The Hanks Family: Conference Weekend Tradition

{I thought that this was the best picture to show what camping is all about... Resting, Relaxing, and of course a snack.}

We have this tradition of going camping with the Sobecks, some friends from our ward and family up at the lake on conference weekend each April and October. We love the company, atmosphere and with the technology of satellite, we enjoy conference there at the lake.

{Mike and Corey watching the kids at the lake}

This year was a little crazy though, we planed our trip some time ago and then came all of the other activities piled onto our weekend. We ended up coming down to town three different times during our 4 days away. Almost makes me wonder if it was worth going, but when the kids have such a wonderful time and you experience all the fun and friendships it was definitely worth it.

{Working on Larrys Motorhome}

Our weekend started out on thurs., but it started with one problem after another... When we got there the Ashcrafts were having problems with the slide on there "new" motorhome, and it wouldn't open. the guys fiddled with it and everything you could think of to go along with it for 3-4 hours and never could get it to work. We pluged in our satellite that evening and couldn't get a signal for anything. Then we came to Friday and it was just a good day... the Ashcrafts decided when they got up to just push the slide button again, and presto out went the slide. Corey fliped a bolt around on the satellite, pluged it in and presto we had every channel imaginable again. So when my dad got there he had his trailer emergency brakes lock up on him we thought oH GReaT!!! here we go again. Can't anyone have an easy go of it this weekend. His was at least a quick fix with just unpluging them and he was good to go. I will say that the other 2 families that came, came without problems, YEAH!

{The BoYS (Corey, Larry & Dallin) on Thurs. just a watchin'}

As I mentioned above, we ended up comming back down to town 3 time that weekend. Our primary had a great activity on Fri. night about the prophets that the girls wanted to attend and it didn't hurt that they had asked Corey to be one of the prophets. I then returned back down on Sat. morning for "Pancakes with the Prophet" with our Young Women fior the Sat. Am session of conference. And then Corey came down on Sat. evening to attend an all you can eat lobster dinner with one of the companies that he works with at the fedral building. So needless to say we were up and down the hill a few times that weekend.

What a wonderful oppertunity to be able to spend time away (somewhat) with the kids. Don't they just make things fun and interesting sometimes? The girls had an absolute blast running around all weekend. They rode their bikes, went on walks to the Lake, played in the lake, built sand castles, dug in the dirt, played games, practiced fishing, and enjoyed themselves throughly. Not to mention ate nonstop the whole time and wore themselves out enough for some great naps.

{Katy, Mac and Ella Playing in the mud}

{MaC playing in the water}

Saturday while we were there was Frances Ashcrafts birthday, so Larry and I planned a little surprise party for her that day. Larry got his 2 sons and their families to come up for the afternoon for some fun near the lake, some camp games, dinner and a camp fire. I had ordered a cake and brought up some decorations and we just had some fun. Between all of us that were there and those that came up for the evening we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 people for dinner that night.

{Parents and Grandparents watchn' the kids play}

{Richard and Brynley Ashcraft playing Ladder Golf}

{DINNER!!! yea.}

{Brynley, Tia, Dallin, Annaleesa, and

Triva Ashcraft sitting around the campfire}

Oh How we Grow up...
It was great fun to see how we have all grown up and changed... when I was just a kid (as far back as I can remember, 4 or 5) we camped with the Ashcraft family every summer, Larry, Frances, Mike and Richard then Dad, Mom, Karyn and I. On Sat. we had Larry, Frances, Mike and Triva (his wife) and their 4 kids, Richard (Susan was home sick) and his 3 kids, along with Dad, Mom, Karyn and Wyatt and their 2 kids and then Corey and I and our 3 little ones. Who would have ever thouht that we would be here 20-25 years later still enjoying the things that we love and friendships that our parents once started.

The girls and I had found a squirl under our trailer that had gotten the cheese and cracker snack pack out of the tash and was licking it clean, we laid there and watched that thing for 10mins ... it is amazing how the littlest things entertain us for so long.