Shady Grove 2013: day one

Shady Grove 2013: day one

Thursday-

We spent the whole first half of the day packing.  We packed a lot of the gear a week ago but there was a bunch last minute stuff.  food being the most important last minute stuffs.  

the camping boxes were full.  The coolers were full.  We had a dry cooler and a wet cooler.  Two four person tents.  Bedrolls for most and couch cushions for me(air mattresses are only very slightly better than sleeping on the ground).

Our old couch is at the landfill.  We kept the cushions though- and three of them lined up sideways adds up to a twin bed.  

We threw the canoe on top of the van and loaded the bikes on the back.  We were set!

At about 1:30 we were on the road.  They kids needed to let the maggie and pickles out first(they have a job three days a week: letting two bostons out for potty after lunch).  Frankie forgot her shoes so we turned around and got those while kids were letting dogs out.  After that we stopped at chick fil a- where I remembered I forgot to pack the lantern.  We then turn around and fetch the lantern.

It was about 3 when I stopped at the Home Depot closest to the campground to get tarps.  I had tarps to cover the tents with- I just needed tarps to line the bottom of the tents with to protect the bedding from ground wetness.  It had been raining the entire time we loaded up the car.  Not heavy rain.  But enough to annoy and I knew the campground tent site would be pretty damp.  

The older kids were super helpful at getting the cover tarps tied up to the trees.  I really think not having Chris around has caused them to dig deep.  And I think coming to the campsite a week early was a good choice since we were the only ones there and they weren't dying to try and run off and find their friends.

It didn't rain the rest of the day, but the trees were so saturated from the morning rain that whenever the wind blew drops could be heard on the cover tarp.  

The boys took the welches out on the canoe.  The welches were there delivering their pop up camper to another family and helped us with the final and biggest cover tarp.

George and Samantha found a tree swing and had a good time while the younger welches fished.

At around six I headed back to the campground with Frankie to cook dinner.  Time was really flying!  I didn't think about it too much when Henry asked to take just a sibling ride in the canoe since the welches left.  After dinner Was ready they still hadn't returned.  Frankie, John, and max and were hungry so I fed them and then headed to the small beach with the lantern.  I whistled several times and didn't see their canoe on the water at all.  It was so dark and I was worried.

I headed back to the campsite, switched off the lantern and loaded John in the van to begin searching all the campsite beaches.

My windows were down and as I passed the beach I was just searching at Samantha called out.  They were back and hungry.

After everyone was fed we hit the bath house and then changed into pajamas.  John was asleep in the stroller before we made it back to the campsite.

We set up our beds and I transferred John to sleep.  It was only 8:45!  I really missed Chris then.  It is always nice to get everyone in bed and then sit and chat with him while we stare into the embers.  but I didn't have too much time to miss him before I was asleep myself.