Camping

This weekend we went camping with my family. My parents, and all but 1 of 7 kids were there. I use to enjoy camping, but since I have become a mom, I don't enjoy it nearly as much. I get so exhausted preparing everything, that I don't have energy for hiking and exploring. My energy level has been terrible lately, so that didn't help.

This weekend was not a great weekend to go camping because it was cold in the mountains. The high was 70 and the overnight lows around 50. I wasn't worried about bug bites, I was worried about frost bite. I was freezing day and night. We were planning to come home on Sunday afternoon, but we came home on Saturday night so that I could thaw out.

The problem I had with being so cold is that I didn't want to drink anything. Hot chocolate has milk in it and I really don't like spiced apple cider. Any beverage I had was really cold, therefore I didn't drink as much as I should. I was cold, but I was getting dehydrated. I spent most of Saturday night and Sunday morning fighting off a headache.

I know that in the spring, I will be outside in 70 degree weather with short sleeved shirts, praising the warm weather. It is all a matter of perspective. I wore my hooded sweatshirt and my winter coat all day yesterday.

Another thing I don't like about camping is unpacking. We are home from camping, but I still have another 5 loads of stinky laundry to do and I need to wash out the coolers, etc.

I really enjoy spending time in the mountains. I guess that I don't enjoy the work required to sleeping there. My plan for next year is to spend the day in the mountains and come home to sleep. It only takes about 40 minutes to get to the mountains from our house. I think that I will be more relaxed and be able to enjoy time in the great out doors.

The highlights from our camping trip:

We were about 10 minutes away from the campground and Mark puked. He was in the back and the throw up was all over the seat, the ground and Mark. Need I remind you that this is a new van? All of the paper towels, bags and change of clothes were packed in the van on the very bottom of the pile. We had to dig out a rag, clean off Mark and the van as best we could and get to camp.

Right after we got the canopy set up, and as we were getting the fire started, it started to rain, and then it hailed for a while. Daniel was working on the fire and my dad was holding one umbrella over the fire pit and another umbrella over his head. It was a funny sight.

As we were setting up camp, a moose and two calves came near our camp. They were about 30 feet away. A large group of us were standing on a table watching them. Someone asked if it was very safe to be standing this close. Mark said that we would be safe if someone had a weapon. Then he asked if anyone had a musket. A musket, seriously? Not a hand gun, or a rifle, or a billy club, but a musket. Good grief!

The pump for the air mattresses quit working. My sister, Debbie, was going to use it too, so we had to blow up the mattresses by mouth. Daniel was quite the trouper!

Paul was the accident prone child again this year. He fell off of his scooter and tried to make a dent in the asphalt with his forehead. He has a beautiful bruise on his forehead, scrapes on his belly and elbow.

Seth told my brother-in-law, Blake, that now we can have some serious fun in our new van. He is really excited about the DVD players!

Mark and Paul spend the night in my parent's camper and Seth was in the tent with me and Daniel. As we were talking before going to bed, Seth said something to the effect that Daniel would die when he was 80. Daniel said that he could live to be older than 80 and Seth was adamant that the oldest age is 80 and 80 is when everyone dies. We couldn't figure out where he got that idea. I had a bizarre thought, but decided to go with it. I asked Daniel what the highest level is on World of Warcraft. It is 80. Yep, Seth gets his ideas of mortality from a computer game. Daniel told Seth that people can buy expansions and live past 80. Whatever.

Paul stayed with his cousin, Cooper (Randy and Wendy's son) on Saturday night. They went on a hike to 'Donut Falls' Sunday morning. Paul really enjoyed seeing the waterfall that goes through the rock. Big thank you to Wendy and Randy for taking care of Paul. He had a lot of fun.

On the way home Saturday night, Daniel asked Mark if he was feeling okay. Yep. He asked Seth if he was feeling okay. Seth said no. We asked what was wrong. He said "I am just exhausted". He was asleep about 5 minutes later.

Amidst all of the cold weather, I got a sunburn on my face.

So I'm thinking of submitting a scent idea for the Little Tree Air Fresheners. How about a triple threat combination of New Car, Vomit and Campfire Smoke scent? Nah, I don't like it much either.