We went on our annual camping trip at Fort Steven's with our church this last weekend.
I LOVE camping! We need to camp more next year for sure!
I learned a few things this time and here they are:
1) Don't put up your tent to air out and clean on days that it is supposed to rain. That was a complete mess. Thankfully my lovely husband did a good job of not getting too mad as he was pulling the tent apart in the pouring down rain and it did dry in time to pack it up to go.
2) Don't pack your week SO full that you're going shopping the day you leave. Gabe was a trooper that morning let me tell you!
We ended up leaving later then I was wanting to and we got there around 5:30-6. Bryan had put a tarp over everything in the truck except the wood and I said that I thought we should pull over and cover the wood too and thank goodness we did that cause right after we pulled back into traffic it started pouring.
This year our site was over to the left side passed the yurts when normally we stay on the right side. It was a little weird, but I ended up liking it A LOT!
When we got to our site Dan and Randy came to help Bryan set up the canopy and tent and we set up everything else while saying hi to a ton of people already there.
We had to work with Gabe a little the first night as to how far he could go and then have to turn around and come back, but it caught on fast.
We roasted hot dogs for dinner and roasted marshmallows too. It was fun just relaxing as a fam.
Gabe isn't fitting comfortably in the pack n play anymore, so this was his first time sleeping on a pad in his very own sleeping bag. I was a little nervous as we haven't switched him to a big boy bed yet, but he did fabulous! We had zero problems.
This is him sleeping at nap time on Friday.
He had to hold my hand going to sleep. It was too cute!
Friday morning we woke up and I showered while Bryan made us breakfast. After breakfast we took our coffee's and went on a walk. Gabe pushed his stroller. We had to turn around and go back earlier then expected because Gabe had a full diaper. So we chatted with passer byers and Randy (Gabe's BFF ) played frisbee with Gabe. It was quite funny how Gabe threw it too. Randy hid from Gabe in the truck, Gabe rode his bike with Kaleb and we had lunch.
Bryan and Gabe took a long nap on Friday and I just read my book and relaxed. We went to Warrenton to get more ice because it had already melted and then we had dinner just before going over to the Stone's for the ice cream social. We ended up being there a long time. It started at 7 and we didn't start heading back until 9:30 I think. It was fun getting to talk to so many people. Our friends Kevin and Ginger were there with their kids. Gabe and their youngest Carly get along so well.
Of course Gabe had his stroller and pushed that around. Him and Carly chased Randy around and they found an owie on a tree (part of the bark came off) and wanted to put a band aid on it.
hubba hubba...now
that is a good looking man!
(Gabe was wanting Bryan to throw him up in the air)
Saturday was probably the best day there! We woke up and all took showers, had pancakes and bacon for breakfast and then Bryan left to go into town with Dan and Gabe and I walked all the way to the opposite side of the campground to see Betty, Dottie and Katie. We stayed there for a while and walked back with Katie. It was a good walk. Then we hopped in the truck and took off to the beach with Dan, Debs, Madison, Ethan, Avery, Randy, Kylie, Delaney and Macie. We drove onto the beach, got out and walked along the water. The kids minus Gabe and Avery were playing in the water and Randy was trying to get their kite up when all of the sudden a big wave came and Kylie backed up not knowing that Macie was right behind her and they both fell and got completely drenched with sand everywhere. Randy took them back to camp and we kept walking for a while.
It was a little overcast, but it was nice on the beach. After a while we went back to clean up because we were meeting Dave Pittman at Camp Rilea where he was training new recruits to go repelling off a 60ft wall. Seriously, this was SO much fun yet SO scary at the same time!
The kids all found branches on the ground that looked like guns.
We started out on the incline wall. Even Madison, Ethan, Kylie and Delaney did it!
This is me...I was almost hyper-ventilating at the top and I went down slow, but I did it and SO glad I did!
After all the adults repelled the 60ft wall we packed up and drove into Seaside for dinner. We had pizza. Dave met us there after he cleaned up everything at the Camp and then he took us into Gearhart and we drove back to Fort Steven's on the beach at Sunset. It was AWESOME!
One minute Gabe was talking and laughing with Madison and Kylie and the next he was passed out. When we got back to camp Bryan left to do the night game and I put Gabe down for the night.
Sunday morning we showered again, had breakfast and went to the baptism service at the lake. We stood around and talked for a while and then we headed back to pack up. I always hate that part. Next year we are definitely going to plan to stay the whole week. lol
Breakfast on the last morning. SAD
As we were leaving Fort Steven's we all ate sandwiches in the truck and Gabe only got through half before falling asleep. He slept pretty much the whole way home. Waking up on 84 as we were coming up on the 181st exit. He asked for gummies aka fruit snacks and I told him to finish the rest of the sandwhich first. He ate some of it and I turned around to look and it seemed he had finished, so I gave him the gummies. After he ate them he pulled part of the sandwhich out from under his blanket. I could not believe it. I asked him if he hid the sandwich to get the gummies and he said yes. Bryan was laughing quietly as I was telling Gabe that that was not OK, so he wasn't any help at all.
I don't know why, but I'm shocked that a 2 year old knows how to sneak something to get something he wants.
We cleaned up and started on laundry and finished off the evening having dinner with my family. What a great weekend!
