Big Basin Redwood State Park

This year we went on our annual vacation to Big Basin Redwood State Park.  It was very fun and exciting seeing the places that Daddy grew up in.  We went on August 1 and came home on August 7.  One whole week of dirt, sun, raccoons, hiking, riding bikes, eating, making new friends, going to Jr. Rangers and Big Basin nature club, and swimming in the ocean.  We had camp visitors on Wed.  Mark and Mary Treuge from Santa Cruz came up and had dinner with us.  It was fun to reconnect with them and have a great meal together.  Buddy went to visit them on Thursday as we went to the Natural Bridges Beach in Santa Cruz.  The kids had a ball in the surf, in fact Thomas went body surfing and Henry  actually "surfed" ( picture to come later).  Every year at the end of vacation I always think to myself, no way am I doing this again next year, but after a few days at home I'm on board again.  :)  We think next year will be closer to water so we can swim most days and lounge by the water. 
Thomas made friends as usual with a little boy and spent time with him.  We got his address and I suspect Thomas will write him.  We also had a young family of a father and son camp next to us for 2 nights.  They were from Minnesota and didn't have much of the camping gear we had.  So we invited them for smore's 2 nights and they shared our campfire with us.  I let Thomas go for a walk on night before dinner and he still wasn't back at camp 45 mins. later.  I went into a bit of a panic.  I could just see us having to send out a search party for him.  I sent Mark and Tom out looking and they came back 30 mins. later with him.  He had hiked all the way up the mountain and saw the ocean.  I think he will have to really think about his scouting skills and remember that you need to go hiking with a buddy. At one point Macie counted Henry's mosquito bites and he had 62.  Yikes! I also had to use the self timer on my camera to make sure there was documentation that I was on the trip.  Here are some pictures of our trip.  :)

Matthew thought every tree needed to be climbed.

Henry "surfing"

I was on the trip.  :)

Macie and Thomas on their hike with Daddy.  The Pine Mountain Trail.

Just some of Henry's mosquito bites.

The Hay gang in camp 110 in Big Basing Redwood State Park.