We Camped!

We camped with kids.  This was a big deal for me.  I struggled to camp when we were just a couple.  So, it was with a little doubt, a lot of anxiety and a tremendous amount of fear that I embarked on a camping trip with two young kiddos.  But it turned out to be a totally great experience, albeit a bit of a chilly one.

We went with another family we've met here with kids the same ages! It made it oodles more fun for all of us and made the prep work a little easier, too. We loved our new tent and had fun dusting off and rehabilitating the old stuff we hadn't used in ages (since our Tahoe days, really, and that was almost 10 years ago!). Our camping lantern actually still had river goo from the flood we lived through in Asheville. That was 2004, for crying out loud! So, we were long overdue for a camping trip.

The only thing that was a little disastrous were our sleeping mats. We bought a new queen air bed that I was so excited to use. Well, we knew before bed when it was already having trouble holding air that it could never hold Corey plus me. So, we settled on Audrey plus me and figured it would be ok. Well, ok it was not. I woke up a few hours later with Audrey snuggled tight next to me and both of us engulfed in a deflating air mattress. To help you visualize, the bed had taken the shape of a giant taco and Audrey and I were the meat!! We were basically on the ground in the center of the bed while both sides extended up high on either side. A little terrifying to wake up to...I felt like I was being swallowed alive!

Audrey, on the other hand, was having the best night of her life, snuggled next to her momma for 9 straight hours. She loved every minute and slept through all this bed bedlam. Well, I finally opened the valve to let the remaining air out and a giant whoosh of cold air filled an already very chilled tent. Corey wasn't sleeping any better on an old backpacking mat with numerous slow leaks. And we were both freezing. But the kids slept through it all! So, while they woke up rested and refreshed, we became more zombie like by the hour! Night two was a little better as far as comfort but much colder as a pretty major wind and rain storm passed through the state park. Another sleepless night for Corey and me but the kids had no trouble at all snoozing through all the howling wind and pounding rain!

But our waking hours were great. We ate well, played well and really enjoyed the whole experience. Audrey was ready to come home on day 3 (as was I, really) but Natalie begged to stay another night or two. She was in heaven. 

This hammock was the best decision ever. 

The family we camped with brought it and put it up the

first hour we were all there and I don't think

it spent a minute without a kid (or 3 kids) in it

 until it came down the day we left.

 Sydney and Audrey

Kira, Audrey's bestest little friend. 

Wish I had a picture of them together.

 Little smiley pants.

 Sydney and  Natalie catching tadpoles.

 Natalie playing with her river "mushy muck".

 We were at Del Valle Regional Park outside of Livermore

and this reservoir had a pretty cool beach.

 

It was just really chilly and windy when we were there so

we didn't spend much time at the water but it would be great during the summer months.

 Cole and Natalie

 We brought the little Dora portable potty so that Audrey didn't have to make it all the way to the bathroom during the night.  Well, she had no interest in it at night.  She wanted to use it in the light of day in front of everyone, our camping companions and anyone else who would watch.  Mercy.

We have another trip to the coast scheduled for mid-June. Stay tuned!