Anniversary Camping Trip, Crystal Cove State Park

To celebrate our 4-year anniversary, we decided to go camping! We went to Crystal Cove State Park, located between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach off of the PCH. Crystal Cove Beach had always been a favorite of mine growing up, and it has made it's way into our lives, as "our spot." The place we go when we can't think of anything else to do, the place we go when we want to get away, rest, and have some quality time. And then they opened a campground - yay!

Last Christmas we got a tent from my parents and deemed this year as the year of camping. However, camping items add up (you need so many!). We had a tent, but that was about it. So during this last year, every few weeks or so we would buy some kind of camping equipment. If you recall one of my past posts on building an Emergency kit, we were able to buy items that counted for both. So here we are in October, and finally got to go... on our own! We both grew-up camping in various degrees with our families. So to camp by ourselves, it was another one of those "yes, we are adult moments." Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Here's Ken our first night - with our new Coleman Stove!

We came on a Wednesday night, and the whole day it had been raining. So we ended up being the only ones there with a tent (I guess everyone else canceled). But here I am freezing and a little wind-blown :) Didn't sleep very much due to the crazy wind, but it was worth it being there early in the morning.

The next day, the deserted campground we had to ourselves, and might I add gorgeous weather! :)

The view out of our tent...

Making coffee...

Day 1: At the beach

Again, there were barely any people - so fun!

I made Ken a "fish" apron - here he is sporting it!

We were having so much fun, we actually stayed an additional night. But we weren't prepared for it, so we went to the nearest store (5 minutes away, Trader Joes lol, just seems ironic to me for camping to be surrounded by ritzy OC. People were staring at our hiking boots and scrubby look, oh well we weren't there to impress :). We got some frozen Chinese food and wine. We laughed as we said, well this isn't how our parents used to do it :)

Maybe it's our new era of camping...

A camping must... hot chocolate!

Me by our tent... Ken was laughing about how many layers and colors I had on - hey, it was cold!

Day 2: At the beach. We saw so many different animals this trip: Pelicans, seagulls, a bobcat, dolphins, seals, squirrels, and others :)

3 dolphins kept swimming back and forth along the coast, and they were so close to the wave-breaks!

Our "sexy," silly poses at the beach :)

Photo shoot time :)

We got matching hats for the occasion... it looks like Ken has a lil' spider monster on his chest :) or maybe a snake eating something, jk!

We read so much this trip, it was awesome!

The sunsets were beautiful, and in this picture Catalina was so clear!

Back at camp, roasting marshmallows, without a "fire"

Gotta have the chocolate!

Day 3: Hike and Beach

But first, Ken had to look for more animals :)

Dancing by the tent, excited for our hike!

And we are off... El Moro Canyon

Beach time!

Our first camping trip was almost a success, it was a good thing we had a grocery store and hardware store near-by! But we will get there :) It was a nice way to celebrate our anniversary - reflect on our marriage, set "relationship goals" for the next year, read love-poems, and really just celebrate our life together and the blessings God has bestowed on us. I am so thankful to be married to my best-friend!

Deer Hunting Trip

Hunting was introduced to me while I was dating Ken. I listend to the sweet stories of him growing up; the bonding moments between dad and son. The encounters with wilderness, and animals seemed so exciting! We got married and I quickly learned all about the specific seasons when you can hunt, and the "tags" you need for certain birds or animals. And after four years of marriage, I got tried of being "left behind," and he got tired of missing me, so we decided that I should come along. Although I didn't get my hunting licence (next year), I was able to be out in the woods, see some of those much talked about animals, and have some awesome bonding time. Ken's take on it: He was ecstatic to have the two things he loved most in one place (although several times he did mistake me for one of the guys all dressed up in my camouflage outfit lol), see picture insert... but my modeling pose before we left had to include a girly belt :) So here's to our 2011 Deer Hunting Trip. Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA (about a hour south of the OR boarder).

The guys, planning their hunt for the next day. From left to right; Rich, Mark (my father-in-law), Ken, Greg (Brother-in-law), and Nate their good friend growing up

Take 2, they missed a spot :)

Ken at the camp all ready to go! Granted we were the only ones out there, it was beautiful to say the least, and a bit scary having no water or bathrooms

Mountain cattle. Yeah, one morning I didn't have my glasses on and thought the black blob was a HUGE bear! I pulled out my airhorn, shot gun, and bear spray... then I put my glasses on and realized it had a tail :) boy, was I relieved

The amazing views!

On our way to the back meadows... about a one mile hike in.

Had to take a picture... does a bear go potty in the woods? You betcha!

Found a cow bone... gross!

We staked out a great spot... here's Ken ready with his rifle. We were so quite and camouflaged, that a small squirrel ran right under Ken's leg and smack into my knee. I wasn't so quite though :) the lil' thing scarred me lol!

The black blob, kinda dot in the middle is one of the bears we saw about 400 yards away. In this spot we also saw a 200 lb black bear, 25 yards away - but I wasn't fast enough with the camera.

Back at the camp

Hunt outing # 4 (don't know if "outing" is the correct term, but it's the 4th time they went out :). Ken telling his dad where we saw the bears the night before and where he should go

Walking through the aspen grove we saw two more bears, a little dense = a lot scary! But so beautiful!

Notice the bear claws going up the tree? Many of the trees in this grove were like that, some even to the very top!

Second hunting spot. Where's Waldo, I mean Ken? :)

Me starting to get bored :)

Another bear! This time a lot closer, 20 yards!

He did not see us until Ken yelled "Hey Bear!" He perked his ears up (kinda cute), turned and ran the other way so fast he started to role down the hill!

Here I am looking for more bears... We were on a deer hunting trip, but I did not see any! Ken saw about 5 does, female deers, but you can not shoot them. We were even lucky to see the 6 bears we saw. Several of the guys we went with did not even see any of the animals. I guess you could say I was the only one that "shot" anything with my camera :)

Us heading back in the dark... and looking cute all matchy in our camo :)

The meadows were full of streams

My cute husband, ahemmm, I mean my manly husband with all his gear

Our camp spot, my back is to our tent

The group. From left to right: Greg, Bruce, Nate, me, Ken (minus Rich and Mark still out hunting).

Nate, Greg, Me, and Ken

Nate, Greg, Ken

One of the views as we were heading back down the mountain...

There was a crazy rain storm the night before, so all the guys got out to figure the best away around the mud. Greg has his gun, just in-case he saw the one last deer :)

Bottom of the mountain, looking up - we were in those mountains!

We got back to Nate's house in Yreka and that was the only deer I saw :) Amazing how camouflage it was!

Overall it was an amazing trip. Although no one shot anything (Okay by me, but they were bummed), it was fun to have some great quality time in God's beautiful creation.

Back in Redding, CA. We visited the salmon fish hatchery, a childhood favorite of Ken's - look at them "fly"