The Kids and I Go Camping Again

Matthew likes to backpack and hike but doesn't like to car camp. Dude likes to car camp and thinks he likes to backpack (it is yet to be tested) but doesn't like to hike. Thankfully we have a friend who LOVES to camp and has a husband who also doesn't. It means that she plans camping trips that the kids and I get invited to join since I am not great at planning ahead. The one time I did, we ended up not being able to go because my niece got married and I haven't tried again. That was multiple years ago. Oregon has some amazing options for camping but you have to really be on the ball.

I told Emily that she is under no obligation to continue inviting us to join her and her son but we will never say no to her invitations. 

My children had been looking forward to this camping trip for the several weeks leading up to it. Being away from home, going to the beach, having regular fires with marshmallows, having the excuse not to shower, hanging out with a friend, sleeping in a tent - all reasons why camping is just about the best thing to do for my children.

We got there Monday late afternoon, the day being overcast and kind of cold. Everyone else seemed to be holding up ok but I was ready to feel the sun on my face. After the chill of our Alaskan Cruise and then coming back to scorching heat, then back to the chill of the Oregon Coast, I really needed a happy medium. Thankfully the sun came out Tuesday afternoon. The warmth on my skin was just what my soul craved. Everything was right with the world even if it was still kind of windy. But then we were gifted Wednesday, one of those rare glorious days on the coast when the sun shines and the wind is light. Absolute perfection. We ate it up until the moment we had to leave.

Tuesday evening was so lovely that we went to watch the sunset. After watching until the sun had dipped below the horizon, Luca admitted that it didn't live up to her expectations. Yeah, some sunrises and sunsets are kind of like that. They seem like can't miss events everyday and yet . . . they are a bit anti-climactic.

Some kind soul went through a lot of work to make forts on the beach. My children were grateful for the hours of fun they had thanks to the kindness of strangers.

Because my children need to have memories of what their mother looked like during their childhood.

The wonderful woman who makes so many of my children's childhood adventures come true.