I have returned to Flagstaff from our extremely eventful family camping trip! My family has been camping at Pine Grove just outside of Flagstaff for several years, since I have been at NAU. It has always been wonderful, but this year held an unwelcome surprise. In past years, we have camped in late July or early August, but at THIS particular time of year(late June), unbeknownst to us, is biting fly season. The camping started off great, lots of sleeping in hammocks and eating (camping is our family’s code word for these two activities), but soon soured after we got hit hard by the unforgiving FLEETS of biting flies the second day.

(pictures of Pine Grove; Becky trying to ward off the bugs, and the red welts of death)

The dogs and my dad took the brunt of it, sporting red welts all over their bodies. Needless to say, we threw in the white towel and headed for a more suitable “campsite”, aka Jeff’s family’s cabin in Kachina, AZ (also just outside of Flagstaff in a different direction). It was a happy medium between the biting flies and a Marriott Suites, and we had a great time there! There was no hammock, but still plenty of eating and sleeping. We toasted marshmallows and made smores, played lots of games, and YES, we got MUCH more than my desired summer shower. We got a torrential downpour with hail included! What a great week!

(pictures of us making smores and the candy-sized hail!)

(picture of Dad and whole family at cabin)
I am back at my apartment in Flagstaff again, and I just watched a SUPERIOR comeback win by the recently ENORMOUSLY struggling Diamondbacks, and Britni is due home in an hour! My sister and Jeff are also staying in town for the 4th of July weekend, which I plan to celebrate tomorrow with a downtown parade, a snow cone, and an afternoon BBQ/movie in the park! Happy Independence Day everyone! Praise God for this free and blessed country. Sure we have our flaws, but I love that He put me here, and I pray that He will actually stick with us and continue guiding us, if we actually listen and actually take a stab at honoring HIM. Enjoy the 4th friends!