simple.

This summer, we had ONE weekend together as a family NOT speaking.  And this weekend was it!

And it was GREAT.  

The White Family has been camping with the Miller Family since we were kids, and each year it's just more fun as we've become the White/Miller/Northam/Sedunov/Ayars family!

It was pointed out that we really shouldn't like camping, because let's face it, life in Haiti IS a bit like camping a lot of the time!  (though the spiders of Pennsylvania have nothing on Haiti :)

But this is what we love: no phones, no computers, no emails, no schedule, no "plan", no dishes, no laundry, no house to clean up, low cost, low stress, no bath time (well, the girls love that), and great, relaxing down-time with friends, friends who can't get away from you, even if they want to :)

Doesn't matter what you look like.  Doesn't matter when you do what.  Everything you "need" is right there, which you quickly remember, in the middle of the woods, is very little.

This weekend, it ended about all we needed was a hammock, marshmallows, and TIME.

 We ate lots of great things (nothing better than pudgy pies and coal-roasted potatoes and corn!)...

had lots of great talks around the fire... 

 some good time hiking...

 lots of PERFECT weather...

 great time on the lake...

 good time with the girls and family...

 and lots of laughs.

Lily must have said 12 times, "Is camping GREAT, or WHAT!!"

Lily made a special friend in first-timer John, the only person who would sword fight flaming sticks with her, a sport she was very excited about as long as she had her "safety snorkel."

This morning some of Dad's family (one of them being his namesake, Malcolm) stopped by for a few minutes on their way through to New Jersey, and didn't even mind standing close enough to smell us :)

 Between finding lots of marshmallows, getting to sleep with four people to climb on, and being allowed to get good and dirty, Sofie was in heaven!

Really thankful for the weekend off and away, thankful for the way He continues to be leading, peacen-ing, guiding, strengthening, renewing and restoring us, and thankful for friends and family you can be dirty, smelly, laid-back and yourself with!