Ryan and I love to go camping. We love getting to spend time out in nature, by the campfire, cooking on the campfire, taking little hikes and such. But this past weekend…none of that happened. Trisha had done the mass majority of the shopping at Sam’s, but Ryan and I went on Friday night and picked up the odds and ins from Walmart. Went back home and baked some goodies for Matt’s birthday(Saturday the 14th), while Ryan packed up the Nissan. We got in bed right after midnight. Woke up and got on the road about 8:30. It had quit raining for the most part, but it was quite chilly. I was SOOO excited to see the bluebonnets along the highway. I love this time of year when all the wildflowers start to bloom! We got to Fairfield Lake State Park about 11:00 and were able to check in immediately. We got two pretty good spots right next to each other (so the kids would have plenty of room to run around). Since we were the first ones there, we went ahead and got our tent all set up and somewhat settled. Wet leaves were everywhere. My first comment…when does the firewood get here! We walked down to the water and back, but it was so cold and drizzly, we weren’t very motivated to go very far. We decided we couldn’t wait for the rest of the group for lunch so we drove into Fairfield and ate at a Subway. Mom called while we were there and she followed us back into the campground. We played a game of Fluxx and had just finished when Becky, Stace and the girls arrived. It is amazing how much the little ones change in only a few short months! After we got them settled, we unpacked all the food. Just as we finished up getting that done, up drive Matt, Trisha and the boys. Those little ones could have cared less it was cold or rainy. They were so excited to see each other! One of the first things the kids wanted to do was to ride their bikes/scooters down to the playground around the corner from our campsite. Now sweet little Quinton had just received the okay from the doctor to run and play normally again (he had his tonsils taken out a couple weeks ago). So he was pushing his little scooter down the road, but it couldn’t keep up with the bigger kids. We’d fallen about twenty to thirty yards behind the other kids, so I asked him if he wanted me to carry the scooter and he just run to catch up. It was so cute, he didn’t even respond…just shouted “WAHOO!” and took off running! For the rest of the time we were there, the other kids would ride their bikes around…Quinton would just run. So cute!
So after we played for a bit, we headed back to the campsite where the men had been charged with starting dinner. And they had. The charcoal was lit and in the charcoal starter pitcher. Then the park ranger walks up (dun dun duhhh). He informs us there is a burn ban in effect and we could not have any cooking fires or camp fires. Only propane grills were allowed. Uhhh…what? It’s getting down into the 40s if not colder at night and you expect us to not have a fire! Luckily Becky and Stace had a griddle for cooking. Now, if you have never tried to prepare meals for 15 on a griddle the size of a legal sheet of paper…I don’t recommend it. Thank goodness for Becky and Stace’s trailer too. It has a microwave, small oven, and stove top. After dinner, everyone was pretty tired from the day. Everyone was in bed by 11:00. And then it got cold. Really cold. Ryan and I’s tent is built for summertime…it is a solid tent until about halfway up, then it’s mesh. We had the rainfly on, but still…heat does not stay in at all. Ryan woke me up about 3:00 in the morning shaking. We both got up and walked down to the bathhouse and back. I put the space heater mom had let us borrow right on him. I think it is the only time I’ve ever been warmer than Ryan in a situation like that. I was really happy when the morning came. I woke up to the sounds of Wesley and Quinton quietly playing in Matt and Trisha’s tent next to us. I got my toothbrush and started to head off to the bathhouse…I stopped and zipped open Trisha and Matt’s tent and peeked in. Sweet little Wesley started saying “Dunuh, dunuh (how he says Dayna).” I smiled, zipped it back up, got myself ready, then went back over to their tent. Trisha had gotten them dressed and sent them out with me. Quinton made a b-line for Becky and Stace’s camper where the rest of the kids and memaw had slept. Wesley just hung out with me, giggling and smiling, and talking up a storm. Breakfast started as soon as Stace awoke…we made eighteen eggs, two packages of bacon, homemade deer sausage (which rocked!) and two packages of biscuits…and there were hardly any leftovers! Now Sunday it rained off and on all day. So most of the day was spent under the awning of Becky and Stace’s trailer. Ryan had hung a tarp between four trees right between the two campsites, but the food was closer to the trailer :o) Becky brought out their karaoke machine and the kids went to town taking turns singing songs for us all. That afternoon Ryan and I packed it all in and headed off for home just at the end of naptime. We had such a fun time getting to hang out with everyone, but we needed to get back home so we could get ready for our week. We didn’t see the sun at all until we hit downtown Dallas. Then it was sunny the rest of the way home. We unpacked, ate dinner, got showered, and immediately went to bed. What a fun weekend…next time I think I’ll be sure to make sure the burn ban is lifted before I go camping.
So after we played for a bit, we headed back to the campsite where the men had been charged with starting dinner. And they had. The charcoal was lit and in the charcoal starter pitcher. Then the park ranger walks up (dun dun duhhh). He informs us there is a burn ban in effect and we could not have any cooking fires or camp fires. Only propane grills were allowed. Uhhh…what? It’s getting down into the 40s if not colder at night and you expect us to not have a fire! Luckily Becky and Stace had a griddle for cooking. Now, if you have never tried to prepare meals for 15 on a griddle the size of a legal sheet of paper…I don’t recommend it. Thank goodness for Becky and Stace’s trailer too. It has a microwave, small oven, and stove top. After dinner, everyone was pretty tired from the day. Everyone was in bed by 11:00. And then it got cold. Really cold. Ryan and I’s tent is built for summertime…it is a solid tent until about halfway up, then it’s mesh. We had the rainfly on, but still…heat does not stay in at all. Ryan woke me up about 3:00 in the morning shaking. We both got up and walked down to the bathhouse and back. I put the space heater mom had let us borrow right on him. I think it is the only time I’ve ever been warmer than Ryan in a situation like that. I was really happy when the morning came. I woke up to the sounds of Wesley and Quinton quietly playing in Matt and Trisha’s tent next to us. I got my toothbrush and started to head off to the bathhouse…I stopped and zipped open Trisha and Matt’s tent and peeked in. Sweet little Wesley started saying “Dunuh, dunuh (how he says Dayna).” I smiled, zipped it back up, got myself ready, then went back over to their tent. Trisha had gotten them dressed and sent them out with me. Quinton made a b-line for Becky and Stace’s camper where the rest of the kids and memaw had slept. Wesley just hung out with me, giggling and smiling, and talking up a storm. Breakfast started as soon as Stace awoke…we made eighteen eggs, two packages of bacon, homemade deer sausage (which rocked!) and two packages of biscuits…and there were hardly any leftovers! Now Sunday it rained off and on all day. So most of the day was spent under the awning of Becky and Stace’s trailer. Ryan had hung a tarp between four trees right between the two campsites, but the food was closer to the trailer :o) Becky brought out their karaoke machine and the kids went to town taking turns singing songs for us all. That afternoon Ryan and I packed it all in and headed off for home just at the end of naptime. We had such a fun time getting to hang out with everyone, but we needed to get back home so we could get ready for our week. We didn’t see the sun at all until we hit downtown Dallas. Then it was sunny the rest of the way home. We unpacked, ate dinner, got showered, and immediately went to bed. What a fun weekend…next time I think I’ll be sure to make sure the burn ban is lifted before I go camping.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment