Paradise Found: A camping we will go!

I invited myself (and my kids, ha!) to tag along with my mom and younger brothers when they celebrated spring break in a tent. Yep, I camped overnight with all the kids without my husband. Wowzers!

The kids had a fantastic time exploring, jumping over a rattle snake (for real!), playing in the tents, kicking the dirt, playing with the dirt, eating the dirt, and rubbing the dirt into every crevice on their little bodies. I found it in ears, up noses, and under armpits when I did the strip down inside the garage and run naked for the shower when we arrived back home.

Finally made it to the campsite. 70 miles from home. Can you tell we’re still in Arizona?

Masie giving Uncle Hansan some drawing advice.

Poor, poor Miles. He took one good look at the outhouse (he kept calling it the “indoor house”) and decided he was going to hold it. And I’m not talking #1. Throughout the afternoon as he got more uncomfortable (all of my kids are super “regular”), he gained some courage and would sit on the yucky seat, but his body just wouldn’t comply. He tried about 20 times (yes, we sanitized hands after each trek out of the poop house), and he just couldn’t do it. He was moved to tears as he walked around the campsite squeezing his little bum cheeks together in pain. I finally realized it was the fear of his waste dropping down the big whole that caused him to tense up. I let Masie go while Miles looked on, and he was impressed by the soft “plunk” at the bottom. He was finally feeling more comfortable at bedtime and was able to sleep just fine. It took 3 more attempts the next morning for him to finally have success. We all shouted for joy!

My little leprechaun. It was St. Patrick’s Day.

Lyla loved teasing Grandma. Lyla would race and sit in my mom’s seat whenever she’d stand up. Then my mom would call her over for a “treat” and quickly get her chair back.

Me and the crew all fit it this.

Peaking in on our napping baby.

Yep, still in Arizona.

Dallan never would give me a straight face.

Neither will Masie.

It’s not camping if you don’t hand up the trash.

Oh my girls! They slept on the blow-up mattress with me. They slept. I did not. But I wasn’t really planning to.

Masie, not happy, when I finally said “enough jumping!”

This is early-early Friday morning. The temperature that was in the high 70’s during the day dropped down below 40 at night. They did not complain once about the cold. They’re much tougher than I thought.