Camping 2013

 We booked a 5 day camping trip this year to Minnedosa. We met my parents there and were visited by an aunt, uncle, cousins and my brother and sister. There was lots of action going on.

Let me just say that I really like camping, which with all my princess-like tendencies, some people may find surprising. I love all the family time and the relaxed sitting around the fire. Well, let me tell you, camping with a one year old is not relaxing. This guy was constantly motoring around the campsite, with a definite preference to the fire pit. I felt like 80% of our weekend was taking turns standing in front of the fire saying, "No Eli" over and over again.

We were lucky enough that my parents had the older two kids sleeping in their camper. This way when Eli woke up a gazillion times during the night, the other two would be able to stay sleeping. I might be slightly exaggerating when I say a gazillion, but at 5:14am, it sure didn't feel like an exaggeration.

 Eli was up very early every morning, and rather than try to force him to go back to sleep, I chose to get up and take him for a walk around the campground and near by cottages. Somehow, he got the better end of this deal - breakfast on the go, cuddly blanket, new sights to see, and alone time with mama.



We really loved the campground and will definitely go back (you know, next year when Eli is a little more relaxed!) There was a beach very close to our campsite and although it wasn't super hot, the kids had fun.

 

Chris always has a good time searching for treasures. Usually it's just coins, pull tabs and bottle caps, but this time he did find a buried hotwheels car that Gavin was super excited to find!

Chelsea and Gavin got to go tubing on the lake behind Grandpa's boat, which was a hit for them. They both enjoyed it! Chris and I did leave the kids with family so that we could do some tubing too. Somehow I managed to really injure myself! I guess crazy watersports at 32 isn't as fun as when you are 16!

Oh, Eli just woke up from his nap so I'll quickly post a few more pictures.

  Oh and a funny story about this girl that gave us all a good chuckle over the weekend.

Our campsite was right next to a playpark that had some old school monkey bars and swings. It also had an old horse toy, very similar to this one.

Well, Chelsea was playing happily and riding that merry little horse, until somehow her hands slipped and she did a face plant into the horse's head and split open the skin above her eyebrow. Being a head wound, there was lots of blood and we were all gathered around, trying to decide if we should go to the hospital and get stitches or if it would be fine. Chelsea was still screaming and crying loudly and once we got her settled down, she declares in an angry voice, "I'm never going to ride that BUCKING horse again!"

We all just burst out laughing. One change of letter in that phrase would have brought on very different results!