Camping

We went camping this past weekend. We pretty much squeezed this trip in to an already packed few months. David has either had a client or had MMA training Monday through Thursday so it's been me and the little man by ourselves most of the week. We left to go camping on Friday afternoon so I did a majority of the packing and gathering supplies so David could work. I also did a majority of the stressing out... I am MUCH better at it than David so he leaves that to me :)

So we loaded up the car Thursday night, and took off Friday. Unfortunately we hit a pretty bad accident on the way up on 85 which delayed us, but we arrived about 4pm and started setting up our tent. It was a little harder with a toddler running around and empty campsite and trying to get our massive tent up. Luckily our friend Jackie showed up with her two kids (Aiden - 30 months and Asha - 4 years old). They helped keep Christopher company while she helped us put the tent up, then David helped with her.

See... our massive two-bedroom tent.

We love it though. We put Christopher in his pack-n-play on one side and we are on the other. We can put him down for bed, close the divider (a thin divider) and we can enter through our side.

And Jackie's tent...

It was beautiful. We were in San Mateo county surrounded by these huge Redwood trees.

We got the kids playing so that we could get dinner started. Well... Christopher started playing...

And we had our camp set up

We enjoyed an easy dinner, put the kids down and the adult hung out around the fire for a while. Christopher had a rough night, I think in part to teething (he cut a canine that weekend) and waking up and not knowing where he was. But once he was up and with the other kids on Saturday he was fine.

And of course, the adults were great after a few cups of coffee...

Breakfast was made... and eaten...

kids played in the dirt...

This was probably the funnest part for the kids. I brought a bucket and some shovels, Jackie had a few other buckets and together... the kids made a mess... of everything. Fun.

There was another couple there as well with their two kids who are 26 months old and 4 years old. So we had three 2 year olds and two 4 year olds.

There was always food out. There was so much activity between the five kids that they pretty much munched through the day. The peaches from Costco were a big hit.

And then I did the unthinkable. I tried to get photos of the kids, together, looking at me, at the same time... yeah.

Wow, they are all looking at the camera. Helps that Asha has the death grip on Christopher...

Now four kids... I have 2 of 4 looking at the camera...

And another!

The two older one's showing how it's done, the younger one's learning...

Uh oh, we have a runner! Wait that's mine!

Wait... none of them are looking... Aiden's making a "scootch?" for it and Christopher is ready to bolt... and what is Asha doing? Urgh... I need some help!

Better, but....

Wow, look at that... I think I'm about 90% there!

And back down to 30%

What's missing here??? (I think he's standing next to me watching...)

Oooh, is that almost perfect?

Oh my goodness, child of mine! Sit down!!! :)

Help please!

Phew, I give up.

Much easier

And my newly minted dare-devil... "What mama?"

This kid probably ran a few miles just back and forth the campsite

And I think we may need to get him one of these...

Jackie :)

Aiden

Sr and Jr

Snack time around the fire. He was such a good kid and would sit and eat and wait for one of us to get him. He was really good around the fire. Jackie gave me the advice of walking him up to the fire and putting his hands out so he could feel the heat and explain it too him. He never got too close to it after that.

Cooking on the camping burner

Riding the horsey

aka "leg lifts"

All dressed for the evening festivities...

Hubby...

Keeping warm

And some videos...

Don't ask, my son is an odd cookie... These two really hit it off. They are only 8 months apart in age and if we weren't almost 2 hours apart, they would probably be a lot closer.

Overall, we had a great trip. Christopher slept great Saturday night, which gave mommy and daddy a nice rest. We ate well, we even took a trip to the swimming hole. I forgot to take the camera (boo) but Christopher had fun in the water. We headed back about 12pm on Sunday and stopped in Davenport for lunch. Christopher had skipped his morning nap so we could get packed up so lunch was going to be iffy, little did we know, how it was going to end.

David and I were eating our sandwiches, Christopher was munching on a cheese pizza. He had been great, drinking, reading with Daddy. then suddenly, his eyes started drooping... he was still eating... eyes open, head falling... still eating... eyes closed!... still eating... eyes half open. Puts the pizza down, puts out his arms, "mama?" I picked him up, put him on my shoulder and OUT. Everyone around us was amused.... it was the funniest thing we've ever seen and of course, no camera.

Oh well, lovely trip with great friends. What more could you ask for?