Maddie's first campout

Maddie got to experience her first true Alaskan experience this weekend.  Camping.  Hiking.  Fire.  S'mores (ok, I enjoyed those for her).   Wearing one too many layers to stay warm at night.  Sleeping with bear spray.  Couldn't get better. :)

The end of May really starts the summer off up here.  It's usually warmer (upper 50's/low 60's) and most of the snow is gone.  Well - most.  We were deterred from our first camping location because there was too much snow that cars would get stuck.  Yep.  Welcome to the final frontier.  

So we headed the other direction to Finger Lake praying that there would still be available camping spots.  We met up with some good friends, snuggled around a fire pit and put all our newly organized camping gear to use (remember we did that over Mothers Day weekend).  I kinda felt like a circus had come to town when we rolled up.  Two dogs and a baby (we were dog sitting...no worries, we didn't get another!).   Especially since neither of our friends had either of the above.  Good thing they were very gracious to us!

We set up our beloved truck tent.  I love that thing more and more each time we use it.

It keeps us so cozy and warm inside.  Maddie loved it.  So much so we stayed two nights!

She spent the majority of her time here.  Peacefully sleeping in her Ergo.

This is how the rest of us spent our days.  Bundled around the fire.  This picture may have been taken at 11pm.  Matt slept with a shirt wrapped around his face.

We even went on Maddie's first hike.  Up the Butte.  It was beautiful at the top.  You can still see all the snow on the mountains behind us.  I'm afraid it might be there all summer.  I've also officially nursed on a mountaintop.  Yep, cross that one off my bucket list.

 All the girls!

Maddie loves her time with dad!

Preparing for dinner.   Nicole is the best cook.  Look at that delicious meat.  We ate well.  We stick with only hot dogs and pb&j when I'm in charge.  So it's a good thing I wasn't. :)

It was a great start to the summer!  A dose of the love portion of my love/hate relationship I have with this state.