Camping 2010

This weekend we put all other things aside.  While we hated to miss birthday parties, football games, and all of the other things that we also enjoy; quite a while ago (as soon as Chris was able to find someone to work the football game for him) we designated this weekend to be a family camp out.  This was Tate’s first camp out, and while we didn’t tell the kids about it TOO far in advance, we soon found out that even the 3 days notice was really too much.   In the days leading up to the camp out Tate had tested his sleeping bag, packed his suit case (containing 4 baseballs, a Spiderman backpack, a soccer ball, and a plastic boat), and for all 3 days he dreamed about eating smores… lots of smores!  When I asked him why he wasn’t packing clothes, he looked at me like I was a moron and said, “But I’m already wearing ‘dem”.  We planned to get the kids out of school early and set out on our voyage after lunch.  I woke Tate up for school on Friday and he said “I’m not going to school;  I’m going to camping!” 
Cayla was equally excited about camping, but she was a little more practical.  She was sure to pack gloves, a hat, lots of socks, and fleece pullovers.   Her only “non-essential items” were a couple of books (which she read often).
We made reservations at the state park in Sealy, but arrived there to find out that a burn ban was in effect.  We could still camp there, but we could not use anything that created an ash (including charcoal).  How in the world were we supposed to roast hotdogs and eat smores using only a propane cook top?  With that we left Sealy and consulted a book of State Parks (accompanied by a map of the burn ban).  We ended up not far from my old stomping grounds – Lake Texana!  It was perfect.  We got there in time to set up camp before dark, and then we started cooking our dinner over the campfire.  We scored a campsite right across from the bathrooms (including hot showers).  We scoped out the surrounding areas, ate dinner, made smores, and then kids were really excited about taking their “camp showers”.  By 7:30 they were ready to hit the sack in the tent.  Chris and I just looked at each other in disbelief and let them go ahead and lay down.  Who would have thought they’d be asleep before 8. 

Cayla’s hotdog might have been a bit “dark”, but she was so excited about cooking it herself, even she didn’t mind eating it.
SMORES!!!!!
Saturday we visited the nature center, and saw a program about bats, toads, owls, and other camp creatures.  In the afternoon the kids got to go to craft hour and make an owl out of paper plates.
Tate holding an owl’s foot.  Kind of gruesome sounding, but the park ranger promised us that the owl died on his own (by electrocution I believe) and somehow they salvaged the foot.  YIKES. 

By Saturday afternoon the kids’ internal clocks were officially out of whack.  We’d woken up with the sun that morning, and had a day full of activity.  At 3:30 in the afternoon they were already asking to make dinner.  We were able to dodge dinner until 5:00, but no longer.  After dinner, they were ready for round two of camp showers, and then headed to bed in the tent.  They were worn out and asleep at 6:45.  At 7:00 Chris and I broke out the radio (and some D cell batteries) and sat by the campfire and cheered for the Aggies.   
Tate enjoyed peeing on all of the trees around our campsite and we’re having to adjust to using restrooms again.  Since we’ve been home I’ve explained multiple times that he can’t just walk out the front door to use the restroom.
  The trip was a huge success.