Camping: Part II

It was time.

Time to take the kids camping.

By myself.

Alone.

No back-up.

Was I up for the challenge?

Before we even left home, I couldn't find my camera.

No pictures for you today.

Maybe that's a good thing?

Anyway, we left without it and arrived at camp at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

The weather was spectacular!  Sunny and not too hot.

We proceeded to set up camp.

I'm proud to report, we did it...together.

And we're still speaking to each other.

Then it happened.

We couldn't find the garbage bags I KNEW I had purchased and packed.

Trip to town. #1

Purchases made:

I box of garbage bags.

2 bags of chips.

2 bags of candy.

2 bundles of firewood.

Back to camp

In getting food out to cook, found garbage bags I HAD packed.

Made hamburgers on the grill pan on the Coleman Stove.

Stayed calm during the 5 grease fires I started.

We enjoyed a great meal of burgers, watermelon, grapes and chips. 

Decided it was time for a swim.

Ut oh.  I forgot my swimsuit.

To anyone that knows me, you know this was devastating to me.

No matter how awful I look in a swimsuit (and it's bad), I get out in the water.

No matter what.

I LOVE water.

But there I sat. On the beach.  Alone.

I watched the kids swim a long with 3 other people.

It was a perfect night.  For them.

Back to camp for smores and ghost stories.

Time for bed.

I had 6 pairs of ear plugs with me.

I was ready for the whippoorwill.

Guess what? 

It only sang for an hour.

Didn't need the ear plugs.

Up bright eyed and bushy tailed Friday morning.

Made half burnt blueberry pancakes and bacon on the Coleman.

It is HARD to cook on a Coleman.

The dials are super sensitive.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Washed dishes and got dressed.

Trip to town. #2

Off to Walmart to get a swimsuit as I wasn't going to miss swimming again!

Went north when I should have gone south.

Time wasted: 30 minutes

Purchases at Walmart:

Swimsuit (trust me, I settled as I was desperate)

Goggles for Becky

Football for TJ

Bug spray ( the one I had packed broke mysteriously)

Back to camp.

While getting food out for lunch, discovered I had forgotten foil.

Made pigs in a blanket over the campfire for lunch.

More fruit and chips.

Squeezed into new swimsuit.

Swam.

The water was perfect.

I could have spent hours there.

Alas, black dog, in black truck equals not much time to swim.

*Sigh*

Back to camp.

Change clothes.

Trip to town. #3

Purchases:

Foil

Treat at Dairy Queen

4 bundles of firewood.

Back to camp.

Played some catch.

Made a Hobo Dinner in the campfire.

Wonderful!

Played games.

Did puzzles.

Smores.

Ghost stories.

Scared the heck out of Becky and TJ.

Bed.

Arose Saturday morning.

Made bacon and eggs on Coleman.

Very good.

Packed up campsite.

Headed for home.

Sunday morning we went on a nature walk.

Both kids had baggies in hand.

TJ wanted to collect wildflowers.

Becky wasn't sure what she'd collect.

Boy...were we all surprised when this is what she found:

This is Lucky.

She is an adorable, sweet tempered kitten about 8 weeks old.

She was very sick with a fever, runny eyes, nose and sneezes.

She visited the vet on Monday and got lots of medications.

She was better this morning.

Becky gave her to TJ.

See that heart on Lucky?

It warms my heart that Becky gave her to TJ as she loves kitties like I do.

But she wanted her brother to have a kitten.  He's been trying to get me to allow him one for 2 years.

Camping Part II

Fun.

Expensive.

Family Bonding

Priceless.