Friday, May 28, 2004

Memorial Day Weekend

The family is going camping this weekend.  I'm so excited, I love camping.... the smell of an open campfire, the sounds of birds in the morning, coffee under the stars at night.  There's nothing like it.  Really.... there is nothing like it.  My camping trips with the family have never turned out like that. 

It usually begins with a 4 hour packing fiasco, during which time ALL of the necessities are forgetten and only things that are of absolutely no use in the woods actually make it into the back of the pick up.  We will end up running even later because we will have to stop by the store to replace the expensive flashlights we bought for this trip but lost.... with the cheap $1.50 ones that come with their own 30 minute batteries.  The trip up the hill will be total terror!  The kids fuss if someone touches them, they fuss if someone sings the same song they are singing, they fuss if someone looks at them wrong.  They fuss all the way there!  The radio will die out about mid-way and then the kids will start fussing about my husband's choice of music.  Last summer it was the greatest hits of the Carpenters.  Even I started fussing when he put in the 2nd volumn.

I always help the kids pack, and I always make sure they have clean underwear and socks to change into.  I don't know what happens to these items of clothing because they NEVER make it to the camp grounds.  I usually end up donating a pair of my socks just to keep the funk to a minimum.  Ever been in a warm tent that has a couple pairs of socks that had been reused for 2 days in a row?  When you camp out your feet can be in shoes for 18 hours at a time... oh my gosh!  And to wear the same socks for 2 days in a row...  Last year I went into the boys then but had to leave because the stench was so bad.  I literally could not breath in that tent!  My eyes were watering so bad I couldn't even see.  I don't think the kids were asleep when they were in there, I think they were actually unconcious by the smell, I am sure of that!  Those socks went straight into the trash as casualties of the camp-out.  Don't know why they don't just make disposable socks, I would be their best customer.

I won't be going up until tomorrow being as I have to work tonight.  Steve will be taking the kids up this afternoon.  I pretend to be disappointed in not being able to go up with them, but I'm not fooling my husband.  I made a huge pot of chicken chili for them to take up with them.  They will eat it for supper.  Hopefully it will be out of their systems before I go up tomorrow.  If not, none of them will be sharing the tipi with me, especially if we get a fire going in there.  Don't want that tipi blasting off into space.

Guess I better get started on the list of things that we should take with us but probably won't.  I think I'm more excited about having the house to myself tonight than I am about camping.  Woooo hooo!  This is so great!

 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL! Sounds like fun! I always look forward to camping or vacations, but it always ends up wild and crazy when kids are involved!!!
Hope you have a great time! Maybe their socks will chase off the bears! God bless, Beckie

Anonymous said...

hahahahaha!!! Thanks for the giggle this a.m., girl!
Between this entry and Lori's squirrel....I dunno....hahaha...I might be giggling all day....have a great camping trip this weekend, put LYSOL on the necessary list so it can be forgotten, and most of all---ENJOY YOUR ALONE TIME TONIGHT!!!  ---C

Anonymous said...

First:.... You're a nut!!!  This is time in the life of every mom when you're supposed to say... "You guys go without me... you deserve a little daddy/kid time", then you get to stay home IN THE BED BY YOURSLEF eating popcorn that you don't have to share while watching the CHICK FLICK YOU want to watch!

Second:... if you have to go... set up a tent of YOUR OWN.

Third:... if you have to go... take lots of extra socks!.... LOL

Fourth:... I saw Frampton on the news last night... YOU'RE RIGHT!  He's BALD!

have a great time
angie

Anonymous said...

I HEAR YOU  CAMPING IS HARD WORK. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE SOCK THING.  THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS.

Anonymous said...

Well!  I've just spent the better part of an hour reading all your journals.  Between you and "The Planet's Funniest Animals", I have laughed until my neighbors are sure that I am ready for the funny farm.  Truly, laughter is the best medicine, and I look forward to keeping up with you and your wonderful family.  Anne(Mutterings and Musings)

Anonymous said...

What a hoot you are!
Your vacation experiences are quite similar to the ones I had when my kids were younger. I remember driving all the way to Florida from Pa. with my husband and the 3 boys in a tiny car. I had to sit on the hump in the back in the middle all the way down to keep the 2 in the back from killing each other. We had to rotate who got to sit in the front every half hour. It was torture.

Maryanne
http://journals.aol.com/globetrotter2u/Myfeelingsarereal