bad brakes, scarey fish, s'mores, cousins, faulty jumper cables, tow trucks - Our First Family Camping Trip

Our weekend started out just fine. Mike called me while I was on my way home from work. His brakes went out and he needed to be pick him up at the grocery store where he was picking up a few last minutes items for our easy camping trip. One night. About an hour away. Our first one as a family.

That's okay. No big deal - we were planning on taking my car anyway - so we had his truck towed to a local garage and went on with our plans.

Our first day of camping was great! Quinn and Liam (and my brother and his family) helped Mike set up the tent. When Quinn got bored with that, my brother offered to teach Quinn to ride a two-wheeler with No Training Wheels! Quinn did really well - and even went a few feet all by himself and laughed whenever he fell - well except for that one time, when he did actually cry, but he got right back on and tried again.

After we were all set we headed to the I&M canal for some fishing. I was both surprised and appalled that the fish were actually biting. Liam enjoyed fishing until his line caught a big hunk of seaweed - then he was done and went and sat on his grandma's lap and dined on potato chips while I watch his line. I don't know how many fish we caught - but I didn't really enjoy the actual act of pulling the fish out of the water and then letting it go again. Bull-heads seemed to be the most popular catch, though Mike did catch a Bass. I mean Liam. It was Liam's line that caught the Bass. Mike doesn't have a fishing license.

Finally, we were back at the campsite where the grown-ups cooked (not me, of course!) and the kids played at the playground. That's one thing I remember loving about camping - there were always a ton of kids around to play with. Of course, Quinn and Liam had their cousins plus more friends!

Dinner, S'Mores, and a beautiful sunset - then it was time for bed.

To make a very long story short - I think I got a total of 2 hours of sleep. I think. I remember thinking, "Please just let it be morning so I can just get up," many times. Quinn fell asleep like a champ. Liam? Not so much. It took over an hour to get him settled and then every time he woke up a little bit in the night he couldn't get comfortable again. I'd wake up from my very light sleep to him either off his sleeping bag and on the tent floor, pushing me off my pillow, or climbing onto me. His favorite sleep position ended up being laying right on top of me while I lay on my back. And honestly? That was my favorite too. Or when he'd lay right next to me on my pillow and smile and say, "hi momma." Yes, even in the middle of the night, "Hi momma," gets me every time. Finally, the morning was welcomed with the very loud lowing of the cows and Liam running to the tent door to see the cows. "Cows? Where are you????"

That was at 5:30am. We figured why fight it any longer - fed the boys breakfast, I took them for a walk around the campsite while Mike packed up the car. We were fed, packed, and ready to go by 8:30.

Then my car wouldn't start.

Right.

I believe that when your car doesn't start the morning after a full night's sleep you can deal with it.

I know when your car doesn't start after two hours of sleep you cannot deal with it.

At least I can't. Thank goodness for my husband and brother and all the very friendly people at the campsite. We had a Vietnam vet and some guy from southern Illinois helping us out...

After trying for over an hour to jump it and keep it running - we gave in. Called a tow truck and squeezed into my brother's mini-van.

Of course... there are pictures....

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So really - besides the entire two hours of sleep and being home now with zero cars in our driveway - I did have fun. I miss camping.

Of course - this is turning out to be the most expensive "easy" weekend trip we've ever had...