Promised Land on Earth: Camping Plan A and Plan B

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Camping Plan A and Plan B

This past weekend we had BIG plans! We planned to go to Dinosaur Valley to go camping. Great fun! However, after much planning back and forth and agonizing over dates, etc, by the time we called to reserve they only had one campsite left instead of the two that we needed!!! BOO!

We decided instead to go to Lake Mineral Wells with our friends the Hamms.

Plan A for our trip went as planned so far...
Left Thursday morning and had lunch with Tyler and Kristi at school. Visited antique stores along the way in Weatherford. Believe it or not, our kids love this! Finally, make our way to the park to set up camp. When we arrived we had double good news. One, the burn ban had been lifted so we could have a camp fire!!! Woo Hoo! (Benjamin said God had answered his prayers in this! LOVE when things like that happen that increase their growing faith!) 2. THis dream campsite that we wanted was available. We got it!

We had fun climbing rocks, cooking under the stars, playing with fire...boys! It was a ton of fun. Then night time came. This is where plan A began to blur into no plan at all.
It was hot. It was hotter than you'd hope for an end of September camping trip. We had a hard time getting to sleep. We were sleeping on the ground and were uncomfortable. After about 2 hours of sleep attempt things started to unravel slowly as the hours passed.

12:00 - Startled by a loud sound. Both sit up in bed. What's that? Sounds like our cooler! Raccoons!!!

1:00 - Cait wakes up and says she's scared. Comfort her, back to bed.

2:00 - Wake up with water falling on my face. It's RAINING!! The rain tarp! How does that thing work again???? Half asleep-grumpy-kid whining-married couple arguing-attempt to throw that tarp on the right way was futile. We tried and tried until the rain stopped. We opted to just go back to bed. Probably not the best choice. Note the time though....

3:00 - I wake up. NO!!!! I can't have the sudden urge to go potty!!! NO!!! Get in car drive 1/4 mile to bathroom in pajamas. Sit in car in front of bathrooms visualizing the News broadcast the next night of what happened to a young mom in a state park bathroom in the middle of the night! Get some courage and run int he bathroom. Drive back to campsite trying not to wake family.

4:00 - Again....find water on face. This time it is because kids wake me up yelling that it's RAINING!! This time harder. Rain tarp attempt #2. This time mildly successful and less sinful of previously mentioned married couple. Trying to protect the identities here!

5:00 - NO!!! Not again!! Yes, sudden urge to go to the bathroom again!!! I never wake int eh night to go potty!!!! ONLY when camping. Drive to bathroom again in pajamas. Drive back to campsite and crash.

7:00 - wake up and know that the only redeeming thing at this moment is that there is coffee made over campfire waiting for me int eh near future. THis gives me confidence to start the day.

8:00 - make breakfast in the rain.

8:30 - eat breakfast in the rain. Listen to children whine. Attempt to help hubby in his speech to said children about the joys of camping even in the rain.

9:00 - official ushering in of plan B!!

We spent the rest of the day there at the camp and then I promise you we packed up just. in. time! We decided to camp our second night at the Hamm's house instead of them joining us in the rain and muck and heat and humidity. I think we made the right choice. As we drove out the park the bottom of the clouds gave way and...whoosh...pouring rain for the next 24 hours. FUN...fun that we missed it that is!

We had a great time "camping" at the Hamm's new place! The kiddos slept in sleeping bags in the game room, swam, jumped on the trampoline and rode scooters in the rain...the adults talked, and talked...drank wine, drank coffee, talked, played Uno Attack...fun. We even made smores on the grill! Good time with good friends!