Camping fun...

Last weekend we went camping with our friends Dan and Wig. It was so much fun!  While I am very open about my hesitations with camping, camping with Dan and Wig has always been fun.  Personally I think one of the reasons why, is because they wait on us hand and foot.

On our way to the camp site.  The desert is beautiful.

After having spent a full day at the ball park last Saturday, we made the less than an hour trip up north to the McDowell Mountains Park.  It was glorious.  When we arrive, after getting lost for a brief stint (we seem to always get lost when we go camping, see recap from last year's camping story here), we thankfully maintained cell service and called for help.  Just a few minutes later, Dan, who was walking down the road to greet us, waved us in and we were parked ready to begin "camping".

At our camp site, isn't the view behind the boys glorious?  So peaceful and breathtaking.
Meanwhile, the boys were busy looking for a place to play baseball.

Dan and Wig had taken care of finding the place and making the reservation for us.  They had also taken care of bringing all the food.  To treat us even better, upon our arrival they helped us set up the tent and started preparing dinner (as we seem to always arrive as the sun is setting).  While Jarrett took the kids to the nearby playground equipment (yes, you did read that correctly), I set up our tent.  This time, I decided one of those tiny, thin, expert backpackers mat was NOT enough.  Who have I tried fooling?  While REI brags up how comfortable and soft those one inch mats are, I have decided they are definitely not as comfortable as our 15 inch air mattress.  Call me a city slicker, I'll take it as a compliment.  As I inflated the queen size air mattress with the electrical plug in located at our tent site, my affinity for camping was growing ten fold.  I laid out the comforters on the ground and nicely positioned the boy's sleeping bags on top of them.  And then I laid out Jarrett and my sleeping bags on top of our luxury air mattress.  "Ahhhh," I sighed, saying, "I am almost excited to sleep in this tent tonight!"

I crawled out of the tent and turned to see Dan motioning to his right and trying to get Wig and my attention, I looked over where he was pointing to see a coyote about 25 feet away moseying his way through the camp site next to us.  Mental note, thank goodness we decided to take Jack to the pet resort  back in the city.  He'd make some coyote very happy and not because of his good looks.  Dan said the coyote was probably looking for water.

After our wild life sighting, Wig and Dan started preparing for us a huge feast of hot dogs, cheeseburgers, mac'n cheese, grapes, chips and even cold milk to drink.  Serious, I don't think Applebees could have done any better.  As we ate dinner over Dan and Wig's nice Coleman North Star lantern, I couldn't help but notice how vibrant the night sky above us was.  Sitting amongst great friends, with our happy camper kids and warm scrumptious food, I thought to myself, "these are the memories I'll cherish; I hope our kids do to."

After our juicy, mouth watering good, Angus beef burgers, I changed Isabelle into her jammies only to see our expert outdoor guides had started the camp fire and the preparations for toasted marshmallows were underway.  First in line were my two boys, who had already trudged through the dessert landscaping to round up sticks long enough to put into the fire with their marshmallow on the end.  After several marshmallows, and firm commands for the boys to move back from the fire, it was time for bed.

Gabriel and Michael crawled into their "comfy nest", their words not mine, and before long were zonked out.  Isabelle had already fallen asleep, as it was well past her 8:00 bedtime.  Knowing the kids were bundled up warm and safe, I returned to the fire where it was finally time to have a non-interrupted adult conversation.  It was nice to have an actual conversation that wasn't broken apart by me having to chase after Isabelle who was on her way to another camp site, or by two boys who constantly needed something or to have me break up a disagreement.  It was so nice in fact, that by 10:30, we all decided we should pack up our chairs, put out the fire and hurry off to bed.  I think my warning that the kids would be up the moment the sun peeked over the horizon was enough to scare everyone to bed.

Jarrett and I crawled onto the nice, fluffy, smooth as silk mattress and tried to figure out how to best sleep with Isabelle in between us.  The best positioning we found was for him to sleep with his head at the opposite end of the bed, giving Isabelle and I more room to stretch out.  Within seconds of finding the right position, we were all out.  It was fantastic!

Until 4:55 am when Isabelle woke to the sounds of the desert birds choir singing a melody of classic tunes.  With no level of volume but LOUD, soon everyone in the camp site was awake as Isabelle announced the different types of birds singing.  "Mommy- birdy singing"  "Yes, Isabelle," I whispered, "Shushhhh time for night night."  Louder in case I didn't hear her correctly, "MOMMY- DUCKY SINGING"  "MOMMY BIG BIRDY SINGING" over and over and over.  With that, followed by a few "WAKE UP MICHAEL, GOOD MORNING GABRIEL"  our short night of sleep had ended.

Soon after waking, our gracious camp hosts had  prepared for us another wonderful spread of sweet maple sausages, cheesy eggs, coffee, and milk.  I'm serious when I said I never had to lift a finger for a meal.  That was a HUGE treat for me.

After breakfast the kids and Wig, she's the best playmate by the way, went discovering in the nearby desert.  Michael was bound and determined to collect as many desert insects and animals as possible and Wig so kindly decided to help him seek them out.  They found ants, crickets, bees and other flying insects, all which Michael begged over and over to bring home.  At one point, after me telling him his insect keeper would be checked to make sure it was empty before loading into the car, he decided to put the insects in the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt, not thinking I would notice.  I noticed right away.

The insect collectors, here they are getting some desert ants to "take home"

An hour of "NO's" later, Michael realized he wasn't getting anywhere and moved on to collecting rocks, something mom might consider letting him bring home.  Several shiny rocks later, he had found a great collection to which Dad and I agreed was okay, and back to being a happy camper he was.

Soon it was time to pack up the site and start heading for home.  While the camping adventure was quick, quite simply it was perfect.  So fun to be with friends we don't get to see as often as we'd like, so enjoyable to get waited on hand and foot, and so relaxing to be out in nature, enjoying the simple beauties we often overlook in our race-filled lives.

We can't wait until next time.  Thanks for all the fun Dan and Wig.

Until then,
Angie