Galloway Camping

Ok, so a few months ago, I mentioned that my mom's side of the family were almost all meeting together and going camping and I promised lots of pictures.  Well, I lied. We did get all but 13 members of the family there (which was a huge feat for us!), but I don't think I took the first picture! :( (I did actually take a few pictures and have added them to the end of the post) I was too busy running around with the kids. 

We had a chili cook-off the last night that we were all together and it decided that as soon as we were ready to serve the chili, that it needed to start raining.  Let me just tell you that trying to figure out how to get 12 people under one shade tent when it starts raining was fun to watch.  7 of the 10 Southwells headed back to the cabin (so that the kids weren't in the weather) while the other 3 of us huddled under the canaopy of the camper.  The main concern was making sure that my almost 90 year old grandparents didn't get wet.

It was nice to see everyone and watch the kids experience new things (Jay discovered lightening bugs for the first time! and he got to sleep in the camper with Grammy and Papa one night).  However, we have decided that Hard Labor Creek State Park is not the place for us to try to camp with 2 elderly adults and 4 smaller children.  The ground is unstable and it is HOT (which my cousin Leslie and I reminded the planners when the discussion was started about camping in June)!!!

Next year I think we will all be gathering in Charlotte for Granddaddy's 90th birthday party.  At least we'll all have a cool place to stay! :)





  Updated pictures (hopefully this will work)

Lily's favorite past time: play (and eating)
rocks!



Mischievous! Cute, but

mischievous.




The kids in their chairs from
Grammy and Papa

Jay being tickled by
his Daddy



  Grammy and Papa also brought a pool, so we decided to let the kids have some fun it in.  We were even able to get Rowan (a cousin we just met who is only a few weeks older than Lily and Ethan) in for some pool time!



It's a little chilly!





Miss Lily!



All four kids!







 Then, once the little ones were finished and out of the way.  I let Jay splash around as big as he could!!



The BIG finale!



Getting ready to splash around!



Posing for the camera