Black "Sheep" Lake - the annual Sheep Lake trip

Years ago, Birch and Mark Cox started taking the boys to Sheep Lake each year.  After Mark passed away Birch carried on the tradition sometimes taking all the boys himself, other times with an uncle or grandpa.  This year the boys were all super excited to continue the tradition with Corey Aldridge (married Brooke this past November) and his biological son, Berkeley.  Since we were in Montana visiting the Aldridge-Cox family they looked for a good location nearby in Montana.  Sadly, so much of Montana is up in flames right now that it was tricky finding a spot where the air quality was okay to be out in nature.  Black Lake was the determined destination in the Jewel Basin area.  Black Lake was quickly renamed "Black Sheep Lake."

Monday morning the boys (aka Dads) loaded up all the camping stuff.  Boy, was that Yukon packed!!!  In order to only take one car they decided to double buckle a few boys.  It was a tight fit but really not that bad.  The poor Yukan ended up having a rough trip as the transmission kept getting overheated.  (In hindsight they were all really blessed as when they got home from the backpacking trip and they took the car into get serviced they found that the transmission was totally needing to be replaced.  I'm thinking Mark was running behind that Yukan the whole way home.)

Packed Car!!!

Inspired by Corey's revelation that they were now - AC DC  (Aldridge-Cox  Ditto Clan).  Brooke and I made an early morning trip to Walmart and found these perfect AC/DC shirts for the bigger boys and then I did my best to home make the vertically challenged boys matching shirts.

Pit Stop (aka Pee Stop)

All fresh and ready to hike!  Dads are armed with bear spray (luckily no bears were seen).

Berkeley and Corey

Check out handsome Kaleb!

Coop - always keeping everyone entertained

"Jerky Rock" -- the boys have nicknamed a particular rock at Sheep Lake as the "jerky rock."  Corey bought some super fancy jerky that they all enjoyed.

Tyler

Coop and Eli

Chase

Apparently as soon as they made it to the lake, Coop threw off his backpack and headed to the lake to whittle.  Not long after he might have also returned sheepishly to Birch wondering if  perhaps they brought any band-aids with them.

Colin drying off after a dip in the refreshing water.

Berkeley "helping" his dad set up his tent.

Eli pondering 

Due to all the fires the boys were not able to have a campfire.  BUT Starbursts still needed to be roasted -- the little camping stove came to the rescue.

Filtering water and making arrow heads

Gotta love this kid

Birch swam out to this little "island."

Berkeley warming his bones after a swim.

How can you not love this guy?

Pretty loveable too!

Aren't those wildflowers A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Lots of hat dipping to cool off.

JUMP!

Berkeley and his all-in-one whistle tool!

Nate flying in the sky.

Everyone sure missed Alex but happy to keep the traditional alive!

Tea for Two

Chloe had a delightful Activity Day's Tea Party recently.  The mothers were invited for a day of dressing up, pictures, and a quaint tea party.  Alysee was excited to get Chloe all ready for the party.

Isn't Alysee amazing!  She can do hair magic!

 

Chloe and I had no idea all the fun we were going to have when we got to the tea party.  Mini photo sessions were a major theme!

The woman whom was hosting the party literally had four rooms full of dress up clothing for all ages.  I couldn't help but get into the fun!

We even had maids to serve us our food.

Everything from tini sandwiches,  fruit cups, mouse, herbal tea, etc....

Then we literally stayed another two hours and just played dress up.  

We had such a ball!!!