Gualala Camping Trip

Several of our friends go camping together over Memorial Day weekend each year.  They have invited us to join them several times, but we always gave our excuses and stayed home.  Peyton and Maryam have been asking to go camping for a couple years now, so we decided this would be a safe way to test out the camping waters.  Tobin and I are not really campers.  Neither one of us enjoys it much, due to all the dirt and bugs and lack of real beds, etc.  Our rule for the weekend was "No complaining!"  I wanted to make sure that the kids got a chance to decide for themselves if they like camping or not.  In the end, we all had a great time!

Waiting for the tire to get fixed

We drove up Friday, caravaning with the Croskeys.  One of the tires on their trailer blew out, so we made an unexpected pit stop for a new tire.  Thank goodness we left early!  We still made it to our destination by mid-afternoon.  The campground was beautiful, and I really enjoyed the fresh smell of nature.  It's been a while since I last left the urban jungle.  :)



We had rainy weather most of the day Saturday.  Luckily, the Sungas were also part of our camping group at Gualala . . . in their fabulous RV!  They let us take refuge there for a while so I could nurse and the babies could nap in a warm, dry place.  If it wasn't for them, I think the babies and I would have spent the whole day in our cold tent.  By evening, the rain was finished, so after dinner we watched a movie on a big screen in our campsite.  Seriously!  Our friend Wolf brought up his projector and a big white cloth and all the technology required to make that work.  It was cool.

 

Movie Night



Sunday we attended church at the campground.  There's a ward from Fremont that comes up for the same weekend, and they hold Sacrament Meeting followed by Sunday School/Primary.  It was a neat experience.  Sunday evening we had a fireside with just the families from our ward.  Those who had served missions were asked to share a faith promoting experience from their mission.  We enjoyed listening to all the stories and testimonies that were shared.  Tobin talked about an experience he had in the MTC, gaining his testimony of Joseph Smith and the first vision.  We were all sitting in a circle around the campfire.  Peyton was sitting just in front of Tobin, and about half way through Tobin's story, Peyton stood up and turned around.  He quietly stood there looking up into Tobin's face as he finished sharing his story and testimony.  It was really sweet watching him soak up his Dad's influence.

Since we had a group of friends there together, we paired up families and took turns cooking breakfast and dinner for the whole group.  What a treat!  That really made for an easy camping trip.  We were blessed to have the use of two microwaves, one in the Sunga's RV and one in the Jensen's trailer, to heat up our baby food.  I was pretty nervous about doing that over a campfire.

Of course, the babies loved the trip.  There were plenty of people willing and ready to hold babies all day long.  Bishop and Sister Jensen and their daughter Angela were frequently found wandering over to our campsite to help with the babies.  And the Sungas offered a bed in their RV for nap time every day.

Toward the end of the trip, Susan (who coordinates each year) asked Tobin if we would come again next year.  And he said . . . . YES!  Well, there you have it.  We may be campers after all. 

We did learn a few things, and I'm hoping we can remember all of them for next year.  I brought way too many clothes for everyone this year.  Consequently, it took me two weeks to catch up with the laundry once we got home.  Our extension cord was much too short, so we need to get a longer one before next year.  And our tent really is too small.  When the box says it sleeps six people, that means wall to wall sleeping people; there's no room for bags or gear.  And that really doesn't allow room for regular sized air mattresses either.  Our current tent is sort of a football shape.  I think we will be looking for something square or rectangular that sleeps closer to ten people.  Or a tent trailer.  Or an RV.  Yeah, right!  I'm dreaming!  So really just a bigger tent for now.  I like the trailer idea, though, since things could then be stored in it for good and I would feel more organized.  The chaos of our tent and car during the weekend really drove me crazy.  (I know I'm an A-type personality, but I think it's getting worse the older I get.  :)

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend!

 
(The pictures below are in no particular order.  I'm struggling to get blogger to let me move them where I want.  Grrrr!)

Tobin sitting by the fire

  

Four Cuties Snuggled Togther

The weather was pretty cold, so our tight sleeping conditions turned out to be a blessing.  What better way to keep warm?  Well, our fire rocks helped too.  :)  Good thing, since there was no room in our tent to use the space heater we borrowed.

Lunch Time!

Headed Home . . . All Tuckered Out!

  

Snug as a Bug

Braden, Tobin, Natalie
Don't you just love those baby coats?  Adorable!

  

Ricardo

Tobin, Braden, Natalie, Angela

  

Maryam, Peyton, Cole, Phylene, Taylor, Ashlin, Sadie

Peyton and Lydia