"We're Going Camping Now..."

Bonus points to anyone who can sing the Psalty song that the title comes from, or to anyone who even knows who Psalty is, for that matter. :)

To quote Owen Wilson in Bottle Rocket, this weekend camping trip was a "success! Full success!" I was so nervous about taking a one-year-old camping, but it turned out to be just great! Eli had a blast being outside 24/7, ate great, slept great, and was just as happy as we were to be in a pretty place with dear friends and nothing to do but play. We all really enjoyed talking, eating, playing in the water, walking, and taking in the gorgeous view all around us. Eric got to fish a little, which is just about his favorite thing to do, and we all got to watch him reel in a large-mouth bass with the backdrop of a gorgeous sunset.

Eli experienced his first campfire, his first swim in a lake, his first night in a tent, his first fire-ant bites, his first hot-dog roasted over a fire, his first tumble on a sandy beach. He slept like a log at night and at naptime, sleeping the sweet, deep sleep of a child that has played hard and had tons of fun. By late Sunday morning, all 3 kids were too tired to continue with all the fun. (Read: whiny, crabby, and extremely ready to be put in the car to sleep all the way home.) I think all 3 kids were fast asleep before we even drove out of the campground! :)

In short, it was a wonderful weekend, and a great way to start the fall season. I'm so glad that we had this experience with Eli, the first of many camping trips as a family. And I'm super-thankful for the precious friends we got to spend the weekend with!