5th Anual Thorsted/Marshall Campout

Since we bought our house, we have gone camping with the Thorsted's every year.  We just determined that we have camped all the major Utah County canyons without really trying and, also without necessarily trying, each year some major calamity takes place.  Perhaps we are cursed.

The first year we camped up American fork canyon and the calamity was of my own doing really.  I was fairly pregnant with Olivia at the time and spent the entirety of the night it seemed getting off the blow-up mattress to go to the bathroom and back on and off and on (you get the idea).

The second year we camped up Hobble Creek Canyon and racoons got into our cooler in the truck bed and ate through most of the breakfast food. 

The third year we camped up Spanish Fork Canyon.  I was pregnant with the twins and Derek came down with some stomach bug in the night and spent the next morning lying around and puking while I (reminder...the one pregnant with twins) took down the whole tent and packed up the truck.

The fourth year the twins were only about 9 months old and we were only brave enough to go as far as Provo canyon just in case they were horrible so we could just take them home.  Well the kids were actually very good it was the weather we had an issue with.  Crazy wind storms!!!  We couldn't have a fire, had to spend the evening in the shelter of the tent which was flapping in on us all night.  A bunch of tent poles were broken and Derek and I didn't sleep a wink just watched as the roof of the tent with cave in on us and flap out wondering if we were going to blow away.

This year we camped up Payson Canyon just past Payson Lakes.  The campsite was beautiful and way up high in the mountains.

The boys were thrilled to be out of doors.
  All the kids loved sitting around the fire, roasting marshmallows and starbursts,

and the capri suns Annie brought.

The kids all slept pretty good- the dog as usual did not.  I think she was just so excited that she couldn't settle and kept circling around in the tent all night.  We got up, packed up

and walked around Payson Lake deciding we really should camp there one day.

Camden was being a bit of a stink and pretty much attached himself to my side the whole day.

Camden's feelings of Derek trying to give me a break from carrying him
So, all was going pretty well until we were about to embark on a hike up the Grotto.  When we arrived at the parking for the trail head, Annie informs us that Tyler is now in crazy pain suffering from a kidney stone.  Honestly cursed!  So, we all went home and Annie took Tyler to the emergency room. We are still hoping to get back up there to do that Grotto hike as a family before it gets too cold.