Camping - Check, Check

I am not sure if you remember but early in the summer I wrote out a list of things I wanted to do before autumn fell upon us.  Well, I stumbled upon this post just recently and I was happy when I saw the majority of the list had already been completed.

(Clockwise from top left:  Ryan building our fire  /  Peyton setting up camp  /  Rocco mid-pee  /  sitting at our campsite  /  all the essentials  /  hiking around the lake  /  Peyton getting her feet wet  /  beautiful scenery)

I have gone hiking a bunch, jumped on my bike for after-work rides that were just the cure for busy days and  I am sure you are all sick of the multiple posts I've written on our big backyard renovation.  Just this past week we sent out an invitation to all our friends and family for a Backyard End of Summer Bash which was yet another item to check off my list. Finally, I have also had the pleasure of creating delicious and simple dishes from the fresh produce I have purchased at the Farmer's Markets.  

However, if there was one activity that would be the 'icing on the cake' for my summer was my recent camping trip to Wellington Lake a couple weekend's ago.  My husband, sister-in-law, Rocco and I packed up the car and headed out into our beautiful Rocky Mountains.  2 hours west of Denver and a 10-mile bumpy dirt-road drive delivered us to our beautiful camp site where we quickly set up camp. 

Rocco was in camping heaven... peeing on every rock, stick and plant in site for hours on end... he is such a territorialist!  We were just as content... walking around the lake, playing card games for hours, hunting for firewood in fear that we might run out, making an amazing dinner right on the fire and then of course, cooking up gooey smores under a bright star-lit sky.  The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was looking up at the stars and us all laughing over silly stories.

Camping is such a release... a relaxing break from society where you can take a moment back for simplicity and minimalism.  We had promised Peyton to go camping this summer and I am beyond happy that we were able to make it happen; not only for her but for us as well.