The summer sun is fading by 8 and the kids are tired all the time.
They are cranky.
I am cranky... real cranky.
I am almost ready for school to begin. Almost.
Okay...I am.
We have been busy this summer. So busy that I haven't had a moment to sit and write all about it until now.
We took a little camping trip awhile back...to Rathtrevor on Vancouver Island.
Here little E waits the 1.5hrs for our ferry at Horseshoe Bay
Here baby A keeps herself amused with Mr.Man.
Endless hours of fun he is.
Me and Little E on the boat.
It was windy outside...he couldn't get enough of it.
It was beautiful.
Here is our car all geared up for some camping good times.
Camping is work people.
Read on.
A bit blurry...kinda sets the tone for the weekend.
We pull in to the campground and get our site.
Lucky 13. It was right near the beach. Perfect.
Little E helps Mr. Man set up the tent while we wait for our friends to arrive.
Note the determination and concentration.
A perfectionist like his father.
Then our friends showed up and set their tent up too.
Then it started.
I had tent envy.
Sure...ours looks big...but don't let my trick photography fool you.
We fit a PLAY YARD and a 4 yr old AND two grown adults in there.
Tight.
Apparently I will like this tent in bad weather and when our friends are floating away I will be comfortable and dry.
Apparently Mr.Man thinks I will like camping in the winter.
Apparently Mr.Man thinks I will tough out a wind storm and rain storm playing Uno in the above tent with a 16 month old, a play yard and a 4 year old.
Apparently Mr.Man doesn't know me at all.
Thank-fully my tent envy went away when Mr. B opened my beer with his cast iron frying pan.
It was magical.
I was impressed.
Such talent.
We did some unpacking...
some playing...
3D Chalk play
It was a hit.
Kept them busy for hours.
Ok. 10 min.
Ok. 5.
Little Miss S coloured.
She is 5.
She is brilliant with the colours and the lines.
You know...that whole keeping it in the lines thing.
She can draw too.
This was baby A's spot for most of the weekend.
Had to keep her pinned down.
Locked in.
She is busy.
She was exploring.
She has no fear.
I was/am exhausted.
She loved the dirt. So different from her brother at that age.
She can now say...
"here you go"
"Puppy"
"Mommy"
"Daddy"
"Nanna"
"Moo"
"Baba"
"pop"
"Giggle giggle"
and a bunch of other mumbo jumbo that we can't seem to decode.
I made some dinner
Mr.Man grilled and entertained.
Then it was sleepy night night time.
Sort of.
For some.
It was a long night of up and downs.
Bathrooms.
Flashlights.
Headlamps.
Stories.
Then it was morning.
Like 6:30 am morning.
We lit a fire to keep the chill off. Plus...what is camping without the fire?
B made scratch pancakes. They were yum. Apparently lumpy lumps are good. Indeed they were!
Somebody found a forest friend.
He was a big one.
So were his friends. Beautiful girl didn't mind.
The slimier the better.
At least somebody got to read that weekend.
We headed to the beach.
Not really swimming...it was sunny, but breezy.
Burrr...I am a wimp.
What has happened to me?
There is the hoodie that I wore ALL weekend. ALL weekend.
It was a beautiful campsite and the walk to the beach was just as beautiful.
Huge trees...and beautiful grasses. I wanted to get some photos.
But the kids didn't.
This one was ok. He wasn't moving at least.
We tried...he gets so excited.
Love the grasses.
Next time I bring the big guns...noooooo...the big CAMREA people.
My camp uniform.
Old lulus and a hoodie.
Perfect.
I kept warm.
I am a wimp.
Lots of bike riding. EASTON NOW RIDES WITH OUT TRAINING WHEELS!!
Not on this trip...but when we went to Calgary. That is a whole other post.
We prepare another feast. Miss S helps to shuck the corn.
B tires of his beer tricks so catches up on some News.
This is camping people.
Anything goes.
Voila! I make fire!
Then a little guest came for dinner.
But this was no little guest.
Here he is on Little E's back.
Here he is on Miss S's hand!
Here he is in her smore!
No.
Kidding.
He flew away after the kids fondled him way too much.
Poor little dude.
The kids liked the smores.
So did the adults.
Dare I say they were perfect.
Gooey Goodness.
After another CRAZY night and a early rise...me and the wee angel went for a walk.
I was fretting about my tiredness and the craziness of camping with a toddler and 3 under 6...the work that camping is.
THE WORK.
The packing, the loading, the unloading, the cooking, the washing, the entertaining the kids part, the chasing, the washing, the cooking, the cleaning, the diggin through bins for food, a fork, the tent (I was VERY comfy on my blowup thank-you) and then the waking at dawn business part was making me mad.
Then I looked up on our walk and saw this stuck in a tree as I passed.
It was just sitting in there waiting to remind me.
A simple rock...shaped like a heart.
Reminding me to be grateful.
And I am.
For many many things.
Especially her.
Despite her craziness and shenanigans.
I did find some peace.
if only for a moment.
Then we were off.
But not before we saw these two chowing down.
Deers.
Then it was back to camp to pack it all up for another year.
Yes...I am done camping this year.
Maybe next year too.
Until baby A is 4.
Maybe 5.
The kids helped.
Ok.
The kids got in the way.
Thank goodness for the bikes.
We headed out and stopped at Coombs Market.
So busy. SO busy. We had lunch and then got an ice cream.
We stunk.
We were dirty.
We were campers.
Then we waited for the ferry to come and take us home once again.
One slept and the other...
well...I'll let you guess what she got up to...
-E
