Camping Highlights

My mom and I were sitting at the campfire one night recalling all the past camping trips.

Each is so different and yet we think they will be all somewhat the same.

This camping trip I was plagued with an allergic eye.
It was as bad as it sounds.
I couldn't read for TWO DAYS. Torture, I tell you!

We had thunderstorms.  I mean, rock you to your bare feet, light up the sky,
make you cry out (when you are suppose to the brave one), awful flooding campsites storms.

And our TV was broke.

During one of the storms, I had seven kids in the camper.
With no tv.
My sister was laying at one end of the bed nursing Blaine.
I was on the the other side of the bed wishing I could fall asleep.
And we just pulled the sheet door closed to pretend all the kids weren't there.
When my sister and I were little, I had never fathomed one day we would live that scenario.

And then, of course, there were the snakes.

All in all,
We had a GREAT camping trip.

So great that the boys cried at the thought of leaving the beach and the campsite.

Yes, after eight full days of never leaving the campground.
(Although, we did have to call my sister in law GM.
And she did arrive with water (WATER!) and she DID break into my house
(she is the only one who can),
to bring me things I forgot....like my ipod (gasp!) and camera charger.
I have decided I can NOT camp without GM.)

Some of the best times were....

Definitely the time spent with my niece and nephews.

That my husband was able to come out and visit us TWICE.  He sometimes never makes it once.

It was so fun to watch him play with the boys.

And take over the campfire because we girls don't seem to know how to make a fire....

or cook food properly.

I was most thankful he came to the lake so I could do this to him......

I told him it said "I love kitty cats."

The boys were dirty every single day.

And this made them happy.

The boys spent a whole day fishing.

Some poor old man came out to the lake where the boys were fishing 

and the boys clung to him like he was a hero.

I felt bad for the poor old man.

He seemed to laugh and enjoy himself.

Really. There is a cool fish on this line.

It's a huge one.

Like, maybe all of three INCHES!!!

After the first huge rainstorm, S4 decided he needed to sleep next to me.

How can you not be happy when you wake up to this?

See all his stuffed animals?

He had to line them all up like this.

In fact, in a suitcase he packed ONE pair of clothes and allllllllll his stuffed animals.

When he found out I had packed him clothes, he said I was the best moma.

We laughed tons and tons on this trip.

And loved the morning we woke up and all the boys crawled in the camper bed,

happy to have Daddy with them.

In all our time camping, he has never had a day off to visit us.

Until this year.

But when the eight days were up, 

I was missing my very own shower.

And my internet connection.

My poor computer was so lonely without it!

Now that we are home though, I would love to go back.  And every one of the boys has said at least once a day, "I wish we could be camping again."  So do I, boys, so do I.

Well, minus the snakes.