Summer 2009 Family Camping Trip #2

We told our kids that we would leave after school on Thursday, but we really intended on leaving at 4AM. They tend not to sleep if they know something exciting is going to happen. So when we woke them up at 3:45 they were all rather surprised. Tanner, as usual, was wide awake instantaneously and looked up from his bed with wide eyes and said, "What are we doing, Dad?" like he had been awake for hours. It took Jake a few minutes of eye rubbing and sleepy confusion before he realized what we were doing. Faith was game to go, as long as she had all her "baynies" with her in the car.
They all took two naps on the 10 hour drive North. It was easy driving for Brian and easy child duty for me.

I love camping- and it is so much more fun when it isn't raining! We had beautiful weather- perfect, really. It was in the high 80's but our campground was in the shade so none of us ever got too hot. Plus we were right on the lake so it was easy to cool off. The kids got along great and the adults had fun. Brian and I got another glimpse of how much easier trips like this will be in just a few short years. I think the worst part for me was worrying about Faith around the fire. I have to admit to being a little manic about it but I had visions of charred hands covered with blisters.

No bugs. Good food (thanks Lisa and John!) and we had the boat to play on all day. I was reminded, once again, how much I love being on a ski boat. We are looking for a way to give similar summer memories of waterski trips to our kids- they need to do timeshares for boats, don't you think? Anyone want to go in with us on a used boat purchase? I skied for one run and had a blast. The extremely sore muscles I still had two days later were well worth it!

We left at around 10 on Sunday morning, intending to drive all the way home, but I hit a wall at about 4:30 and we were still 3+ hours from home. So we stopped at the Super 8 in Grangeville (small town- not even a fast food restaurant to be found!). The hotel had an indoor pool and I think this was Faith's favorite part as at one point she threw her arms around me and said,'This is the best day EVER, Mommy!" We arrived home the next day around 1PM- dirty and tired, but happy and ready to plan our next camping adventure!