Camping Part II

We went camping last weekend.  I was much better prepared this year because I camped next to the Raskells.  Our friend’s Tiffanie and Don go all out for July 4^th in Boston and I merely show up late and ask them for cold drinks and a snack.  So my brilliant plan for camping success was to 1. Camp with Don and Tiffanie and 2. Bring the High School Musical and Transformer blankets.

I am happy to report that camping was better this time, but wet and cold.  Because naturally shortly after being hit by Hurricane Irene, Vermont seemed like the best place to go camping.  (Meaning we had planned it prior to the floating away of half the state.  Have I ever mentioned that I can be rigid about plans? If I haven’t, let me mention that now.  I can be rigid about my plans even if they only exist in my head.)

Status Updates:

Husband:  Told he looked like someone ran him over with a truck while camping.  Talking into driving the kids an hour away to tour Ben and Jerry’s, while there was talking into buying the kids an obscene amount of ice cream to eat.  Currently in favorite parent spot.

Me:  Remembered to bring paper plates this time (was feeling pretty good about myself until I realized I forgot serving/cooking utensils.  Can’t you do everything you need to with tongs?)  then realized I didn’t need to bring them because the Raskells were next door.  Wimping out of the tent and moving to a cabin for the second night was the BEST. DECISION. EVER.

Brianne:  Sad at the lack of teenagers.  Talked father into a two hour drive in a fantastic display of “wrapping your father around your finger because you are his little girl and he wants to make you happy.”  Awww.  Slept in swimming suit and pajamas the second night and we aren’t sure why.  A three-year old followed her around for two days.

Jake:  In his element.  Had a posse of 6 and 7 years-olds following him around the whole time.  And there were sticks.

William:  Still hates camping.  The first morning he wouldn’t talk to my husband for an hour.  Then Will looked at his dad.  “No camping!”  Will said.  Pausing for a moment, he thought of the only thing worse than camping.  “No two airplanes!”  He added.  On a positive note we now know where camping rates.  It’s better than flying.

Elizabeth:  I have no idea.   I barely saw her.  Trying to keep track of her was like trying to keep track of a unicorn.

The Raskells:  Just grateful for the opportunity to set up my tent, drive me around and feed me dinner …  And you’re welcome!

Camping

Subtitle:  In a delightful bit of foreshadowing, I asked my husband soon after we arrived and in the middle of cooking dinner, “Do we have any plates?”

Several things went well and several things could have been improved upon.  Let’s start with what could have been improved.

1. Checking to see that you have actually brought dishes before arriving at the camp site.

2.  Not freezing every water bottle you are planning on bringing.

3. Just because it’s July doesn’t mean it will actually be warm.  Next time bring some blankets rather than just sheets!

4.  On your list of things to bring – include more items than just food.  Because while we definitely had enough food there were plenty of other useful items that would have been helpful.  Which brings me to …

5.  Don’t forget to bring depends.  We were fine.  We were overnight accidentless.  However, I was so worried about it I schlepped Will over to the bathroom in the middle of the night in the cold.  Super fun for both of us.

6.  Check where you are in relation to the bathrooms before you make a reservation.  Because you might not want to walk down a hill then up a hill to get there.  Other families might not want to be close the bathrooms … but we are not other families.

7. Write a social story about camping for Will because he doesn’t like it and will spend half the day sitting in the van, pinching people who wander too close to him and shouting, “no tent!” to anyone who tries to encourage him to sit in the tent.  Then at night he will refuse to sleep by himself in his personal airbed because 1.  It’s cold! And 2.  He’s camping in a tent.  He will end up sleeping by his father because he is a really good sport (as opposed to his mother who really, really, really does not want to get peed on!).  Then the mother will hear the father complaining that Will is a bed and pillow hog.

8.  I have to go back to the need for blankets or a sleeping bag beg because it was so cold the first night that Jake woke up and volunteered to sleep with Will because he was so cold!  (Keep in mind Jake would rather sleep on the floor than with Will because he also really, really, really does not want to get peed on!)  At which point I volunteered to sleep with Jake because huddling under a beach towel on Will’s airbed just wasn’t cutting it.  And I don’t recommend sleeping with Jake because he’s so bony and we fought over the beach towels.

9.  The extra-large campfire marshmallows (while looking very appropriate for camping) are not actually that great because the inside is still firm when the outside is ready to eat.  Recommendation:  Stick to the normal size.

10.  Leaving children with instructions to put away the groceries.  I still haven’t found the bacon and worse yet, our Friday morning breakfast was baconless!

What went better than could be expected.

1. Rejoicing that the camping box you brought but didn’t check actually had some plastic plates, four cups and some silverware.

2. None of the four airbeds leaked!  Woot (because you know if one had leaked , chances are it would have been the one I was using.)

3. Buying blankets at TJ Max.  We now have a very attractive set of camping blankets.  Let’s see Bri has a High School Musical blanket and Jake has a Transformers blanket.  I probably would have lived my whole life without either of those … and now I don’t have to.

4. Bringing games … oh, yes very fun!

5. My husband was laptopless because he just got a new laptop and his wireless card doesn’t work on the new one.  So, while he pecked out a few messages on his blackberry he really didn’t work at all.  Note to self:  Flush wireless card down toilet occasionally.

6. Berry cobbler in a dutch oven.  Very tasty.

7. Prepackaging food

8. Camping at a campground with showers.  A necessity with William.

9. Remembering to bring tweezers – Brilliant!

Status Updates:

Fatherof4:  Complains about being too old to sleep outdoors but I suspect he secretly loves it.  Dutch oven food cooker, regrowing a goatee

Motherof4:  Stresses over toileting issues/William/camping

Brianne:  Had fun

Jake:  loves camping, 1 tick removed

William:  Delighted to be home

Elizabeth:  loves camping, 1 tick removed

Mosquitos:  Lonely and hungry

In a moment of weakness

I agreed to go camping.   I used to enjoy it but then we had kids and it got a little more complicated.  Several years ago when Jake was a cub scout we signed up for a family weekend campout; but I looked at the tents and realized that William could leave when I was asleep without my knowledge so we didn’t stay the night.  My husband took the kids while I stayed home with William for the next couple of years.

So, although I have fears of not going home with the same number of children I come with and even though I’m concerned about toileting issues we are going to a campground at the Cape on Thursday.  (If you are prayerful at all, you might want to include me and Will.  Oh, and Lizzy because she has delicious blood that ticks prefer.)