Lassen NP

Had a great weekend at lassen NP.  Sophie had a half day and we took the younger 3out a few hours early.  Got stuck in traffic on the way up and it took 9 hours to get to the campground.  We went with the James family.  They had super gourmet food planned.  Pasta and homemade Alfredo and brownies.  Stayed one night at butte lake campsite.  The kids kept calling it butt lake..ha ha.  We were going to have to move campsites after the first night so we just laid down the tarp slept outside.  Stars were awesome and ironically I had the best camping sleep I've ever had (with kids). We'd stayed up so late playing mafia the kids were exhausted.

The next morning Dave Hansen drove in with his 3 kids.  Ellie was having a hard time "sharing" her friends. We hiked the finer cones wilhich was pretty steep and all gravel.  Ellie mistakenly wore her Keens so the gravel was killing her feet-she ended up hiking barefoot in the gravel half the time it hurt so badly with sandals.  Understandably she was so proud of herself when she got to the top.  Interesting volcano rim and view.  Then we went to set up camp at kraggs campsite-this time we set up the tent.  Good thing because it was a lot colder.  There was a group of trees that made the perfect spot for a cool fort.  Hotdogs and chile for dinner and peach cobbler in the Dutch oven.  Alyssa told the "hairy toe " ghost story and I told the watermelon story.  More mafia. Mathew is really becoming an entertainer.  He was making up ghost stories and led a round of mafia.  

Sophie is interacting with Mitchell and Isaac. I'm glad she can still have a good time even though they are not technically her friends.  

The next morning they made eggs/pancakes.  Hiked bumpas hell.  Interesting boiling mud pots/crystal clear lake and steam beds. I'm having fun playing with the camera and the kids are being good sports about it. That night they made foil dinners Ellie wasn't feeling well and Troy wanted to go to bed early.  He got cold again in the middle of the night and I switched sleeping bags with him (second time).  

A small group got up at 5 to power through mt lassen.  Matt was gracious enough to stick withy the family.  My lassen looked too daunting for the time so we just went to the visitor center and finished junior ranger.  We watched the video about the eruptions.  Mathew and Troy had us laughing historically and they performed enterprative dancing to the narration and music.  Very funny!

Went back to camp to meet up with others.  Had lunch then went on hike to king creek falls.  Ellie's allergies returned in a bad way.  She was in so much pain.  She was stopping for her to empty her throught of gunk.  We took a dip in the freezing falls and just climbed and splashed around. We let Troy hike back in his underpants and shirt.  When we got in the car I gave Mathew some dry underwear but the. I couldn't find his dry jeans.  He quickly fell asleep and I had to wake him up at the restaurant.  He looked like he thought he was having a crazy dream when I woke him up saying "we are at a restaurant, you need to get some pants on.  Ate at carlitos-great Mexican murals.