Thanksgiving Weekend

Yes, I know. It's been awhile since I've posted some pictures. I have a very good reason as to why. It has been bugging me a bit that I had no watermark on my pictures. If I am going to put my pictures "out there", then I'd like to protect them somehow. It made me uncomfortable that just anyone could take my pictures and use it for whatever. And yes, I know that putting a watermark on my pictures will not protect them completely, but hopefully better than no watermark at all.

But here's another thing: I use Picasa for my pictures. And it is either a choice of watermarking ALL my photos, or not at all. I am not sure if I want to watermark all my pictures because I make online photo albums for the kids. I don't want my watermark on those photos that end up in their albums which I get printed. I don't want this watermark to be on every picture I want to print. So what to do? What to DO?! 

So for now, I am editing my photos, one by one, adding "Helder Happenings". And this takes time. Especially when you plan on doing a whack of photos for one post, only to find out that you can only post 20 pictures through Picasa in one post. Sigh. Only 20 pictures?! How can I manage that?

The other problem is this: when I edit my photos in Picasa, I HAVE to go through Picasa to post my pictures on my blog if I wan the wording to appear. For some reason, whatever I do to my photos does not change the photo when I go to look for it under "My Pictures". The picture in "My Pictures" is there without the "Helder Happenings."

Confused?! Yeah, me too. But I am hoping that someone, just someone out there will read this and help me. You can either email me your wisdom (see "Contact Me" tab at the top of the blog), or type it out in the comments below. I would be ever so grateful.

Speaking of grateful, Thanksgiving weekend was what, 2.5 weeks ago?! It's hard to imagine that it's only that short of a time due to the weather. 2.5 weeks ago we were camping in shorts and T-shirts, enjoying temperatures in the low 20s. And not even 2 weeks later, the temps have plummeted and we've even woken up to *s. I can't even say it yet :o( I am so not ready to welcome that fluffy white stuff yet.

But back to our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, our annual tradition of camping. And what a weekend it was!!! Full of badminton, biking, card playing, relaxing. It was so much fun!! 

The two highlights of this weekend over the years is definitely the biking and badminton. These two sports are taken very seriously, to the point that we even steal the comfort station rake in order to make the badminton court. Like I said, it's a serious game.

Resting after nearly killing each other in badminton. And if it isn't badminton that does these two guys in, it's the mountain biking. It truly is amazing how much you can push yourself when testosterone is involved.

K and K - spending every waking moment together. Here Keziah figured that she could blow up her tummy with Kathryn's help. That is what belly buttons are for, no?!

 

We start 'em young. She's got a ways to go.....

On Sunday, it did pour. It poured while we were in church, and then again in the afternoon. But thanks to our larger trailer, we had lots of room for everyone. 12 people to be exact! The bigger kids played a game in the back by the bunks (one of the bunks turns into a table and benches), the little kids watched a movie, and us big, big kids played Arizona Spaghetti at the dining table. We were all very comfortable. Except Nathan, who lost the card game BIG TIME!! hee hee :o)

 

 

Mmmmm, campfire suppers and desserts using pie irons! So delicious!!! 

 

One of us has an electric site. One does not. But don't feel too sorry for the one that does not have electricity! Let the picture explain!!! Do you see the extension cord?! If you follow it carefully, it goes across the road and into that yellow box way in the background. It was noticed once by the park rangers. After that we did contemplate hanging the cord through the trees.....

Me with my namesake, and my daughter. Blessings that overwhelm my heart.

The men weren't the only ones biking. Our road had a slight hill and so it was used a.lot. by these kids, flying down to see how long and far the brake skid would go.

Two munchkins and fast friends!

The day to go home is also the last day this park is opened. And so that means very long line ups for the dumping station. At one point we counted over 25 trailers waiting in line. Last year we were smart and hooked everything up by 8 in the morning, dumped, and then came back to our site. This year however, with our new trailer, that was not possible due to the slide-out. And so we stayed at our site as long as possible, until the majority of the trailers were gone. By the time we got there, there were only 8 trailers ahead of us. 

So while daddy did the dirty work, we went and had fun at the park!!

 

 

 

We arrived home around 5 in the afternoon. Apparently the kids missed their books, so much so that they looked at books the whole hour that it took us to empty the trailer. 60 minutes of just sitting there, "reading"! I was impressed!!

And that is the end of our camping adventures for the year 2013. As I've stated before, we have been so thankful for the memories made while being able to spend time as a family on these adventures. 

And now we buckle down for winter. Please wake me up in April. :o)