"God sure must love us...."

Okay, so anyone who knows me, knows that one of my all time favorite places on this whole earth is Fish Lake. I have been going there every year since I was a child and the tradition has carried on since then. Now my siblings and their families all go and we have a great time. It is a Labor Day tradition that I look forward to all summer...and now my children do as well. This year was no exception. After the long 4 hour drive, there is nothing more beautiful than coming over the hill and looking down and seeing beautiful Fish Lake. I've been there over and over and it never gets old. We always cheer and roll down the windows to breathe in the wonderful fresh air. We always camp at the Frying Pan campground and as soon as you hear any car come over the cattle grates, everyone looks to see if it is someone from the family. As soon as anyone comes in, everyone comes to help them set up their campsite. It is great! For the past few years we have taken my parents' old old trailer. I can't believe it is still in one piece, but it has been in the family forever and we enjoy it. One discovery we made finally this year is that our kids are horribly allergic to sagebrush, especially this time of year in Fish Lake because it is in full bloom. I had always just thought the kids were always sick this time of year...DUH! Thank heavens for Nasonex and Claritin...it made for a much more pleasant time. Our biggest concern was Sadie and how she would do on her first real camping trip. I am happy to say that she did great. A few issues here and there, but overall it was great. Her favorite part was being with "aye aye" aka Uncle Jay. She would pick being with Uncle Jay over any of us any day of the week, and that is no lie. She adores him! Probably because he dotes on her and spoils her rotten. So, here is a rundown of the Fish Lake Trip 2008 THURSDAY: We pack up and go. The kids do great on the ride down and I only have to sit in the back with Sadie for a little while. Thank goodness for DVD's in the car! We arrive to Fish Lake and get everything set up including our screen tent over the table, our big tent for storage, and the trailer. I then take the kids out fishing with Aunt Miki and Uncle Jay. They all have their own poles this year which they are excited about. Because I grew up going fishing, I must admit I can do a pretty good job getting the poles all put together, baited, etc. Unfortunately, we didn't catch anything, especially Ashlee who decided she would rather BE a fish, than CATCH a fish. By the end of it, she was sitting in the water with it up to her shoulders. She is our little fish. That night was a little hairy, as the first night usually is. We always have to have that first night to see what will work best sleeping wise etc. Sadie didn't sleep great, but did okay. I slept awful with Cayden in bed with me. I believe my last words before going to sleep were, "We are SO getting a bigger trailer next year!" FRIDAY: We had a yummy pancake breakfast outside and then got ready to go fishing. Sadie and Rob stay behind so she can sleep and the kids and I ride in the back of Dad's truck which is a long standing tradition (if you can't tell yet, Fish Lake is steeped in many traditions). We had fun singing and eating birdseed in the back of the truck. (Birdseed is a must-have Fish Lake snack consisting of Lucky Charms, M&M's, Peanuts, and Raisins). Today we went to Blythe Reservior. Cayden caught the only fish and it was a whopper - a Tiger Trout we later found out. And although we didn't catch a lot, we still had fun. After a day of fishing, we headed to Loa, a booming town outside of Fish Lake, to get some dinner and shakes at "Maria's Grill". Just as a heads up, if you plan to go to Loa, get there before 8:00...after that, it is a ghost town. We drive the poor waitresses nuts with all of our orders, but it is yummy! That night goes much better sleep wise. SATURDAY: By Saturday, everyone is usually at Fish Lake. It is fun to see everyone. My kids are in seventh heaven with all of their cousins. Today, after another yummy French Toast breakfast, we head to Mill Meadow Reservior to fish. One of the highlights is definitely seeing Brandon, my sweet gypsy nephew, use McKell's pink fishing pole to catch a fish. Definitely NOT a whopper, more like a goldfish, but still funny all the same. Today was a much better day of fishing. Definitely not for the size of the fish, but the quantity, which is all that matters with my kids. Miki decides to buy some worms and that has the magic touch! We catch a ton of perch and have a great day. Unfortunately, by the time we get home, it is raining which negates any idea of a hot dog/marshmallow roast. So instead, we roast marshmallows in the trailer over the stove. Saturday night, much to Rob's dismay, is bath night. Alert..another tradition...all the kids bathe in this old silver bath tub that has literally been around for years! It is the tub we took baths in as kids. So, we bathe the filthy kids so they will be clean for church tomorrow. Before we go to bed, we let the kids look at the breathtaking view of the stars. You will never see the stars like you do at Fish Lake. As McKell put it, "It's like we're in outer space!" SUNDAY: It is very cold this morning and we feel so bad for our 'neighbors' Justin and Elise who are in a tent so we invite them in for some homeade sweet rolls and hot chocolate. They are so fun and the kids love them. We get ready for church but unfortunately have the wrong time so we only get to about a half hour of it. Church at Fish Lake lodge is a staple in the Fish Lake trip. Nothing like it. Later that day, we have our yummy combined Dutch overn dinner and desserts...YUM! That night we roast marshmallows and sing by the campfire. Dad and Mom take some of the kids our "spotlighting deer" which is yet another tradition. That night, a HUGE storm hits with lightning, thunder, wind, etc. We are grateful to be warm and dry. MONDAY: Always a sad day as we pack up and head home. It doesn't matter how long we stay, it is always sad to go home. It holds so many dear memories and as we honk as we go over the cattle grate to head home, I always cry a little and the kids always wish we could stay longer. To me, Fish Lake is more than just a family vacation and more than just a place to visit. It is a spiritual experience going there. I think Ashlee summed it up best when she said, "Mom, God sure must love us a lot to make this beautiful place!"

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