Monday, September 2, 2013

camping...trial and ERROR.

I took the girls camping a few weeks ago.
Some dear friends we've made since moving here invited us....we love them, we love where they were going, it seemed so glorious.

I say "I" because Jake was planning on coming but wasn't able to get off work.
I went anyway.


We weren't alone, there was going to be help in the form of some very very incredible friends who let us crash on their campsite they've had reserved since January!
I didn't have to set up our tent OR cook our steaks...


And yet, all I have to say is....
Dumb. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.

The help was awesome.
The scenery was beautiful.
Don't get me wrong.

But still.
It was just an ERROR.


The pictures lie!

Between... 

The creeper in the bathroom: he was convinced the women's was the men's but ONLY when my little girls were there by themselves...freak.

The overcrowded campground:  I grew up camping and love the romance of it.  I don't even mind the work but when you are crammed in with 300 other campsites that are all filled to the brim that is like 1500 other people....my math brain kicks in and starts calculating how many predators there are in the campground and the only thing separating us from them is a tree and a zipper on my tent!? Uh....right.
I cannot make sense of this.  When I was growing up camping seemed more private and QUIET than it is now.  You were not crammed in like this and people were actually QUIET.  

The bees:  I was so mad about those dumb meat bees but really, they had a thing for me and would literally swarm me during every meal!  Super relaxing, let me tell ya.

The fact that the girls were only happy if they were off exploring and riding scooters where I couldn't see them and I was miserable because it just seemed so unsafe or I was happy because I could see them but they were bored to tears.....good times.

OR

And this is the biggest one:
WE LIVE IN THE SAME FORREST.
WHY!? Go camping for scenery when it's literally the same scenery off my deck.
Oh...and we are on 5 acres.  One neighbor, who we know well, and us.  Not 1500 other people and us.  Just us and 3 other people.

Ok, maybe we don't have this lake....but I could just drive to it in an hour and then drive back...to. my. bed.


Lydia slept outside with the big girls one night....not sure why I let that happen other that I was just trying not to be 'that' controlling weird mom but seriously, I was scared.
That creeper in the bathroom had me all worked up (fyi...there were like 4-5 incidences with him, not just one. I'm not being crazy, promise.  The other mama's were concerned too!)


It is pretty, right?
Yeah...it's what my back yard looks like. Only, I can see it from my BED.


I know...she's cute.
I can't help it.

So, 
That would be two camping fails in six months.

Can I just say I'm done now!?

yes.
yes I can.

(why do I have this suspicious feeling I'll be talked into again!?)

Oh...and don't get me wrong.
The company of friends was as sweet as we'd imagined it'd be.
It was so sweet that I was able to laugh about and vent about what was going on and they were able to just be there for us....even though we descended upon THEIR camping site and family vacation!
Bless you Schmitt family....truly.

2 comments:

Missy said...

That's one heck of a fantastic lake view though! Gah! Beautiful scenery. Proud of you for gettin' out there and trying anyway! Even if it was a bust!

Courtney said...

i've done some crazy things solo with my kids. but camping? you are SO SO brave!!! (and don't feel a bit guilty about crossing "camping" off your list. move on, sister!)