obviously camping makes me sick

anyone who knows me, knows i am not a fan of camping. but there is this job necessity that i have called fall getaway. it's a retreat, not camping per se, but it might be a little close to nature for my liking.

still the fall getaway comes around every year and i am there, without fail. sadly this year, tate's youth group retreat was the same weekend so we were minus one on our team. still, we packed up and headed out for a weekend with our college students at a ranch camp...

every year, my kids love to play with the kitties...

this was the first year jack didn't even ask if we could bring one home. ah, progress!

this was also the first year our kids got to ride the horses...

and yes, my man rocked the shorts and cowboy boots combo. the marlboro man has nothin' on him...

he also held his own in our annual game of ultimate pumpkin. this is played with pumpkins greased with crisco. and this 44 year old heart throb hung in there with the 18-22 year olds...

proving to be, yet again and always, MY ultimate.

another kollar showed off her physical prowess on the high ropes course. unless you are a first time reader, you know it wasn't me. it was the divine miss em. she was super confident on the way up as she said "see ya, suckas!"...

but the view from up here helped keep her humility in check...

still she made it to the zip line...

conquering fear and the wind rushing through your hair are a nice combo. {or so i've heard}

lulu's fan club was out in full force, as usual...

this interchange was too precious...

not only did matt have lulu's heart, but he was simultaneously wooing every college girl watching, without even knowing it.

we got to be with our students. we got to enjoy the perfect weather. and we also got the flu. it hit jack saturday night. em early sunday morning. and me late sunday morning. even tate, at a different retreat, went down the same time i did.

despite the fact that i now have undeniable proof that camping (or near-camping) clearly makes me sick, i will be back again next year. and the next. and the next.

because i love it.