There are two kinds of situations that have about a one hundred percent probability of making me eminently happy; anything spontaneous and all variety of vacations. Last weekend, we had both. We have been wanting to go camping since we got back from our last camping trip, which was two years ago. At long last, we just couldn’t wait anymore, and we didn’t know what we were waiting for anyway, since our kids have somehow remembered the last camping trip and have been constantly reminding us to take them again.
It was rushed and last minute, and we almost backed out due to loads of school work and laundry and a mile long grocery list with no time to shop… but all that made us that much more grateful to get away from it all when we finally got on outta here. We went to Lake Pleasant, without reservations, just hoping and praying that there would be a spot left for us, because we didn’t try to book until the day before arrival, and the reservations needed to be made 48 hours prior. We found a spot, and it ended up being so right for us. We were there for only a full 24 hours, but something about camping makes you just get the good out of every moment, and it winds up feeling like a whole three day weekend if we were to spend it at home.
After we set up camp, we took the kids swimming in the lake day use area. The water was so cold even though the outside temperature was in the nineties. Ariana showed us how she loved it by smiling and squealing through her chattering teeth. The kids were so tired out after the swim, and Gabe was begging to go to sleep in the tent.
Not long after we got back from swimming, Grammy and Papa pulled up with their camper trailer. We’d been telling the kids all along that Grammy and Papa were coming with us, but their excitement reached new heights when they saw them with their own eyes. 
Our tent is fabulous. We love it. It’s nicknamed the Tent Mahal, because of it’s size. On clear nights, we can leave the rain fly off and sleep out under the stars. We did that this time, and the moon light was so bright that we could hardly sleep, which was awesome and annoying at the same time! I kept having dreams that there was a street lamp on, and Bella woke me up saying that the sunshine was too bright (in the middle of the night, lol).
For a kid, part of the wonder of camping is just in the sleeping arrangements themselves… sleeping bags with their favorite characters, lovies outside of their rooms, a tent over their head, and being within rolling distance from mommy and daddy. Bella could hardly wait to get to bed.
We went on a walk before dinner to explore the campgrounds and the lake. And we picked our spots for next time.
I love watching my kids play when they don’t have schedules or excessive amounts of toys or anything else to get in the way. Just witnessing them interact with the world around them is such a joy. This is the stuff of memories.
The kids made a friend, who was our next door neighbor at the campsite. He was such a cool little kid and from such a sweet family. We got so lucky to have awesome neighbors like them. The boys played together all day and the next.
I pre-make all the food I take on camping trips, because I’m not a very good propane stove cooker, and because I like to spend my time by living it. I made chicken pesto pasta for dinner that night, and Grammy made a seven-layer bean dip and a salad.
We would have had a fire that night and made s’mores and the whole nine yards, but there was a fire ban the night we were there. So instead, Papa rented ‘Tangled’ for the kids to watch. Everyone, including the neighbors came over and hung out around the laptop, which was the next best thing to a fire in my kids’ mind. 
In the morning, we had banana bread and cinnamon rolls and had fruit coming out of our ears.
We decided to take the kids out on rafts to a sandbar out in the middle of the cove. We shuttled them over on blow up rafts and toted the camping chairs and the cooler out there too, so we could have a picnic lunch on our own private little island. Gabe was excited to be with so many people that he loves, so he tolerated the cold water well. Ari splashed and squealed and chattered her teeth, which is a par for the course for Ari. Bella rebelled and refused to get in the water on her own. She walked around the shore, talking up everyone who came her way and getting them to shell out food and hair accessories for her pleasure. Daddy had to carry her over on his shoulders, because she refused to touch the cold water. I have to admit that I wasn’t the fastest about getting in that freezing water myself. Grammy and I had to have a splashing war, before either of us would get in on our own. But, once we did, it was just like everything else that requires much… it delivered much in return.
