Last week the boys and I went on a moms-only camping trip. There was a total of 8 moms with their kiddos (only 5 of us stayed the entire time!! 3 of the moms, who I didn't know very well, packed up and left the second night. I guess camping isn't their thing). We stayed Monday-Wednesday at the Swift Creek campground on Baker Lake. For months I'd been so excited for this trip, yet super afraid. I've never been camping (backpacking or car camping) without Peter. I was nervous on how well I could operate or set up our gear without him being around. So this summer on all our car camping trips, I made a point to pay attention on how to use the stove or to set up the tent. I must say, I think I did pretty good for my first time. My only hiccup was with the tent. I learned it's important to pay attention to the ground for putting in the tent stakes, as well as where the door of the tent will be facing. I had the tent all set up, but realized the door wasn't where I needed it, so the boys helped me to turn it around (wasn't easy. the tent is heavy and tall. really need a small handful of adults to this. we ended up dragging the whole thing as we turned it around). Next, I go to hammer in the stakes, but the ground is too hard and rocky, and our tent definitely needs to be staked in. I look around and find a semi-grassy spot away from everyone else that I think would work. So I take the tend down and apart. Once everything was moved, I re-assembled the tent. By this time, I think 40 minutes had past. I was sweaty and annoyed, and getting eaten alive by bugs (ugh, the mosquitoes were relentless the entire time!!!). Other than that little snafu, the entire trip was a blast! I'm so happy I went. I'm thrilled to know that I can successfully go out camping without Peter. I can set up camp, cook meals, and pack gear into the car all myself. I anticipate next summer will be even more active for us, as I can take the boys in the middle of the week for camping trips.
DAY ONE
I got the tent up!!!
Our view from our campsite
The favorite place for the kids to swim was off the docks. We did venture over to the designated swimming area once, but none of the kids cared for it. So our camping trip consisted of the kids swimming as often as they could at this spot.
Here we are headed to the swimming area
Roasting hot dogs for dinner
The view at sunset
Quick pic with Kristjan
S'mores time!
Found this little guy during clean up
DAY TWO
Here is Isla, Rhaya's youngest girl, with a caterpillar she found
At some point in time, someone tied this rope to a log that was in our camp. It helped make traversing the path down to the water easier.
Clifford and his buddy Jacob enjoying the breakfast I made. Everyone who came participated in group meals, where as I chose to participate in dinners only. I'm not too fond of group meals for every meal, especially with people I don't really know or have experience camping with. And I wasn't too impressed in how the planning meeting we had a week prior went. So breakfasts and lunches were on my own. This mornings breakfast for everyone was donuts....just donuts. I made scrambled eggs and hash browns (which I shared with Kerri's kids, who made a point of telling me how much they loved hash browns) before I allowed the boys to have the jelly-filled donuts I brought (those were eyed by a few kids lol). Oh, and I also made coffee. I was the only one who thought about bringing any to brew. A small part of me felt pretty awesome.
Poor Jacob got stung
Clifford with Tyler (Jacob's older brother)
My "twins" with Kerri's "twins"
Breakfast was followed by a morning swim
Action shots of Tyler jumping in...
....followed by Clifford....
....followed by Kristjan
Admiring the view
Clifford found a frog on a log that was out on the lake
After lunch, with it being Tuesday (our normal hiking day), we made a very, very long drive (like, 45 mins!) to hike Blue Lake (which was only about a 20 min hike). The lake was pretty and warm. I was the only mom who ventured in for a swim.
View of Mount Baker
After coming back to camp from our day hike, we took the kids for an early evening swim before getting in to make dinner, s'mores, tell jokes and a game of charades.
DAY THREE
Here's a pic of Clifford's back on our last morning. The bugs were just awful. No one made it out without less than 20 bug bites!
Hazy morning view
Getting in one last swim before heading home
The kiddos who lasted all three days!! (we took a pic with just the moms, but it was on Luzia's phone and she hasn't posted it yet...bummer!)
