Sefara 2010

This year's Sefara was an eventful weekend filled with fun and great friends. We were among those who had the farthest to travel, so we hit the road early and ended up being the first ones there. Once we set up camp, we decided to take the littles for their very first mini golfing experience while we waited for the others to begin arriving.


E&I both loved mini golfing. Although there were quite a few 6's, they also each managed to get a hole in one!


When we got back to the campsite, the others had begun arriving. We spent the first evening hanging out, playing, and drinking cocktails courtesy of the newbie campers who somehow found space amongst all the camping gear for their shaker!

Jump roping was a huge hit amongst the gaggle of girls. I learned so many new songs, and I think all the grown-ups got a workout turning that rope! I was so impressed by how beautifully all the kids got along.

The next morning we were up really early, so we went on a hike. We were joined by a wide awake Wendim because his entire family was still sleeping. Along the way, we found a feather, saw lots of birds, and met a few deer (which Izzie deemed "Kangaroos!" and then proceeded to try to entice them to come play with her.)



The lake at the campsite where we were staying was full of algae and definitely not the sort of place we wanted to swim, so we decided to head to nearby Devil's Lake to use their gorgeous beach. We had a fantastic time swimming, building sand castles, and enjoying the perfect weather!





By the time we got back to the campsite, several other families had arrived. Sadly, people seemed to divide into two separate camps, so there were a bunch of people we really didn't have a chance to visit with. Our party was cut short by thunderstorms, and we spent a wet and wild night listening to the rain and hoping it wouldn't come into our tent!

The next morning we went out for a "lumberjack breakfast" at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty and had some of the most delicious donuts I've ever tasted!

Since the weather forecast predicted more overnight thunderstorms, we made the tough decision to pack up camp and head home after another day of swimming at Devil's Lake. We were sad to leave, but it was definitely the best choice, as we would have been stuck packing up in the rain the next morning.

Despite the fact that we requested the s'more contest be moved to a time when we could participate, the others decided to wait and have it without us. I'm sure it was because they knew we would win, and they wanted to eliminate the fiercest competition.

On our way home that afternoon, our GPS told us to get on a ferry. After a moment of incredulousness, we got in line and waited for the boat. Elijah freaked out because he thought we were going to drive our car into the lake, but as soon as he saw the ferry, he brightened up considerably:



All in all it was a fun weekend.

The gears are already in motion for a camping trip / homesteading adventure in Colorado next summer. If you'd like to join us, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to add you to the list!