Camping in 44 Degree Weather

It has always been an idea I thought fun...go camping, our favorite thing to do, the week we got out of school.

My brother bought a camper, eerily like ours, and we decided to do a quick weekend trip before our annual big camping trip later this summer.  For weeks when we would greet each other it would sound much like this, "Hey! Just a little bit longer and we are going to be camping!"

The day before we left for camping found me, the mama, sick as can be, in bed.  Misereable.

S1 and S2 came to the rescue and cleaned the camper.  They did a surprisingly good job for two boys who have never cleaned a camper before.  The day was cold, dreary, rainy.  We held out hopes for a better tomorrow.

Friday, the day we left for camping, dawned dreary.  And then it began to rain.  It was even colder than the day before.  When I shut the door to the house, our floors were covered in mud.  On the way to the campground, it began to pour.

My brother, who had arrived just before us, forked over the five dollars for the most pitiful bundle of firewood - but it was dry - and we couldn't get that campfire started fast enough.  Bundled in our winter jackets - WINTER jackets - we ate the food I had brought along in crock pots.

Because my husband had figured I would just get filthy muddy setting up the campsite, I had not showered before we left for camping.  I arrived that grubby you get from throwing together a camper after being sick in bed the day before.  So we drove down to the showers that were either not very warm or it was so cold outside that the water couldn't even compete.

It was fast shower.

When we got back to our unheated camper, I dove into bed.  I had made our bed with thermal sheets, two of the thermal blankets my sister in law had made us and the thick quilt that we had gotten for the bed.  I was afraid my hair might freeze so I pulled the blanket over my head.

It was 44 degrees.

The morning dawned sunny.  I didn't want to get out of bed before it was fifty, but it didn't reach fifty and I needed coffee so crawled out of my surprisingly toasty warm bed and into my winter coat.

The day warmed as it went on.  And, really, we were so happy to be camping we just got to being more happy than cold.

 My little nephew, Hunter, wanted to play in the dirt in the worst way.  My brother and his wife gave in.  It wasn't long after that the he began WALKING!  Woohoo! It was so much fun watching him play this weekend!

 This is my handsome hubby and Chloe, the Pomeranian of my sister in law that I may love greatly.  She is the sweetest little dog.  See how little she is?  She will stay that size, a forever puppy right there.  And when Jake said, "Ah, what a sweet puppy," I had to snap a picture.

 S2 spent a great deal of time napping.  We assumed it was because we were all exhausted, recovering from a busy end of the school year.  We realized later that S2 was indeed sick.  Poor boy! He got lots of cuddle time from his Daddy though.

 For entertainment in the afternoon, S1 set out some doritos, sat in his tent with his nerf gun and waited for the crows to come in.  Apparently it is easy to entertain him.

Here is S4 with the other Pomeranian that my sister in law has, Ellie Mae.  While Ellie wanted to play, S4 or some other child was usually carrying Ellie Mae around...a live stuffed animal to cuddle.

 Jake takes our cooking of food over the fire very seriously. He is amazed we don't get sick when he and my brother are not around to take care of the cooking of meat.

At four in the afternoon, the campground offers special activities for the kids staying there.  As you can imagine, there weren't very many people staying in a campground in June when 55 was feeling like a heat wave after the 90 degree weather we had the week before.  Jake took S3, S4, my three year old nephew and my three year old niece to their fishing pier to fish as the park activity.  They arrived home fishless and unscathed...except for Jake.  Rebeka had to go pee and he was the only one there to take her.  He didn't offer to take the little kids fishing again.

While Jake had the little kiddos fishing and S2 was asleep and sick, my brother took S1 fishing.  They were gone a good long time.  But if they were catching fish like this, I can see why.

 S1 was just as proud as could be with this 19 inch bass.  We took a bunch of pictures and then he let it go.

 So, if you go fishing in the lake this fish is in, you may catch it again.  But we won't tell you where the lake is.  He wants to catch it again.

Even though S2 spend most of the weekend like this, and it was chilly - no, downright cold - we had a great time.

There is something about sitting around a campfire with those you love with no agenda.  And it DID warm up nicely.  Sunday, when we left, we were all in t-shirts again.  Because it was cold, I didn't take very many pictures.  I did have my mom snap this one as we were about to pull out of the campground.  Never mind my tangled hair.  I ran out of conditioner.  I will spare you the amount of time it took for me to comb out when we got home...or the amount of no more tangles.

While Jake taking all the little kiddos fishing (he is brave and we loved him for it) could have been the funniest story of the trip, it wasn't.  It was S1.

As we sat at the camp fire, we watched a racoon meander very near us, and S1 came up with his brilliant idea.  He found the cheap marshmallows wadded up pretty good so he wadded up bits of marshmallow and stuck them on trees.  Then he took an uneaten hot dog and strung it up on a little rope connected to the awning.  He laid bread and marshmallows all around him, then he sat in his tent with the flip cam and just waited.  

He didn't wait long.  This video was taken as Jake and I were headed out to shower.

When we returned back to the campsite, one raccoon scurried up a tree next to us and peeked out, one ambled out of view and who knows what was under the camper.  I just dove into the camper to be safe.  In the middle of the night, we realized the raccoons had found the bacon grease we were saving for fire starter in the morning as a huge ugly fight broke out. That S1 slept through.

It was a great weekend, well, other than freezing (but we survived!) and S2 being sick.  He is still sick, poor boy.

It was a great kick off to our summer vacation.

Gone Fishin'

Summer is nearly at an end.

I despise having written those words.

But the truth is that it is and it just hit me I haven't once taken the boys fishing and I even bought my fishing license this SPRING in plans of many fishing days. So, Friday morning, the boys searched up some worms and we headed over the bait store to buy more worms (they weren't sure fifty would be enough and I wasn't going to argue) and we had to get S1's tags for early hunt NEXT MONTH. (ug, fall, you are so mean to show up in summer!)

Gillet's Bait and Hardware is sort of famous here. It is open 365 days a year (yes, even on Christmas) and it is truly a one of a kind store. It is filled with characters and history and if you show up on Friday afternoon, they make cookies. The owners home is connected to the store and I believe it has been around since the beginning of time...or close to.

The woman who owns the place happens to know everything about getting my son a hunting tag and I know nothing and there is something to be said about someone you trust completely on this subject.

At long last we arrived at the lake.

As we were headed down the wooded path to the pier, S4 said "I like walking with you, Moma, because it's just you and me and you just listen and I talk and I have a lot to talk about."

It was shaping up to be the most perfect of days.

The boys were SO excited to be out fishing again!

True to form, S2 caught the first fish. And it was a whopper, can't you tell?

Really, there is a teeny tiny fish on that fishing pole.

I do not really like to fish.

Here are my reasons....

I don't like fish. I don't like to smell fish. I can NOT eat fish...at ALL. I do not like the smell of worms in my suburban. I do not like the ickyness of worms on the hook. I turn into a girly girl.

But I like to spend time with the boys.

And for some odd reason, I think fly fishing looks appealing. Go figure.

The boys did buy me a cute pink fishing pole. Someone broke it at some point so it is an itty bitty fishing pole now...but it works.

I came armed for a day out fishing.

Note the Starbucks coffee cup. Do I live near Starbucks? No. I live sooooooooo far away from Starbucks that I actually keep the cups to drink out of until they fall apart. I feel that it makes coffee taste better.

But I do so love Deep Lake. I tell the boys it is DEEP, thus the name, so they had better not fall in.

S4 is convinced that Indians live on the other side of the lake and he is always on the look out for some to show themselves. I never have to worry over him wandering around the lake. He is very well behaved here now...since he figured out Indians live over there.

I may have not dissuaded him on this.

The other reason I love Deep Lake is for this....fences. There is no way they can just "accidentally" fall in. I find comfort in that.

We happened to come across some visitors while out on the fishing pier and I ended up sounding like a Pure Michigan campaign telling them how much there is to see in the area. I mean, how many people can boast that they have climbed down into the Devil's Soup Bowl and found it cool?

(Note...now is the time to read the book Six Months Among Indians if you can find it. My Dad has it and I get it from the library to read about every other year. It's all about our area long long long ago....)

I was prepared for my day. I think my purse matched the day perfectly. I had a full cup of french pressed vanilla caramel coffee (my favorite), my blackberry to instantly share pictures with, nail polish to paint my neglected toes and wipes because it's fishing adventure. Wipes WILL be needed.

S4 didn't catch a fish right away so he decided to take a few pictures. He caught me painting my nails. (Hubs likes this picture of me.)

He told me he took this one so I knew it was him who used the camera and I would remember that he had been there with us. As if I could forget.

Notice his head...as if you could not. He ran into a wall. Seriously. He says that the wall actually ran into him. I did not argue.

S3 caught an amazing pollywog.

S2 caught another whopper. It was all the fish we would get. I can't say I wasn't a little happy about that. I didn't want to cook the fish too badly.

I noticed S1 isn't in hardly any photos. He was happily untangling lines, re baiting hooks, trying to catch view of the monster turtle we seen here and there and busy as could be.

He loves fishing.

I loved this photo. I'm rather fond of milkweed...I get that from my father, and my husband does not understand how on earth I could enjoy a nuisance invasive weed like milkweed...and I'm rather fond of butterflies so I am very fond of this photo.

All in all it was a great fishing day. The boys got to wade out in the water a bit before we left and I am thinking that we will try to fish again this week. I mean, after all, we still have about 60 worms left.

And I can always use a fun couple of stress free hours with my growing boys.

Camping Trip 2, The Fishing Side of It

One of the biggest reasons our camping trip was ever so relaxing and fun and a boys dream is because my brother came along.

I adore my brother.

He brought his fishing boat and took the boys out on the various lakes around the campground every morning and night. The boys caught fish and had fun...and...get this...their Uncle MADE them their fish for dinner.

This was unbelievable to them, since their Moma can't eat fish...or even stand the smell of them. I am fish incapable.

But here is yet another reason why my brother is so wonderful...he also cannot eat fish. So he cooked these up for the boys and everyone else and he made him and I pork chops instead.
One morning, as they were leaving to go fishing, I suddenly remembered they didn't have a camera so I hopped out of bed, ran for my sunflower golden bike, jumped on still in my pj's, no contacts - a truly rumpled me - and raced as fast as I could down the path to head them off so they could take my camera.

I missed them.

But then they forgot something so they swung back through and I handed them the camera. And I am glad I did, because I love this picture of S3......
S1 didn't actually catch this fish...but, the little itty bitty fish he DID catch is actually inside of this big fish and when we shot this picture a split second later the little fish hopped OUT OF THE FISH's MOUTH. I cannot make these things up.
S2 was sooooo excited to use a knife and learn how to clean the fish and use a knife. Did I mention he got to use a knife? S3 did not...and you can tell he wants to, badly.
I wish I had gone out on the boat, just to see what is out there on those lakes. But I can't handle the fish part of it well, so I missed out. But the boys, they had more fun than I think I even realize. And they ate lots and lots of fish.

Barefoot with a Fishing Pole In Church

We have VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church this week. Yesterday, S3 refused to go. He didn't want me to be home all alone. Isn't that sweet of him? I was completely fine, COMPLETELY fine, to be home alone but how could I refuse him? So he stayed home with me where we made up a special lunch for his brothers and he played quietly, enjoying his time alone at home.

It was nice. Really, it was a sweet time together.

This morning, however, he decided he would like to go to VBS. So, we hurried around (because we always and forever seem to run late) and we rushed off to church. Rushing off I felt that sick feeling you get when you realize that all to soon I will do this EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL MORNING.

May summer never end.

Upon arriving to church, S1 began to pull out fishing poles out of the back of the suburban. It's fishing theme day at VBS and, let me tell you, we are prepared for such a day. He had thought to take all the hooks off, which was brilliant of him.

It was about this time we realized that S3 had forgotten his shoes at home. We did not have a spare pair in the vehicle. S2 panicked. "How can he go into church with no shoes on??????"

S1 answered him with a practical reply of "It's church. What's he need shoes for inside a church?"

Brilliant son, I tell you.

So, just to get this image correctly formed in your head, S3 is going to church with long jeans and a long sleeved hooded shirt on because the poor thing has poison ivy. The poison ivy is less tempting to itch if he has long clothes on. But just the same, you see the rash prominently on his forehead and chin. He is barefoot. And he is carrying a fishing pole. Into church.

I am thankful for our church family. They love us anyhow...and I do believe we are memorable family there.

Here fishy fishy fishy!

At the campground, far away (really, it takes two full songs to get from campsite to beach while driving) is the most beautiful, clean, fun lake I have ever encountered in my life. While swimming, if the lake is not busy, large carp will come up to the shore to swim around and look for food. Scary at first (you hear Jaws music in your head), it truly is cool.

The boys are fascinated by these fish. The take nets down to the beach and have long learned the fish’s favorite food, licorice and cheese balls.

On this camping trip, the two older boys brought their fishing poles. We set up for the beach days on the opposite side of the beach we are normally on because there is a grassy knoll there that the boys could fish off of and not bother swimmers and yet are so close we can keep a close eye on them.

Using a cheese ball for bait, S2 caught this whopper of a fish. He was the hero of the beach. Kids and parents and teens all flocked over to him to check out his fish. He was the coolest little guy. After a few photos, we let him go.

After that fish incident, the boys got much more aggressive about catching fish. That and the water was a bit chilly for swimming. GM (my sister in law) bought the boys some worms and they began to catch eatable fish. I don’t like fish, can’t eat fish, they make me sick. The boys had forgotten to grab a bucket so (thankfully) they had to let them all go.

When my husband arrived to camp with us, he jokingly told the boys that if they caught enough he would make them up for them. Now, being the ingenious boys they are, they knew they had no bucket and moma wasn’t about to give up the dishes bucket for smelly fish so they came up with a rather creative plan. Backing two Tonka dump trucks together, they began to keep the fish in there. With them backed together, it was less likely the fish would jump out.

In doing this, they really created quite the crowd. They had a swarm of kids around them who were more than willing to keep running with a plastic cup down to the lake to fill the trucks up with water. These kids had never seen a fish caught and S1’s chest stuck out a little farther with grown up authority as he explained to kids how to catch the fish and yes, there really are fish that live in this lake and S2 would then tell them about the whopper he had caught earlier in the week and the kids eyes would get buggy eyed, run to tell their parents and then run back to dump more water on the fish.

No one caught a monster again, but they did catch enough for lunch. They had ever so much fun cleaning the fish, frying them on the campfire and gobbling them up. S1 declared they were better than fish sandwiches at McDonalds, and then wondered to him self how it was McDonalds caught all those big square fish.

And as much as I detest fish, I have to admit that it was great for the boys to have an experience only their daddy would share with them, a memory they will not soon forget, I am sure.

I Know Everything

This week I took the boys fishing.

I don’t like fish. I don’t like worms. I don’t like bugs. I can’t eat fish, it makes me sick. I do not take fish off the hook. But, when the weather is nice and I am sure to get some sun for a tan, I do take the boys fishing.

First though, I had to stop to get a fishing license. I have faithfully bought a fishing license for two years in a row now. This is big time stuff. When I walk in, they must think I am slightly crazy. Four boys, me and fishing. Yah, I would find us crazy too! But the local hardware knows us well and the gun and bait shop we now stop at somewhat regularly is always extra patient with all my questions and helps us out a lot.

To read the rest, check out Sue's great and inspirational blog http://www.praiseandcoffee.com/