Wednesday 18 August 2010

Spur of the moment camping

By Sunday afternoon I had received two invites to a nearby provincial park to play this week, one for Monday and one for Wednesday. By Sunday evening I had packed the car for a three-day, just kids and me camping trip.

Yes, I know I'm crazy. The decision meant setting up our eight man tent by myself with a baby, a toddler and a preschooler underfoot. It meant a trip to the grocery at the crack of dawn Monday morning. It meant hauling three kids to the comfort station when I had to use the bathroom. It meant driving through the campground to pick the perfect camping spot: one with a swingset and a slide literally on our site and right behind the bathroom.

It also meant playing pirates on their ship on an old-school wooden playground. It meant building a massive sand castle city. It meant cooking hot dogs over the fire and reading "Stewart Little" on the beach. It meant the four of us passing out in the tent on hot afternoons. It meant cuddling up around a fire as darkness fell and singing camp songs I learned as a kid.

There is nothing I loved more, before I had kids, then impromptu vacations. Now I have discovered I can still do it with kids.

3 comments:

Heather said...

You go girl, you are brave. You and I share the dread of grocery shopping alone, and then you pull THIS off. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Sweetie,

How brave you are to take all those boys on at once all by yourself. Although, I did tell Dad that Colin and Caleb are so good at playing with each other and also they are such good listeners, that I can see it would be easier than taking other more 'challenging' children camping. It sounds like you had such a fun time, though. Send pics please. :-)

Love, Mom

Terri-Ann said...

Heather - funny enough, two weeks ago I had no option but to take all three grocery shopping again. I went to Sobey's and thought that the fancy carts with the steering wheels would keep the older two busy while I had Benjamin in my Ergo carrier. The boys bickered and fought the whole time, and Benjamin cried the entire time I was trapped int he checkout line (on a busy Saturday morning). I actually think camping was easier! I don't know why grocery shopping with kids is such an ordeal for us!

Mom - sorry, there are no pictures! I didn't even take the camera, I was so worried about having to watch three kids!