Friday, September 11, 2015

2015 Camping Trip

In the beginning of July our family had grand plans had having our family vacation in Banff...but considering all the days we would've needed, it just didn't seem like it would work with all of our schedules.So we opted for Itasca State Park instead of Banff.(putting aside the fact that a vacation to Banff would cost quite a bit, in comparison to Itasca:)  So Mom started planning meals, packing lists, and more!!( it must be said that Rachel helped quite a bit with this as well: Have I ever mentioned how nice it is to have an organizer in the house?!!:)

One thing that was quite necessary to acquire before our trip, was a new tent with good zippers!
Praise the Lord, Mom found a tent that sets up quickly, is large enough to fit our family, and has excellent zippers!! One thing that made it a little difficult in planning our trip, was the busyness  of the month of July. Helping organize food for Back Home Days, planning and organizing The Good News Cabin, Gardening, Lawn mowing business, and the fact that Rachel was going for 3 and a half weeks traveling with Bright Lights! Though Rachel missed our camping trip, she said that she wouldn't have traded her time with Bright Lights.

Though it is now over a month since we had our vacation, I hope that you still enjoy seeing and hearing about our time spent in Itasca State Park!



Our new tent. We also had a cook tent and one older tent for the older four children to sleep in.

Though not all of our meals were this elaborate, Mom did an amazing job making sure we had relatively healthy and tasty meals.
Bubble Time:)

Matthew, Caleb, Marie, JoAnna, and Esther all particpated in the Bible Bee this year. Here JoAnna is faithfully working on her study guide of John 1-6. I must include a little side note here. Matthew qualified for Nationals!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which means Matthew is studying John 7-12, and memorizing 5 verse cards every day except for Sunday. It is so motivating for me to see someone spend so much time faithfully studying God's Word!

Caleb making campfire pies.
The beach was about half a mile from our campsite...so of course we spent quite a bit of time swimming! We typically went in the evening. The beach was quite small, and if we went in the evening, we practically had the beach to ourselves.

The sunsets were so beautiful. The Lord really blessed us with great weather! It rained the first evening and morning and that was all. It didn't even get too chilly at night!

One of the main attractions at Itasca State Park is the Headwaters of the Mississippi! We were amazed with how many people come here!

A young lady from Hungary took this picture for us. This picture is somewhat significant, because of the fact that we took a picture in this exact spot back in 2003. Only then we had from Benjamin down to Marie.

Matthew standing on the rocks which comprise the starting of the Headwaters.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteous, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Esther sitting on some rocks close to the Headwaters. This was the evening that we had devotions done at the Headwaters.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity I Timothy 4:12


Aiton Heights Fire Tower...This 100 foot tower was originally a fire lookout for the Park.

This is proof that my Mom made it to the top!! She does not do well with heights, but Daddy helped her, she faced her fear, and was rewarded with the beautiful view at the top(and the satisfaction of having faced her fear of heights:)

One thing we did a lot of, was hiking. There were so many amazing and fun trails around the Park.

Matthew and Caleb in front of a display at the Jacob Brower Visitor Center.
 This is  also a memory picture. When we camped in 2003 we camped with another family(the D Butler). Due to all the rain, we spent quite a lot of time here, and got quite a few fun pictures, posing in the now too small firefighters outfits:)
Esther, Mom, and Dad, with a man whose father was born in 1859!!

Miracle Thursday is a day where if you buy a blizzard at DQ they will donate $1 of that blizzard to Children's Hospitals. We didn't have any DQ's in our area, so we bought Blue Bunny Ice Cream in Victoria's honor.

The State Park had fun activities planned many of the days that we were there. Fishing was one of the activities! We didn't catch anything though :)

August 1st was the Bible Bee test day. So we headed to Bemidji, found a library that had enough computers so that everyone was able to take the online test at the same time. Afterward we headed to the Science Center!! Even though it looks pretty strange on the outside, on the inside it is very fun and informative! Esther, Marie and JoAnna, are watching the harmonograph, draw them a neat geometric image.

JoAnna and Mommy sitting on a bear! Our favorite gift shop was the one at Douglas Lodge. Very Rustic!
All in all we had a great time having extra family time, exploring God's Creation, and spending time with Jesus. I will leave you with this psalm. May your hearts desire be to serve our great and mighty King.
Signing off: Elizabeth Mitton

Psalm 103

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

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