Camping trip August 2013

*Written June 2014*

We tried to take the kids camping in August, tried being the key word there.  It was alternatively really great and really horrible.  When we first got there and set up the tent, Colin had a BLAST crawling around inside.  I took a video and it's worth watching because he is so cute crawling around the tent like it's the best thing ever.



After that it got pretty bad.  We brought Colin's porta crib and put him to bed, but he cried for most of the night.  It was really cold, and I got Colin to sleep for a little while by stuffing him into my sleeping bag with me, but I was really uncomfortable not being able to move.  About halfway through the night, I gave him to Daddy, who stuffed Colin inside his sleeping bag and they both slept.  Unfortunately, Mommy didn't.  I couldn't sleep at all and didn't sleep for one minute the entire night.  I laid in the dark and watched my family sleep through the hours until the sky finally, excruciatingly slowly, started to get light.  I got up as soon as it was light enough and started warming up some milk outside for the kids and getting breakfast ready.

Everyone else sleeping.

Michael cuddling Colin

Sleepy heads

Yay people are finally awake!

We had delicious bacon and eggs, yumm!

We took Colin's porta crib out of the tent so he could enjoy the outdoors
without getting too dirty!  Or eating any dirt!

There was a stream nearby and we took a little walk to it.

Our campsite was next to this beautiful reservoir and Jane and Daddy had fun throwing rocks in.  Daddy is really good at skipping rocks!

After playing at the reservoir, we drove into a nearby city to buy some firewood.  While we were gone, a big storm blew in and covered our campsite in hail.  When we got back, things were muddy and disheveled, and it was still raining.  It rained for the rest of the afternoon.

Colin back in the tent playing in his crib.  The floor
of the tent was getting a bit muddy.

Amazingly, we got a fire started in the rain.

Jane still having a blast!

Everyone trying to stay warm by the fire.

 We decided after roasting hot dogs and then marshmallows that we wanted to call it early.   We had been planning to stay another night and then drive down in the morning, but we decided to break camp, pack everything up and head home before it got too dark.  We couldn't be sure if it would rain through the night and it was colder than ever after the hail earlier.  We were sad to go early but when we got into bed that night we didn't feel as bad anymore!

Beautiful views on our way home!