This last weekend we had the opportunity to backpack into Snoqualmie Lake.  We had wanted to backpack earlier in the year but just didn't have enough time to get ready. So we put it off until the end of June when so many things had come to an end.  It turned out to be a beautiful weekend full of the adventure Job was looking for, Patrick McManus stories that Isaac was looking forward to and unfortunately no pine cone wars for Lona.  However everyone except for me had a swim in the lake. All the food turned out, even the biscuits, which we determined was too time consuming. Note to self, take tuna salad for John and I and just plain tuna for the kids. We came home with cereal left over and our personal snacks.  This year, each child/young adult carried their own breakfasts (instant oatmeal & hot cocoa) and their personal snacks.  I used gallon freezer bags for the snacks which consisted of, yogurt covered pretzels, snickers minis, Costco trail mix, granola bars, mangos for some, and cheese.  John received Werther's Original candy because he doesn't do good with chocolate.  Isaac asked if he could have $10 and purchase his own snacks next time.  Hmm, might be an idea.  They also had to carry one water bottle besides their sleeping bags, clothes, and matress pad.  John and I carried most of the food and the two tents.  Isaac also carried the fuel and the camp stove. Both Job and Lona carried about 15 lbs upon their back while Isaac carried around 22 - 25 lbs and John and I had 30 lbs.  We hiked in just shy of 5 miles and pitched our tent on Thursday night.  The next morning we woke up had breakfast, broke camp, packed up and headed the rest of the way (3 1/2 miles).  That was the hardest part of the whole trip.  When we arrived we had the pick of the camp sites.  By Saturday it was hard to find a camp site in that area.  One of the blessings of this trip was the toilet.  It is always a blessing when there is a pit toilet verses none.  This one had some very redeeming features - humming birds.  No kidding, you could watch them flutter about the huckleberry bushes.  Downside was that it wasn't very private, meaning no walls.  You just had to shout out before going all the way to the toilet and it was about 1/4 mile walk from our camp site. 
I decided to use my ipod as well as my camera to document our trip.  I really hope that years down the road, that we will want to watch the video and relive some of our good times as a family.

John likes to do an after action review of our backpacking trips so here goes.
1.  Remember correct forest service pass and trekking poles.  Kids put the pole in the van, we took the truck.  They didn't say anything until I started handing out packs at the trail head.  The pass I had stuck in a book and John thought I had left it in the truck so the pass we had was expired.

2.  Job argued for almost 4 miles of why we should harness lightening and not understanding why it was impossible at the present time.

3.  Chicken Almondine was a hit:  Instant rice, garlic salt, onion salt, basil and sliced almonds.  Add water and chicken in a tinfoil package (Fred Meyer).

4.  Favorites:  Crossing the river and climbing on fallen trees - Job
Eating warm dinner with the family - John
The peacefulness of the hike - Isaac
Lighting the fire - Lona

5.  Check for REI tent ground cover.   Thought we bought one, need to look in camp gear.

6.  Bring longer/heavier duty rope for tying up food bag.  Also bring 1 large black garbage bag to cover the backpack with the food so it doesn't get rained on.  We were blessed with no real rain.

7.  Frisbee was a good idea.  Provided some entertainment.

8.   Potato breakfast was great but don't use garlic potatoes, use fully loaded potatoes instead.

9.  Kindling wasn't needed, used dried moss and gathered deadfall branches.  By end of season will be fairly bare.

10.  Things to bring:  sandpaper and saw for Job (worked on his stick the whole time, filed every knot and branch off his staff), camp towel for drying off after a swim, a logic puzzle book.

It was really great. We jumped off a big rock into the freezing cold lake! What could ever be better?
-Isaac Parks