Ahhh, camping - click, click, boom, yak!

So, we went camping this weekend - as in tenting it.

So, the click, click, boom, yak was the beginning of our adventure. We were planning to leave at 2 pm and I got everyone in the cars by 1:50, all excited to go. It was a million degrees. I was so proud of how I packed both the cars and got everything in, get in my car. I mean everything for 6 people for 2 1/2 days - tent, 6 sleeping bags, 4 blow up beds, 4 bikes, food, beach toys, 2 camp chairs, 4 fishing poles, and clothes.

Click, click, click. Arggghhhh! Battery? Thankfully, The Stick is a car guy. I was ready to cry because I am hot and pmsing. He gets his battery tester and there is still juice in the battery. He tried jumping it with this battery little thingie, didn't work. Then, he was thinking it might be the starter. We start to go through all the scenarios – go buy a starter and have him put it in, how much is a starter?, $200, but it is still under warranty, isn’t it cheaper to tow it and have them do it under warranty, we could make trips with his two door cavalier, yuck, we could borrow his dad’s car, I called the dealer to see if it could be seen, but not til Thursday. Called his dad to the rescue once again. He insisted it was the battery and we jumped it with The Stick’s car and it worked. Phew, off we go at 2:30. Thankfully it only took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get there.



The place was great, the sites were small. Ours was really small for a large tent, 6 people, plus 2 visitors, plus 2 cars, plus visitor car. So, I hiked back to the main office to see if we could have the neighboring site, but it was to be taken, but we could park in the site across from us, so that was good. Got the tent up and boom, bam, thunderstorms and down pouring rain. What is it with us and rain this summer? But, it had been hot and felt good for a bit. We had borrowed 3 blow up beds from my mil. Plus, we bought a cheapo one. Pumped up the cheap one with The Stick’s hand pump, one bed had a charged piece that blew it up and then, two had to be done with electricity. Oh, I was a site. It was downpouring and I drove to find the showers. I went in with the bed in the bag into a small, but nice shower/bathroom stall and started blowing it up. As it fell on to the floor, I didn’t know that the other end opened, LOL. So, I am trying to blow it up with the hole at the other end, going right through. Figured that out and blew the bed up. It was about the size of the bathroom, tried to shove it out the door, barely fit, shoved it into the back of the minivan. Again, still pouring rain and all these campers watching me. Get another bed, go in, fill it in and stuffed that one into the car. Got back to the site and The Stick wasn’t there with the kids and no car. Since it had started lightning, they went for a car ride. Okay, so I jammed those puppies into the tent. The tent is supposed to sleep 6 – 8 but doesn’t fit 4 big blow up beds. It was like a geometry puzzle that I barely passed, LOL. The tent is hexagon shapped, LOL. So, the two little ones were supposed to sleep on egg rolls, but there was no floor space left. So, the two little boys shared a bed and The Stick and I shared one, ooh, not so fun.


After this fun, I suggested going out to dinner. Felt like cheating,but I didn’t feel like hearing The Stick cursing the rain as he tried to light a fire. So, we went and had a nice dinner at a nice Mom and Pop place done the road. Got back and the rain had stopped somewhat, so the kids and I decided to check out the grounds. Croc was tired and his tummy hurt from dinner, so he wanted to lie down so The Stick stayed with him. The other kids and I walked around and came back to a trail of puke, LOL. Yuck! Croc had started to puke on his pillow in the tent and The Stick dragged him out, leaving a trail. So, we threw the pillow case away (thank goodness that is all he got) and we threw some pine needles on the trail.

Croc had what Charlie Brown had had. He was on the low all day Saturday, with a fever. I bought medicine and it broke the fever for a bit, not fun for Croc.


But, besides all that fun stuff, it was good. The only beef I had was that nothing opened til 10 – the beach, the arcade, and the pool didn’t open til 11, geesh. So, at 10, we hit the beach, 10:45, did mini golf, 11, hit the pool, headed back to the site around 12:15 and met up with with my sister and her husband. Then, we rented paddle boat and 2 canoes and did the lake. Then, back to the site, then to the pool, then the beach, then waffle ball, then dinner, hanging out, card games, and smores. They left at 9 and we hit the sack. On Sunday, we broke camp down and went fishing and swimming, then headed home. OH, yeah, my car battery was dead then too, so we had to jump it again.


Football starts tomorrow.

Been a long time, a long lonely ole time...

Gosh, what a whirlwind it has been lately. I finished my first year of teaching successfully! At the same time as I was waiting to hear if I passed my final capstone oral defense for my masters program, I graded my last final exams. So, I finished the teaching year and finished my masters! I am so excited, so proud of myself. I started in January of 2004 and was at it full force for 2 1/2 years. I have four kids, went to school, and worked full time. No small feat if I say so myself. I am hoping my next year teaching will be easier because I won't have my own schooling, I will have one teaching year under my belt, and I won't have an hour of physical therapy for my knee surgery to squeeze in.
First day of summer came and ahhhh, I remembered what my old life was like. I love it. I miss it. I am enjoying every second of it. I watch my 10 year old nephew and my 8 year old niece in the summer on Tuesday, Wed, and Thursdays. So six kids for the summer sounds far from relaxing, but it is! The kids are great. They all get along. They keep each other busy. With the heat and no AC, we are usually out at a friend's pool or a local beach. I love it! It is like we are our own camp. Of course, this year it is math camp. I have seen first hand the importance of math skills, so I ordered workbooks for all the kids and they start the day with a half hour of math each day. And, so far, no complaints. They just do it.
I scrapbooked our Disney trip from February. I love the scrapbook. I just ordered 400 more pictures from snapfish. That will keep me busy a while.
Plus, I have been reading books. I haven't really had time to read for pleasure since I was going to school, so I am so thoroughly enjoying it. I am on my 5th book of the summer.
I guess that is my update for now.
As summer is going by way to fast, I will try to post more often. I have been very contemplative for some reason this summer. Interalizing everything, really thinking about everything. Kind of a stop and smell the roses thing because I know I will be back at work soon and I just want to make the most of my summer. I love this precious time with my kids.
Off to read my book: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. It is good, I recommend it. I really recommend the Girl with the Pearl Earring. I didn't think I would like it, but I picked it up at a book sale for 25 cents and I couldn't put it down.
Enjoy every second!
Princess