Life is Great in the Great Outdoors

We spent the better part of last week camping with Alan's parents up at Whitney Reservoir. It's such a beautiful area, and so remote. It was good to get away from ringing phones, overtime shifts, and all the other things that clutter up our lives. We actually got to spend some time together, which was a precious and fun opportunity.

It was also Mason's first real camping trip. We've stayed down at Palisades, or done a day-trip with Alan's family and their 4-wheelers a few times, but this was the first real camping we've done since he was born. I think it's safe to say he had a good time. Mason loves throwing rocks into water and mud to make a big splash, and this is what he spent a good portion of his time doing.

There was also a huge tree that had fallen over long ago that neatly divided our campsite and provided a perfect little bench by the fire. Mason was a huge fan of bouncing on the end of it that didn't quite reach the ground, and suckered Grandma into helping him every chance he got ("Grandma wants to help you bounce on the wog").

We were nervous about "tenting it" (as Mason had recently expressed a loud desire to not go outside for any reason) and sharing a zipped up sleeping bag with all three of us. As it turned out, we had no reason to worry. Mason had everything he needed: Grandma and Grandpa, endless dirt, water and rocks, and boundless energy.

There is no way I could post all the pictures we have in one post, so I'm going to split it up a bit. Here are some pictures from the first two days we were there. Have you ever seen such a dirty boy? And just wait for the next two days' worth!

Looking for the perfect rock to throw in the lake he discovered about 10 seconds after we had camp set up.

The view from the lake up the hill. Our campsite was just through the trees. Needless to say, we got in some hiking because this hill is quite steep!

By the end of day two, Mason was an old hand on the ATVs. He would climb up on them and beg someone to take him. This was while we were making dinner, and he wanted "Paumpa" to take him. By the end of the trip, he knew exactly how to start the 4-wheelers, but thank goodness he didn't have the dexterity to take off the emergency brake!

Mason bringing dad what he called a "big ant", but it's origins still remain unknown and said bug remains very dead as a result of being pinched between Mason's fingers because he wanted to hold it.

Also, on the second night, we (mostly my father-in-law) made prime rib for dinner. It was a fantastic recipe and one we plan on trying at home when we want a "fancy" dinner. Don't be put off by all the spice, just dive in. It will be worth it!

Cajun Prime Rib

1 (7 lb., 3 rib) Prime Rib roast
1/4 C. black pepper
1/4 C. garlic powder
1/4 C. salt
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb. sliced bacon, uncooked
Cajun seasoning to taste



1. Carefully cut off fat cap, but don't cut into meat. Reserve fat cap for later use (we just cut it into more of a flap for easy usage). Completely coat roast in pepper, then garlic powder, and finally salt. Replace fat cap and cover the rest of the salt with sliced onion, securing rings with a toothpick as necessary. Wrap bacon over onions, again securing pieces as necessary with toothpicks. Wrap your roast tightly in aluminum foil and place into the refrigerator overnight.



2. In the morning, preheat oven to 550 degrees. (We used a dutch oven, but the recipe recommends opening all your windows and turning on fans when you do this!). Unwrap roast, pierce several times with a knife, and re-wrap. Place in a shallow baking dish and roast for 35 mins.



3. Remove roast from oven and let cool, no longer than 30 mins. Return to refrigerator (still wrapped) for at least 3 hours.



4. Preheat grill for high heat. Remove fat cap and bacon, then scrape off onion and seasoning. You may reserve the bacon to grill or use for other things. Use a sharp knife to slice the roast into steaks. Each rib should yield two steaks, one with a bone and one without. Season steaks with desired amount of Cajun seasoning (for us, the more the better it seemed), and grill to desired doneness. You may want to lightly oil the grill prior to cooking.

For more yummy dinner ideas, check out Allrecipes and for more camping trip fun, check back here later this week.