would stay out there all year around if he could. Here are some of our fun times from 2008. Enjoy!!

My Comfy Bed

Texas Hold 'Em in the game tent. A Man's game!!!

Always having fun with Cousin Dylan

Even little girls like to be pretty. Mikella getting her nails painted by Grandma.

Steve spent a fair amount of time checking in on his meat shop back home. There are only a few places on the beach that you can get a call out and this was Steve's lucky spot for most of the week.

As children we've spent hours sitting quietly waiting to capture a little chipmunk or hungry bird. Here Cousin Josh is holding a string that is attached to a stick holding up a box. When a little friend comes to eat the food under the box he will pull the string and trap it.

And finally they catch one!

It has been a tradition to take silhouette pictures at sunset over the lake. I have pictures of myself as young as five or six doing this same thing.

Cousin Aimee

Cousin Meg

Ty's Baby Rainbow Trout

Ty caught his 3rd fish of the week not far from where we were camping he was so excited.

See for yourself!

Eww worms

He Measured about 7 1/2 inches. He was really pretty with all of his colors.

Cousin Kaden likes fishies too!

Chocolate + Marshmallo = Smores

We had a lot of fun around the campfires making the ever loved smores. I think that Tyler had at least one every night that we were out camping.

He also enjoyed making smores for anyone who would take one!

The Cascade Lakes Adventure

On Tuesday of our trip Bryan, Maria, Steve, Ty and I took the afternoon to explore some of the hard to get to lakes around Cultus. We ended up first at Irish Lake and decided to take a little dip.

Ty was so excited to wear a big boy seat belt in Bryan's big red truck

A gorgeous view of Irish Lake

Fun in the lake

After a long rough 4x4 excursion through the wilderness we made it to our last stop, Charlton Lake. Again this was a beautiful place. We took some fun group pictures and again enjoyed the water. This lake was a breading ground for little blue dragonflies and when you were in the water they hovered all around. But dragonflies were not the only things breading in this lake! We found out why they call the area mosquito alley. More about that later!

Maria and I have been best friends for 31 years. I love her to pieces and always enjoy our little adventures we go on. She always pushes me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.

Ty and Dad have an air soft gun that they sometimes take out and shoot cans and stuff with. Ty decided that he wanted to take the gun camping and go hunting for bear and Elk with his dad. I don't much enjoy watching him play this way but his Dad says boys must be boys and he will be fine. Here the two of them had fun picking off dragonflies.

This group picture was taken by a timer and Bryan only had 10 seconds to run across these rocks to make the pose. I think it only took us 6 times to get it right and Bryan fell only once.

To end our day Tyler got to put his pole in the water for a little while. While fighting off blood sucking mosquitoes as the sun started to set Ty caught 2 pretty good size fish. I could have done without the fishing at this time but I stuck it out and got some pretty good pictures.

If you look closely at the back of Steve's shoulders you can see how much the mosquitoes loved him. And yes we did put on bug spray numerous times. Those things were just ruthless.

Fish #1

Can I throw him back in the water Datty?

Dad I think I have another one!

Fish #2

Bye Bye Fishies!

Water Mania

We had so much fun with my brother Steve's wave runner this year. Tyler finally got brave enough to let Dad take him away from the shore and over 10mph.

We were pretty proud!

Mikella Sue lovin it

It was quite an ordeal getting this picture of the cousins together

Uncle Steve was the designated driver for all of the younger kids. Aimee loved to go out with him.

The next few pictures is like a flip book. Tyler and Steve snuck up on the girls sunbathing nice and dry on the island. I could see in my mind the sneaky smiles on both of their faces as they planed their attack!

Here they come

Oh No!

A wall of water

And they are soaked!!!

They went around and around and drenched these poor girls over and over and over. But after you are already wet the rest are just like a water ride.