Family 1st camping trip!

I thought I was posting more than one picture the last post. I have been trying for some time to get away with the kids. You know I was having that itch to have a road trip. I love road trips and luckily so do my kids.

So I packed up the car and the kids and headed for Meridian State Park. We initially planned on being there 2 days but I had to cut it short. Good thing Migraine on the day we should have left but that is another story.We left Monday morning which also happened to be Eve's birthday. This trip was to help her celebrate turning 13. Oh yes she is officially a teenager god love her. The drive down was really good. It was only about 2 hours. We got there set up tents and went for a hike.

Now I can hike with the best of them. But I kept replaying the last time we went to Dinosaur Valley and I slipped on the slimmy rocks and fell on my butt. SPLAT! So I was a little hesitent on the rocky terrain. And the hills were steep. Cole decided he was leading the group I guess forgetting he had his mom and sister joining him. He took us down the steepest hill. I was last to go down. So I watched as they all went down and realized they all grabbed at something. Alex decided he needed to wait for me. As I came down the hill I kept hold of a branch and sure enough the slick mud and steep hill tried to get me but I won this time. He yelled at his brothers for leaving and they quickly came back. But I was down the hill by now.

Then came the river. They wanted to jump rocks. Yeah ok. I was thinking about the two younger boys and could see them falling and being wet from head to toe. Several of them do this and get over. In fact all of them. I said no way jose I would surely fall. So Malcolm and Cole tell me to go down river a bit. Then they tell me to climb on a log going across the river. You know how you see in the movies the people stradling across the log. Yeah that was what is in my head at that moment. Cole jumps back across and says no like this. Hops up sits on the log and scoots. YEAH Whatever! I veto that and go back up stream and found an easier route. After our hike the river (yes I crossed it several times.Before we found leeches in the water. YUCK!)We went back to camp.

Malcolm showed off his fire starting capabilities. When we were leaving the house he was looking for steel wool so he could really show us how to start a fire. I was just use matches. He thought Eve and I needed to know how. I explained we do that at camp. He was shocked. We had a good time sitting by the fire, talking, roasting hot dogs and making smores.

When it got dark they played capture the flag. Call me crazy I sat out and watched. I wasn't sure about running in the dark with big rocks all around. I could have ended up like Cole who ran into the fire pit with his legs. They enjoyed themselves without me.

When it was time for bed or at least to go into tents the 4 older ones had picked the bigger tent and Sebastian and I were in the smaller one. How that happened I wasn't sure. But none the less Alex was complaining about being squashed. So he moved to our tent. Yeah we were in a 2-3 man tent. We tried it for awhile. What I found out is if your clostophobic that tent just doesn't work. After a card game and I laid down. I yelled to the other tent. This isn't working. Lets join together. These tents we borrowed from my sister Stephanie were soooo cool. They joined. You actually zipped them together or apart. How cool is that. So we unstaked the tent and moved it together. We stayed in our confines of the little tent squashed but it worked. Plus I have to admit I felt safer having all my kids in one tent. My boys laughed about that one. Hey what can I say. The site was on the side of the park that was a little close to the highway. So close that through the layer of trees (thin) you had a barbed wire fence about kneed high and the highway right there. Ok I admit it. That freaked me out.

After everyone went off to sleep I laid there listening to the trucks and the other noises. You would have thought I was a kid imagining all the sounds and what they were. Racoon, Bear? The boys had hung the rain tarp for the tent up to dry and it was flapping in the wind that sounded like someone was hitting the tent. Then the wind picked up alot. Right off the river we got a good little breeze. About 1:30 Sebastian says mom my stomach hurts...
me: Are you going to be sick?
Sebastian: I don't know. I have to pee.
me;Can you hold it? (stupid question)
sebastian: I guess.
A few minutes later I tell him to put his shoes on and we will pee in the woods.
I cheated we opened up the tent stepped about 20 feet away and he did his business. He was cold at that point so we put in his sleeping bag with a sweatshirt and more clothes on and off to sleep I thought we would go.
Sebastian: mom I am scared...
Me: why
Sebastian: all the noises.
Me;come lay closer and it will be ok. (I sure was hoping.)

He eventually fell a sleep and I laid there in the dark thinking...Some time I fell asleep.The wind really picked up and I could hear it blowing sounded like a rain storm coming. I tried to wake up Malcolm and Cole I sure didn't want to go into the dark by myself to retrieve the rain flap. Eve tried hitting the boys. Cole woke up said he would just get wet. Malcolm what I later found out just ignored us. Thanks boys. Then all of a sudden Eve took charge. Stood up open the tent and before I knew it grabbed the flap and was putting it on. So sebastian and I were helping to put it on. She was saying I can't believe they are too lazy to get up and I don't know what I am doing and I am doing it. I was impressed.

About 4:30 or so I hear Alex moving around.
Me: what's wrong?
Alex: I am cold!
Me: So am I and I have to go to the bathroom. Do you need to go?
Alex: Yeah
We sat up and I notice the silly kid had taken off his shirt. Hello of course your cold. We dressed him better and got into the car to drive to the bathrooms. Sorry folks I am not doing my business in the woods.

When we got back to the tent I gathered all the extra coats, blankets etc to help him get warm. And we climbed back in our sleeping bags. Might I say the ground and I are not friends. Next time I will bring the air mattress. Yes, I know I am a wimp.

Morning came. Still cold. Very Cold. But it was nice. Malcolm got up to start the fire and read his book. I stayed in the tent for a while with Eve and Cole. We eventually got up ate and packed the site up.

We enjoyed our get away.
On the way home I did make a short stop well not so short for the kids. Found a great Antique shop and Christmas store.

Today being Thanksgiving when I am writing this I am so grateful for my kids. They teach me so much. I love the new adventures they push me to experience. I am really enjoying watching the grow up. Sometimes I think they are growing up too fast. But you can't stop them. I am thankful for their health. Their laughter and the opportunity to raise them. It is never a dull moment. I have truly been blessed.