Each year we go on a "camping" trip together to Beavers Bend State Park (we stay in nice cabins, so camping is a lose term!). Each of us look forward to this trip every year because it's a time we set aside to just be together and to not be distracted by the worries of our everyday life. Since we started attending the small group we have had to split 3 times because our group had gotten so big. So this camping trip is really special because it's a time where we can all be together as one BIG group!! Here are a few pictures from over the years.
2005
The Girls: Kelly Baker, Kristin Brewer, Stephenie Brewer, Me, Janet Wheeler, Andrea Egan
The Boys: Bryan Stone, Chris Baker, Chris Brewer, Ben Wheeler, Chris Egan, Jeremy Brewer
Bryan and I by the river
Kelly and I
2006
The group after a canoeing trip
Bryan and I, Jeremy and Stephenie Brewer, Chris and Kristin Brewer, Chris and Kelly Baker,
Jason and Laura Burnett
Laura, Kelly, and Me infront of the foggy river during our cookout
Bryan and I standing at our Devo spot. On Sunday morning we hike to this lookout point and have a devotional before packing up and heading home.
The Girls: Stephenie Brewer, Kelly Baker, Janet Wheeler, Kristin Brewer, and Me
The Boys: Ben Wheeler, Chris Brewer, Jeremy Brewer, Chris Baker, and Bryan
Our group on Friday night eating at Abendego's
2007
A view of the river in front of our cabin
Our cabin
The girls before our cookout: Kelly Baker, Stephenie Brewer, Amanda Stigers, Laura Burnett,
Me, Janet Wheeler, and Kristin Brewer
This isn't the highest quality picture but here's a look at what our camp fire usually looks like. After our cookout we'll sit by the fire eating smores and share whatever stories come to our minds. A lot of funny moments have been shared by the campfire!!
Of course the campfire would not be complete without Ben yodeling!!!
Our Devotional
Bryan and I at the Devo site
The girls: Me, Stephenie, Laura, Kelly, Amanda, Kristin, and Janet
The boys being, well, the boys: Chris, Bryan, Ben, Jeremy, Chris, Jason, Mark
A better shot of the boys!
2008
This year was the first year the "Specialty Cabin" was available.
We stayed here with Ben and Janet Wheeler and Chris and Kristin Brewer.
Nice face Stephenie!!
Bryan and I by a pretty tree in front of our cabin
Bryan and I at Abendego's
The group hiking. This was the first year we had kiddos with us. Jason and Laura brought Bonnie and Elena, their nieces who live with them. It was really neat to see Beavers Bend through their eyes.
Bryan and Stephenie
Kelly, Amanda, and I
A few people stopped to have a stick race
Taking a time out for yet another picture!!
Here's the 3 who fell in the water :)
After our hike we decided to go canoeing. The Burnett's and us were having a race back to the docks. Looks like they won!!
Jason, Laura, Elena, Bonnie, Bryan, and I
Kristin, Amanda, and Kelly making their way to the dock
Bonnie and Elena
Bryan and I
The girls: Laura, Amanda, Kelly, Stephenie, Me, Kristin, Elena,
Bonnie, and Janet (pregnant with Marin)
The boys: Bryan, Mark, Chris, Ben, Chris, Jason, Jeremy
Hanging out at the campfire!!
Rex decided Kelly's lap was more comfortable!!
Since Janet was pregnant, Ben, Janet, Bryan, and I headed to our devo spot early so we could take our time walking up the hill. Whenever we got there it started raining and lightning so we ended up having to go back. We snapped a photo before heading down! This year we had our Sunday devotional at our cabin instead.
A group shot of the girls and boys before heading home
Janet and I
Little did we know how many future play dates we would go on!!
2009
This year it was bitter cold outside so most of our days were spent inside hanging out and playing games!
Bryan, Ben, Janet, and Debbie and Kevin Harris (and me) playing Settlers of Catan
Chris, Bryan, Me, Kelly, and Kim and Gary Bones playing Phase 10
This was Matthew's first trip to Beavers Bend. He was just barely 2 months old!
Janet and Marin playing. This was Marin's first trip to BB as well!
Bryan, Matthew, and I. Isn't he a cutie in his bear outfit?!?!
Kelly and Me
Here's Matthew helping Bryan hold all his cards
A photo on the deck. Matthew was NOT happy to be taking this picture since it was so cold outside.
Kim, Matthew, Elena, and Laura during our cookout Saturday night
Since Sunday was Baby Dedication Sunday at our church, we had to leave Saturday night and therefore missed our yearly group photo at the devo site. Laura was helpful and held Matthew while Bryan and I packed up the car. She's giving a thumbs up because she was able to get him to fall asleep after him fighting it for so long!! She had good practice for little Clara who was born a few months later!
2010
Be Warned!! This is the first year we have had all the kiddos at Beavers Bend and it was warm enough for us to do outside activities. There are TONS of pictures!!!!!
This year Janet and I headed to Beavers Bend Thursday afternoon right before the kids naptime. Here's what our load looked like. I was really impressed with us! We were able to pack both of our families items into one car PLUS a wagon and a jogging stroller for Chris and Kristin Brewer!!
When we got to the park we just relaxed in our cabin until
the rest of our friends arrived later that evening.
Marin and I reading a book
Janet, Marin, Matthew, and Bryan playing
Marin enjoyed running in circles through our cabin out onto the patio and back into our cabin through another door. Matthew enjoyed watching her through the window!
It wouldn't be Beavers Bend without a picture on our patio!
Matthew is just a little bit bigger than last year :)
Bryan teaching Matthew how to put the shapes in the shape sorter and
how to knock over the stack of cups.
Our first wagon ride of the weekend!
Our traditional dinner at Abendegos has been changed to Pizza Hut due to families going down to one income. Here we are chowing down on our yummy pizza! This is only half of our group, the rest of them arrived the next day.
After dinner and a brief visit to our campfire, Matthew and Marin took a bath.
They REALLY enjoyed splashing the water around!!!
On our first full day the wives took the kids to the park while the husbands played golf. Here's Matthew and me about to slide down the slide!!
All the kiddos
Outside Wagon in back: Sierra, Elena, and Marin
Inside Wagon: Sutton, Clara, and Matthew
527 pictures later these kids were ready to get out of the wagon!!!
Such a sweet picture of Matthew looking up at Elena. Elena was so good with Matthew, she even took him down the slide!
Too cute!!!
After our trip to the park it was back to the cabin for lunch and naps!
Once the kids woke up from their naps we made a trip to the train station. This "kiddy" train took us through part of the park where we saw some deers and other wildlife.
Laura and Clara, Kristin and Sutton, Amanda and Elena, Me and Matthew, Janet and Marin,
Kelly (and baby Riley), and Stephenie and Sierra
Here's the crew before our train ride started
It was such a beautiful day we decided to go to the park again after our train ride.
Marin and Sierra enjoyed playing Ring Around the Rosy!
The next day we went hiked through some of the trails. Kevin got us this backpack carrier for Christmas and it is really cool, Matthew loves it!!!
A hike wouldn't be a hike without someone falling in. This year Chris Baker was our casualty. We were trying to figure out how to cross this creek and as Chris was making his way across he slipped and fell into the water. However, he was able to keep the camera on his back out of the water, impressive!!
Ben and Bryan playing poker but betting Marin and Matthews toys instead of money!
It was the girls turn to get some time away from the kids and we decided to go canoeing!
Here's Kristin and Laura - it's amazing they didn't turn over! I don't think they ended the trip very dry though! Amanda and I were in a canoe together and we tried our hardest to stay away from their line of fire!! :)
Half way through the trip Elena decides to hold on to their canoe!
The master canoers Janet and Kelly. They made it seem so easy!!!
Me and Amanda
Ben and Marin around our campfire
Janet, Marin, Matthew, and Me
Mark and Amanda
Bryan, Matthew, and Me
Chris and Kelly (and baby Riley)
Ben, Janet, and Marin
The boys cooking our meat on the grill
Ummmmmmm.....
A group shot after our cookout
Kristin's camera will take a series of shots consecutively in a row and our attention spans thinned out by the time the camera was finished taking all the pictures. I think this picture captures the "real us"!!
Bryan, Matthew, and I at the devo site. (Plus Jeremy admiring the landscape!!)
Our group shot before heading home once again
Thank you Jeremy, Stephenie, Chris, Kelly, Ben, Janet, Chris, Kristin, Jason, Laura, Mark, and Amanda for all the fun memories and being such a constant presence in our lives!! We would not be the couple or the parents we are without your love and support! We are looking forward to another fun year at Beavers Bend in 2011!!!!!
