Camping 11/2010

Our camping trip started out wonderfully -- we arrived to 85 degree weather, fair skies, good friends and good food...

Then, around 10:00 pm, Mama Nature decided to give us a little rain. We scattered to each their own tent, and snuggled in for a long winter's nap. Then, around 2:30 am, we awoke to our Grace saying, "I have to go to the bathroom."

I tried to talk her out of it... but she insisted.

So, as I'm trying to pry the sleeping bag off of me, she says, "Why am I all wet?"

I reached out and touched her. She wasn't just wet, she was soaking wet. Every layer of her was soaking wet. And as the realization of the facts are setting in, we begin the changing process, and the bathroom trip. When we get back, Adam says, the tent is leaking -- and the water was pooling right where Grace was sleeping.

We resort to having her climb into our 'bed' -- I unzip my sleeping bag completely and just cover her and I with it. And then we begin the task of trying to go back to sleep - and stay asleep - and turn over without waking 2 other humans who are also trying to sleep on the air mattress, that is also beginning to deflate.

We make it through the night - Grace and I were pretty tired... But at least we woke to blue skies again. A little cooler, though... and much cooler than I had anticipated!!

But we made the best of it. We played and ate and walked and ate and played...

and, of course, there were s'mores!!

and a gorgeous sunset - that is totally not captured in the picture.

Adam made a trip to a sporting goods store earlier in the day, so Grace had a nice, dry sleeping bag to sleep in. The temperatures dipped into the low (lowwww) 40s that night.

And you know when your packing, how you pack for everyone first? You think of every possible scenario: wet, cold, dirty, potty-accidents, muddy, hot, etc, etc. Well, I thought of it all for my children, but I sorta forgot about myself in all of those scenarios. I packed for the hot, I packed for the muddy, I packed for the dirty... And while I didn't have any potty-accidents, I also didn't pack for the cold. And somewhere around 4 pm on the second night, I was really, really wanting to go home. I got a chill that I couldn't shake. I was tired from the night before. But Adam was off fishing with Jayden, so I couldn't really tell him all of this.

Michelle came to my rescue - she and Josh outfitted me in down vests and booties. And other friends had hand warmers... So I warmed up and sucked it up and we stayed the night.

And today (Sunday), I was awarded with a long nap.

And now, I am off to bed! And I am so happy to be warm (I even started up the fire in the fireplace tonight!) and dry and happy.