Camping

Over the 4th of July weekend we went camping at Willow Creek, off of Highway 49.  We had a great experience there last year so we went back for more fun, food and gold panning on the banks of a charming little creek.  Our campsite this year was just as charming, over a little footbridge and under some beautiful shade trees, but the mosquitoes were relentless day and night.  It's too bad, really, because those little bugs can spoil an otherwise very successful weekend in the woods.  

 Audrey was hit the hardest. We counted 25 bites on her face alone (and that's with the bug balm applied to every exposed inch that we've used successfully in Michigan for years!) but once we arrived home and the swelling started to recede we determined it might have been a combination of bug bites and poison oak.  Oy. Audrey, forever the optimist, said, "those bugs sure love me, don't they, Mama!"  They sure do!  She was just happy that calamine lotion was pink as she spent the last day of our trip covered in it!

 But the kids had fun despite the itchies.  They played in the creek all day every day, enjoyed campfire meals and desserts and loved story time in the tent each night.  I, on the other hand, have never been so happy to see my house upon returning home.  We camped three nights this year which the kids were clearly ready for but I'm not sure I was.  

We were in rough shape on the ride home...I'm not sure Audrey saw a hairbrush all weekend!  But both kids were all smiles!