Camping is In'TENTS'

A couple hours before leaving on our first ever family camping trip, we started loading the van.  Scout knew something was up and jumped in the van, laid like this, and refused to budge.  I think she thought we were going to leave without her.  We They would never do such a thing!;)

Because of other circumstances, we had a very small window of when we could actually go camping.  So, despite a chilly forecast and me getting strep throat two days before, we headed to a state park.  Lo and behold, not another soul was tent camping that night so we had the frosty forest to ourselves. 

What's a camping trip without hot dogs?!

I was going to ask someone to take our picture, but since we were the lone campers, we settled for a timer family picture.  I had to make sure a family photo with the tent was taken in case this moment never happens again. 

To be honest, camping was a fun family experience (for awhile).  We were going to keep Scout in a cage in the van at night but when she saw two of the kids crawl in the tent, she immediately ran in too and politely laid down on Jon's sleeping bag.  We couldn't kick her out, so we all scooted over and were squashed like sardines.  

The kids got the giggles at night, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.  I watched as each child fell asleep, listened to Jon snore peacefully, and laid there happily thinking of the fun memories we were making.  All was going well...until about 2:00 a.m.  I simply could not fall asleep and had no more mental pep-talks for myself.  That's when I hit the wall...it was COLD, the ground was HARD, and I was ready to be HOME!  Did I mention I had just started on an antibiotic for strep throat?!:)  I felt like I was holding my breath so that I didn't breathe on either of the little faces that were on each side of me, so this may have also contributed to my insomnia.  (Are you feeling sorry for me yet?)  I started to sneak back to the van for the night when Natalie woke and begged me to stay beside her.  So, I toughed out the rest of the night with my family in the tent that seemed to get smaller with each passing hour.  :)  

Eventually, I dozed off with the other dreamers until 5:30 when Scout decided it was time to rise and shine and started licking all of our faces.  The giggling started again, and I was just so relieved that we had made it to morning!  Jon broke the sad news that we wouldn't have daylight for a couple of more hours.  The kids and I spent the rest of the time in the van with the heat on high.  

After sunrise, we hit the trails.  There were some impressive sights to see, and we would enjoy returning sometime when it is a wee bit warmer (and when Mama Bear has had a wee bit more sleep). 

Scout was scared of the steps (just like at our house), but had to overcome this because there were many steps in the park.  I think we went up and down all of them.  (Jon may beg to differ.)

Although I may have sworn never to go camping again sometime around 2:00 a.m., it is something I may consider in the future.  Jon told me that it was probably like childbirth and that I just needed to give it some time, that I would forget the bad parts and remember only the good parts, and want to do it again.  Time will tell!

For now, however, my new song is "A Camping THEY Will Go, A Camping THEY Will Go..."