Family Camping Trip 2010

It's been a busy summer so far, and last week was no exception. We attended a McLoughlin/Nieboer family reunion camping trip at Ten Mile Lake near Quesnel, BC. Collin and I packed up the boys, and along with my in-laws, headed north.

The boys had loads of fun. One afternoon they spent over an hour playing with each other in the dirt and gravel of our camp site. They gathered rocks, which Ronan called his "rock collection"...

...and they threw dirt up in the air and at each other.

They were very dirty by the end of the day! Daddy marched them off to the shower afterwards. Notice that Latham even has dirt in his hair.

Ronan spent some times with his aunts and cousins at the beach. He had a great time splashing around in the water.

Latham wanted nothing to do with the water, but he did look super cute in his swim shorts.

Collin had gotten Ronan a kite specifically for the camping trip, and they tried flying it one day.

Ronan showing off his kite.

It got stuck way up in a tree when Cousin Lauryn decided to fly the kite by running around and around the base of a tree. Luckily Tarzan, oops, I mean Collin, was able to rescue it.

Group picture of the McLoughlins (minus Collin, the photographer) after breakfast one morning. Strangely, we didn't get any pictures of the rest of the aunts, uncles and cousins.

We made the hour long drive from our campsite out to Barkerville, a historic gold rush town which was founded in the 1860s. I was excited about seeing it since I remember learning about it in fifth grade social studies class. This is the historic church.

The younger cousins - Makenna, Kaden, Carson and Ronan.

Daddy and Latham

The streetscape of Barkerville.

Ronan begged us for a stagecoach ride, but the prices were scandalous!

The historic post office in Barkerville, which you can still send a letter from.

The boys taking a break from all the walking on the steps leading up to the boardwalk sidewalks.

Ronan and Carson (both 4 years old) became good buddies on the trip. Here they are standing in a reconstruction of a mine shaft.

Back at the campsite, Collin took Latham on a long walk in the hiking backpack. He loved it!

It was relaxing, wonderful week. The weather cooperated and even the smoke from the nearby forest fires stayed away thanks to favorable winds. It was great to get reconnected with extended family, who, unfortunately, we see far too little of.