Come What May and Love it: Christopher Creek

July 19-21 was the 8th annual Goodman Family Christopher Creek Campout. We used to go there all the time as kids with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor. Then the tradition disappeared and in 2005, it was resurrected. We only missed last year due to bears in the area. But this year was as great as ever.
We got there on Friday with rain threatening. It held off so we could set up camp, the kids could play in the creek, Joe could make his horseshoe tournament brackets and we could eat dinner. But unfortunately by 7:00, it started raining. It rained through most of the night. We were all done playing and in our tents for the night, kinda a bummer. But I have to remember, I live in AZ where there is very little moisture and anytime we get some, I have to be grateful.
Saturday morning started off with the best breakfast of the year, bacon and other goods cooked in bacon grease. It was artery-clogging goodness! Then soon, the rest of the family showed up. Thank goodness for that, because Joe was getting all antsy to get the First Annual Goodman Family Co-Ed Horseshoe Tournament underway. The tourney was set up on the back of a Caprisun box and was a double elimination tourney. It was definitely the highlight of the campout. Jeremy and I made it to the final 3 and were knocked out by the eventual champs, Matt and Kyley, when Kyley topped my 2 points with a ringer. It hurt, but the sun came up just the same! :) Then it was off to the water hole for the big kids and dads. Poor Abby started to feel crummy and by the time they got back, she was full on down with strep throat. She slept for most of the rest of the trip.
We got more rain, then it finally calmed down so we could go out to the campfire for a mean game of "I have never" and for Joe's ghost stories. My favorite was the Ghost of Christopher Creek. You know the one, when a boy named Christopher Von Schmootz was killed in the creek by a falling branch. He died crying for help. Now the Von Schmootz paid to have the creek named after him and he haunts it still today. He calls for help, gradually leading you away from your campsite, "help, help" until you are so far away you can't see anyone, then BOOO! It was a Joe classic. I think the funniest part of his stories is that Hannah believes every single one of them and asks millions of questions to better understand the story.
Can't wait for next year!

Thank you to Julie, Dyan and Matt for taking pics. I didn't pull out my camera even once.