Father and Sons Campout

I’m not sure how I missed this memo about the Father and Sons annual camp-out. After all my years as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I didn’t realize that every May we have a Father and sons campout to commemorate the restoration of the Priesthood.

This year our ward had to cancel our campout due to a lack of participation. But my brother-in-law’s ward didn’t cancel their campout. In fact, their entire stake went to the same camping area for their annual campout! Actually, I think there were about 4 stakes that all went to the same camping spot! Once we actually arrived it was quite crazy with the number of trucks, suburbans, campers and trailers that were caravanning the single lane, unpaved, windy road to this church sponsored campground (we know it was church sponsored because there were senior missionaries guarding the entrance where everyone checked in).

Well, Michelle “just happened” to be talking to her brother and discovered that their campout was this weekend. That’s when the idea starting brewing in her head and the conspiracy developed. As it turned out, Dad Petersen was going to attend this father and sons campout with Jared (Michelle’s brother) and his boys. So Michelle deduced that Mom would be there with Tosha & Melissa in Logan while all the boys would be camping: Girls Night!

So the next thing I know, we are packing our suburban with all of our camping gear in preparation for a father and sons campout. Yes, that means that I would be taking 4 of my 5 boys camping by myself!!! How hard could that be???


Michelle armed us with plenty of hot dogs for dinner (the stake was providing breakfast for everyone!). And with our tent, sleeping bags and a change of clothes we were ready to go.

RAIN! While we acknowledged that rain was in the forecast I wasn’t expecting 12 solid hours of rain during our 12 hours of campout. It started raining from the moment we arrived at camp around 5:30 pm and didn’t stop raining until about 5:30 am! So we set up the tent in the rain, built a fire in the rain, cooked and ate dinner in the rain, roasted marshmallows and had smores in the rain, found lost boys in the rain, got ready for bed in the rain and the retired for the evening in the rain.




But one thing is for sure, it takes more than cold rain to dampen the spirits of 4 young boys in the wilderness with a live campfire! My boys unloaded half a mountain of rocks into the nearby river (there is something about a splash) while I set up camp. These same boys delighted in igniting wet wood in the fire to watch it burn or smoke (we probably should have been more strict about playing with fire but we figured everything was wet so what’s the harm). And the boys were with their cousins so that is always a treat.





The rain did give us a small reprieve, just about long enough to eat our dinner and roast some marshmallows.



The rain turned to snow around 3:00 am (or so I’m told). Aleky and Michael both woke up in the middle of the night with concerns that I was able to resolve (after which they were tucked by snuggly in their sleeping bags). We had trace snow on our tent and were about 75 feet below the snow line in the morning.

Apparently wet wood doesn't burn very well and it was quite a feat getting the fire started in the morning.

With so many people to feed in the damp, cold morning, breakfast didn’t turn out quite like we planned. But with a break in the rain we quickly packed up all the wet gear and “packed” the suburban for the return trip home. We are still recovering for the wetness of this trip but it was a good experience. I suspect that the rain and cool weather helped me keep track of my boys because they were never too far away from the fire. Had everything been “ideal” I may have lost a boy or two before the camping was finished. (just sayin’)

We returned to Jared’s house and the boys immediately found the toys and the movie (I think my boys are addicted to video stimulation, any video and they get sucked in). But we had a good visit and then it was time to head home. Kyle had to get back to school work and other obligations.

Grandma's Christmas - A Huge Success

We had a fabulous Christmas this year. In spite of the economic challenges that have plagued our country our family has come together in a spirit of giving. We are lucky enough that we were able to share this Christmas season with both sides of our family. We spent Christmas Eve eve with the Petersens and Christmas day eve with the Joneses.

At the Petersen's home we were lucky enough to have almost everyone there. Grandma & Grandpa Petersen, Melissa & James, Jared & Tosha, Kyle and Kaylynn; and the related cousins too (Cynthia, Devon, Hayley, Vivian, Lydia; David, Donovan, Michael, Aleky; Ammon and Aaron).

We had a late start since we waited to leave until after I had finished my appointments and work for the day. Then we ate, packed the car, ran errands (for ourselves and family requests) and then off we went. We didn't actually arrive in Grantsville until after 8:30 pm so our kids only got to play with their cousins for 3 hours before bedtime! Ok, so we didn't exactly put them to bed right away; how often do they get to play with their cousins?


We, the extended family, filled Grandma's house with just some storage space to spare. There were kids and parents sleeping all over the house! It was amazing chaos in which everyone seemed to be willing to cooperate, tolerate and enjoy each other's company. We awoke to a delicious breakfast of (monster size) French Toast; apparently Grandma & Grandpa were able to wake up early, after a late bedtime. The kids ate quickly so they could return to the important business of the day, playing, playing and more playing!

After the adults had a chance to eat and clean up breakfast we corralled the children in a circle (in close proximity to the Christmas tree) so we could exchange family gifts and see what presents Grandma had for all her grandchildren.


It wasn't long before the eager anticipation overwhelmed David and we caught him opening his present from Grandma. Once the cat is out of the bag there is only one thing left to do, open the rest of Grandma's presents for her grandchildren.

Grandma had gotten these giant bouncing balls with handles for all the kids! Once each kid had his ball in hand it was up to Grandpa to get them all inflated. So it comes the hose from the compressor and BLAM! all the balls are inflated instantly (almost). It can hardly be described, the vast sea of bouncing heads and bodies that began to swirl around the house. Through the living room and down the hall and back, there were nearly a dozen balls bouncing here, there and everywhere!

It was quickly decided that a change of venue was needed to allow the burgeoning bouncers to expand their bounces and get some of their excited energy out. So the party reconvened at the local chapel where the cultural hall could be used to give these kids a place to play. It seems quite obvious that Grandma succeeded in finding the perfect gift for her Grandchildren once again.

We had a wonderful time and just want to say, Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Petersen for a wonderful (pre-)Christmas day at your home.


We missed you Chris & Janeil; hope you had a wonderful Christmas and we hope you'll be able to join us next year.

Hunting Without Success

The Petersens always go where no one else will dare and they have the horse-power to make it there in style. There's nothing like camping in Dad Petersen's wall tent. They have most of the conveniences of home, including running water (of sorts). But you barely feel like your roughin' it when you camp in this kind of style!

The weather was very nice, unseasonably warm (last year we started in a snow storm). But it was still chilly at 7,000 feet (above sea level) so we had the fires burning. The tent footprint had to be shoveled free of snow before we could set up camp. Mom and Dad Petersen along with Jared, Uncle Daryl and Gabriel got camp set up on Friday afternoon.

Uncle Daryl had a couple of hiccups to getting started on the deer hunt...1) he left on tent pole on his garage floor while packing (Jared had to create a new pole of of the nearby timbers); 2) he also forgot the smoke stack prop (again, a prop was fashioned from the nearby timbers); 3) Gabriel forgot to completely assemble his gun, leaving the bolt safely separate from the rifle (he borrowed Mom's gun for the first morning hunt). You couldn't help but chuckle to yourself at each hiccup. :)

We were up bright and early on Saturday morning, waking at 5:30 am so as to have time to prepare our gear, eat breakfast and make it to our starting point before the sun rose. Everything went like clock-work.

We were on site as the light began to glow for our first sunrise. We hiked into the mountain bowl, whispering only when necessary, watching every tree and scanning all the open hill side. But for all our stealth we didn't see any sign of life! That all changed when we reached the top of the bowl; on every rim surrounding "our" bowl were hunters positioned, identifiable by the hunter orange vests and hats, orange dots on the horizon. There were at least a dozen hunters "glassing" us as we hiked along the bowl.

Obviously that wasn't conducive to our successful deer hunt so we headed out of the bowl to more remote sections of the mountains, scaring a couple of doe as we went. Just over the ridge we encountered more hunters, so we adjusted our course and heading. Running into more hunters at every turn we plunged ourselves into the bottom of the ravine, taking care to climb down without scratching our guns or slipping on the rocks and causing ourselves any harm. We found our way past all the hunters but only saw a few more does running through the trees.

With no bucks in sight we headed back to camp to have lunch. The evening hunt found us heading in the opposite direction, to escape the onslaught of hunters on their 4-wheelers. We hiked over the top of the mountain only to discover 4-wheeler trails and full convoys of 4-wheelers coming over the ridge in our direction! It was no use...we were defeated. There was no sign of any male deer and we were completely surrounded by orange clad hunters! We humbly bowed our heads and headed back to camp.

Uncle Daryl and Gabe headed home Saturday afternoon to retrieve the missing bolt and to pick up Reed so that he could have a good camping/hunting experience. It was fun to have him join our group.

Sunday is a day of rest so we didn't go hunting. But with the snow still on the ground we had to forage for firewood. This was easily accomplished with the chainsaws, splitting mauls and hatchets. Everyone had to have a swing with the axe at least once.

Kyle woke up feeling under the weather and was forced back to bed for the duration of the morning. We did get the opportunity to witness Kyle receiving a blessing and to feel of the Spirit there in the tops of the mountains. After a lazy morning and some friendly conversation it was time to enjoy the beautiful world that our Heavenly Father has created for us. Mom was determined to take some of the beautiful world home with her and she went in search of perfect rocks for her rock garden. One rock she was looking for was on the side of the mountain; the family was not able to find it (a rock identified from last years hunt) she had to settle for a substitute rock.

As we drove around admiring the beauty and trying to figure out the best spot to go hunting on Monday we ran into some minor vehicular difficulties...the jeep stop going forward! But the able bodied Jared was under the hood in a flash and had the repairs quickly in order and we were off and driving once again. We wouldn't stop until we were on top of the world!


After completing our whirlwind tour of the mountain range, literally climbing straight over the top of the mountains, we headed back to camp for a much anticipated Sunday dinner of Elk roast and potatoes, carrots and onions. Of course, after a good Sunday meal no one is much in the mood for anything but relaxing. Reed and Kyle faithfully prepared the kindling for starting the morning fires.

Monday morning we were back at it but our enthusiasm was waning. Could there be any possibility of success? After hunting all morning we came to the sad conclusion that the deer were not to be found in this part of the mountain range. The early snow had driven many deer to lower grounds, the earlier hunters had been too successful and we had nothing to show for our efforts but some pictures and some memories. It was a beautiful camp out but a very unsuccessful hunting expedition.

Labor Day Get-A-Way (Part 5 - Miscellaneous Memories)

This will be a family campout to remember.



So nice and relaxing.



Uncle Kyle taking care of Aleky.



Aleky is our trooper, weathering the storm with no complaints.

Michael and Aaron have become best buds.



Jared found a dragonfly; Michael is there to examine the find.

Michael wants to find something interesting too.



Will the rain ever stop? Michael had to see for himself.



Michael volunteered to go fishing with David but we only had 1 pole.

Donovan claims "King of the Stump" for now.



Hanging out at camp.





Special festival lighting! (When have you seen 4 laterns for a single tent?)


Cooking with power tools!



Jared suffers from a bee sting; receives first aid from Tosha (did you know that a penny will take away the sting?)



Ammon and Aaron have a cute and cuddly side to them.