Camping with grandsons Ian and Adam......boom!

We just returned from a 4-day camping trip with the boys.  We went to a campground between Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens.  It was on a small river, so in addition to visiting those two sites, they also got to play in the river.

Our plan had been to do something similar with the other grandchildren, but it was not to be for this year.  For one thing, I HAVE TO HAVE MORE SURGERY.  That's right.  In 10 years, I will have had 10 surgeries, including three foot surgeries, three shoulder surgeries, three eye surgeries, and surgery for a double hernia.

I have a torn rotator cuff.  I had the right rotator cuff repaired about six years ago, and now the left one needs the same repair.  So, we will be postponing Roadtrip 4 until the end of October so I can have it.  My body is a good one, except for its joints.  Everybody has something.  So no need to whine about it.  All I will whine about is missing camping with other grandchildren.

We did three hikes with Ian and Adam.  The first was on a trail through the mountains, near our camp grounds:

The next day we went to Paradise Lodge at Mt. Rainier.

The next day we went to Mt. St. Helens.

We established a rule, which was whenever anybody said "Mt. St. Helens" everyone else was supposed to yell "Boom"

In the top left corner of Spirit Lake can be seen two small islands.  The Mt. St. Helens (Boom) Lodge was about 250 feet below this spot.  It is where Harry R. Truman decided to stay, despite warnings to leave. 

We did a couple of hikes around the area.  One of them involved walking to a lookout point, up 432 steps (Adam counted).

The views from the top of the stairs were outstanding.

You can see Mt. Rainier peeking over the top.  Spirit Lake is filled with logs from trees blown down by the explosion. 

See our camper down below?

Vicky taught the boys how to cross a stream.

Victory dance!

Meanwhile, I took the easier way out and showed the boys how to throw rocks:

We had so much fun at the campsite, hiking in the woods, hiking around Mt. Rainier, and hiking around Mt. St. Helens.........BOOM!