Summer Fun

This past weekend we went on a fantastic little overnight camping trip. Unfortunately you won't get to see any pictures because I'm the smart one who didn't check the batteries in the cameral before we left. (This picture is from the Oregon Coast camping website.) We set up camp in the Tillamook forest. We were lucky to get a campsite since it was 6pm friday night by the time we arrived. It was a warm 85 degrees, perfect for kids. Phoebe did fabulous. She mostly sat in her carrier and watched the goings on. She cried when she was hungry or tired... that's about all she does anywhere. We built a fire and hot dogs. Well, they had hot dogs. I tried something new, exciting and pretty gross. I wouldn't recommend them. Veggie dogs. Or Tofu Dogs. I'm not exactly sure what they were called. The problem was I couldn't get them warm all the way through. They might be o.k if boiled, grilled, or microwaved. But over the campfire they started burning and bubbling on the outside before they were warm on the inside. I just think hot dogs in general, although tasty, are gross. I only like real hotdogs over a fire. So now that I've tride the tofu dogs my verdict is to just eat the one gross but tasty hot dog once a year, instead of the gross but untasty variety.

Chad and I thought it quite ironic that the one night we allow our children to stay up, they were BEGGING to go to sleep. While we were eating they kept saying, "I'm tired... will you let us go to sleep now?" It was pretty funny. Of course, they just wanted to sleep in the tent.

On Saturday morning we went on a little hike around the campsite and visited the Tillamook forestry center. we saw a film on forest fires and Chad and the kids walked up to the top of forest look out tower. By the time we were done with that it was noon and 99 degrees, so we headed for the coast. We drove straight to Oswald West State park , where it was a cool 75degrees and the kids complained they were cold all the way down the trail to the beach. We stayed for a few hours and then came home.

Looking back, it was a lot of work for such a short trip. But, mission accomplished: We explored a little, got dirty, had smore's and hotdogs, enjoyed the warm, sunny weather, and spent time together with no phone calls or emails to take Chad away from us. I hope that we can establish a summer tradition of camping and I hope our next camping trip will be two nights instead of one. And I hope that next time I remember batteries for the camera!