Winter Camping!!!

Aidan and I went with a friend of mine to Lake Rufus Woods (past Grand Coulee Dam in the middle of nowhere). We camped for 3 days \ 2 nights. My friend Peter stayed 1/2hr away in a motel. For some reason he wasn't fond of the idea of sleeping in a tent in the middle of winter in Eastern WA.

I was very proud of Aidan. He was a trooper (again). Not once did he whine or complain. I never felt like I needed to entertain him. If he got bored, he'd grab my camp shovel and go exploring. He'd look for little trinkets to bring home to Becca (snake skin, baby cactus, cool rocks, etc). When another family with kids showed up one day, he quickly made friends and had them join him on his adventures. My friend was also very impressed, noting how Aidan never cried when falling hard on the rocks while reeling in a fish or getting cut by stickers on the trails. And especially when Aidan didn't once whine or complain coming or going on the 4 hr drive each way. And how Aidan was always very quiet and polite - saying 'please' and 'thank you'.

I'm also very proud of my wonderful wife who held up the fort at home with the remaining 6 kids!!

A few pics from the trip:


Aidan and I enjoyed watching the eclipse. Aidan also got to see his first (and eventually 5th) satellite and shooting star as we listened to the night sounds of owls and coyotes.


Banks Lake - a huge lake we drove past that is frozen over with thick ice:


Aidan was a fish catching machine!




Aidan fishing:


One days limit for Aidan and I (2 fish each a day is all you get). We ended up with over 50lbs of very tasty trout to take home.



Aidan getting ready for the cold night at camp (temp in the upper teens):