Camping 101

Well we survived…our first camping trip in 6+ years! The last time we went it was a complete disaster (Tyler was just a little baby) and all I remember is burnt tin foil dinners, uncooked pancake batter due to a faulty propane stove and sleep deprivation due to some partying neighbors. I swore I would never camp again. This time after doing some serious preparation (thanks to Cami for her instruction) we actually had a really good time..despite a few setbacks…BUT I think going with the expectation of a sleepless night was a contributing factor to the success.

Things were going great until it got really dark and Kaylee starting running FULL speed in the dark with no particular direction. She miraculously never hurt herself too bad, but it required some quick movement and coordination on Andy’s part. While he was chasing down Kaylee I was quite graceful myself. Because it gets dark so early now it was pitch black by 6pm and we were all stumbling here and there…well I stumbled right over this very large tree stump and did a full 360 landing on my back. I’m sure it was hilarious to see, but man it HURT! I couldn’t even talk for several minutes. Now my legs and elbow are quite purple and my knee is pretty sore still J Then once it was bedtime things went pretty smoothly, although everyone took forever to go to sleep, until around 12:30am. Kaylee started shrieking like a banshee. She would not stop crying and of course the ENTIRE camp could hear her…no pressure or anything right? So I took her to the car and thought she would calm down thinking she might be cold (it was REALLY cold). She didn’t’ stop crying, so I headed home. She threw up in the car. We got home I cleaned her up and looked at the clock and it was 2am. Slept in my own bed while the rest of the family toughed it out. Andy froze, but Ty and Audrie slept like logs.

Once morning arrived I got up to get ready as fast as I could to go and help everyone clean up camp and get home. Kaylee eventually woke up and off we went. The road on the way to the camp ground was closed by police. I had to really talk my way through, which eventually worked.

So needless to say it was an eventful camping trip, but I still am calling it a success. Some may say sleeping in your home may not be camping, but I simply don’t care. It was a success for the Hart family! Camping just might not be in our blood J

We didn’t get ANY pictures with the camera, but fortunately Andy took some while I was not there with his phone. They are of the children playing the FREEZING cold creek, fully clothed. Yeah, that wouldn’t have happened if I was around, but they had a blast while playing…it was the aftermath that wasn’t so fun.

As we were hauling the last load of camping gear to the van, with the biggest smile ever Audrie says, "Mom, can we do this every weekend?" I looked at her with my puffy eyes and said, "I'm gonna have to think about that one..."