Camping @ Mr. Erdmans Farm

 When we camp at Mr. Erdman's Farm, here is what we do.

 We set up tents. Usually, depending on how many kids, the girls get the smaller tent and the boys get the bigger tent, Because there are five of us girls and about ten boys. This particular time, there were only three girls. So we got the small tent, and the boys got two medium size tents. :)

 We run around like crazy people. The 'Farm' isn't really a farm at all. There are no animals, no barns, not even a house. Nothing. Just a little building with a loft and a garage underneath where Mr. Erdman stores numerous 'stuff'. Chains, Lanterns, Chairs, Candy, and an occasional raccoon.

 We hike in the woods. There's a lot of land, a lot of trees, a lot of space. The boys usually disappear for a few hours, work on forts or just run around searching for wild animals to chase. It's really beautiful out there though.

 We take  LOTS of pictures. Sarah is the main photographer.

 Morgan on one of our hikes.

 We relax. This is Sarah out on top of the roof over the garage, overlooking the property. Don't worry, she wasn't up that high. It's just the angle the picture was taken at that makes it look dangerous. The roof is also a good hiding place when it's dark and Mr. Erdman is lurking in the shadows waiting to scare us.

 We dress up in old army clothes. Everyone wears something, whether it be an army jacket, army pants, a hat, a helmet, a bandana, a belt, army boots, or, in JDs case, some cool glasses. It's part of tradition. The boys will split up in teams later on in the evening and depart in different directions to plan an attack on the opposite team. The girls are a little more reserved, We prefer to sit around the campfire and listen to the shouts and the occasional chorus of "1 2 3 4 I LOVE MARINE CORPS!" ringing out in the woods, or "From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli!"

 We carry guns. Fake guns. Not loaded, most are wooden. Dane here, also decked out in army clothes, has an empty airsoft pistol. We are redneck country kids, and this is how we live.

 We have an awesome time. There is no electricity, no running water, an outhouse, no lights, no Gameboys, no ipods, no cell phones, no internet, Just us and the woods.

 We eat food cooked over the campfire. Miss Jackie made us baked potatoes (which were roasted right in with the coals). We also had hot dogs, and we're talking GOOD hotdogs, the kind that have the crunchy skin that oozes with grease and deliciousness when you bite into 'em. And of course, lots and lots of s'mores.

 When the sun starts to set, everything is bathed in golden light and it creates an atmosphere that is pretty amazing.

 We have trailer rides. This is, without a doubt, everyone's favorite thing to do. The truck and trailer are pictured here. Mr. Erdman, our incredible driver, sits at the campfire, where Jared is 'aiming' and 'firing' at an enemy in the distance.

And we always, always, always paint out faces. Once in a while one of the boys will bring the 'good' kind of camoflauge paint, but usually we just use charcoal. That's what we used this time. It washes off easier than the paint does :)