no. 23: let's go camping!

on thursday afternoon, we packed our tent, a sleeping bag, some warm clothes, a few snacks & hit the road.

we made it to our camping site around sundown, greeted with warm words & big hugs from luke's family. it has become somewhat of a tradition to go camping during spring break & we are beginning to really love it. sure, the beach sounds wonderful, but there is just something about camping that rejuvenates the soul & clears the mind.

the next morning, we were greeted by frost on our tent & made a fire to fight off the cold. it was a very cold night but warmed up quickly during the day. after breakfast, we put on our hiking boots & headed toward the trails.

we saw bits of green starting to make their appearance amongst the neutral tones of gray & brown. buds were beginning to bloom & the sky was a clear blue.

after our hike, our bellies were empty & craving a delicious meal. luke's dad made "hobo pockets," a regular camping meal, by the fire.

of course, camping is not complete without some down time for reading. luke read the catcher in the rye & i enjoyed a bit of eating animals. we also exchanged good book titles & musical artists with his family.

one thing that was really special about our camping trip was the water. our site lies along the most beautiful river & fish hatchery. there, many women & men wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get an early start on trout fishing.

in some parts of the water, you can even see the fish swimming as the rays catch the water perfectly.

after we packed up & drove into town, we stopped at a local diner & enjoyed afternoon brunch.

we were greeted by the sweetest waitress & a handful of locals catching up on morning gossip & enjoying a cup of coffee.

we felt as if we had gone back into time to a more simpler day.

the diner had such character, filled with vintage vinyl seating, old-fashioned booths & retro appeal.

we savored every bite of our bacon & didn't regret eating every last bit of their homemade biscuits.

it was a truly wonderful weekend full of good food, family & lots of relaxation.
we wish every weekend could be just as good.

-Luke + natalie