A whole lotta pictures!

Yea, I know the title on this post really sucks; I was going to title it something else, but didn't think my more faint of heart readers would approve. As a disclaimer - I was outside with the kids earlier today doing some work on my computer when Jack came over and tried to dump a bucket full of sand on my keyboard. I knocked it out of his hand, but some sand still managed to get into the keyboard and now some of the keys are sticking. Never a dull moment I tell ya.

And now the long awaited update - by Dad anyway. I really think he just wants to see his photo on here, so here ya go Dad:
He looks a little scared in the first one about Jack throwing that ball - it is pretty scary thing when Jack gets that crazy look of determination on his face! We went on our annual Ellison family Memorial Day Weekend camping trip - this year we went to Red Cliffs by St. George. It was beautiful and the temperatures were perfect despite a little rain. Here's the whole clan - we hiked up to some pools above camp. Pictured are: Jeff, Mom, Tia, Shawna, Jack, Jeremy, Dustin, Taryn, Landon. On the rock: Chloe, Makele, Tanner & Kylie. I took the photo and Dad was back at camp - his back couldn't handle the hike.
Landon and Chloe climbing up a steep rock while singing the Indiana Jones theme song- wait I think it was Star Wars:Jack wasn't the best hiker - someone had to hold him most of the time - here he is bawling because I was taking photos instead of holding him - poor little man.
Is Dustin not the cutest little hiker you've ever seen? I think he walked more than Jack - with a little help from his dad of course!
Chloe helped Jack walk a little:Jeff and Makele:
The day before, Jack and I went on a little hike. I made the huge mistake of pointing out an ant carrying something. That was all he wanted to look for the entire time! We had to stop every time he saw an ant!
While we were walking back, he suddenly said, "Mommy, hold you me" (code for "hold me"). I asked him why and he said, "cause I scared." I asked him what he was scared of and he said, "I don't like that giraffe!"I guess it does kind of look like a giraffe or dinosaur depending on how you look at it!
Here's a photo from a rock above camp with Kylie.
Here's a couple on ground level with every one doing what they do best - Landon teaching Tanner to chop wood, Jeff forever reading that blasted newspaper even though it was days old, Shawna suntanning and Jack playing in the dirt - but wait, where's Mom's book?
Makele's favorite activity: roasting marshmallows over the fire!
I don't know how Taryn managed to keep Dustin so clean - Jack had dirt matted to his head - might have something to do with the fact that he was rolling around in it and throwing it on his head.
Before we left on Monday we hiked up to an Anasazzi Site. It was cool to see the places where they lived so many years ago - they were abandoned around 1200 AD. Tia made the comment that too bad there weren't any of these near camp to keep the kids corraled in! And now on with the laundry - I think I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the camp-smoke tunnel!