A few years ago Bradley’s parents went camping at a KOA outside of Concrete.  While we were there, we couldn’t help but notice all of the super fun stuff that there was for kids to do.  The pool, the giant jumpy pillow, the mini golf, the playground and the outdoor tenting fun called us back this past weekend.  It was our first official tenting trip using only a tent and the provided facilities (no trailers to warm up in or emergency potty in).  We had our ups and downs, but by the time we packed up our tent and headed home under the banner of fireworks, we decided that we would return again.

An exerpt from an e-mail I wrote to a friend:

“We were laying in our tent with super squirrely babes.  “Can we puhleeze go to bed?!” they asked.  We naively answered yes!  Thinking that they were all tired out from the packing, the prep, the traffic, the drive, and we could get some campfire time in, but no.  They were just really excited to try out the tent.  And really excited tent tryer outers are not so tired as thrilled at the prospect of secret forts and strange noises.  “What dat?!”

As we lay our heads on the pillows we started to hear the pitter pat of little raindrops making their way from the clouds.  I was wearing my camping pajamas: thigh high tube socks topped with fleece pj pants, a long sleeved t-shirt and a hoodie, with the hood up bundled in a mummy sleeping bag.   Surprisingly, I drifted off to sleep, deep deep sleep.  I awoke from time to time to notice that indeed the rain was still falling and by the time morning dawned  the world was a puddle.  Including parts of our tent. Some of us were a little grumpy and all of us were cold!  We groggily made our way to the showers to find them tepid, not the heat infusion we needed and decided to escape to the movies.  So we went and saw Kung-Fu Panda Two.  (jealous yet?!)  We dried out, warmed up (in love with car heaters right now) and headed back to the KOA.  Upon our return, the sun had also made her appearance again, so campfire and s’mores are in the plans for the evening.  I think it will be fun.  Despite our grumpiness with the weather, Gigi proclaimed that this is the best camping day ever!  So our trip is a success!”

The rest of the weekend switched from windy to scorching to freeezing!   The kids enjoyed their independence as we allowed them to run hither and yon, WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION!  At least for Gigi, this was her first foray into independent play and running with a pack of kids.  She loved it!  She also loved winning at BINGO!

The chilly sleeping drove us home a night early after spending an evening at the fair.  We drove home right as twilight passed into night and the fireworks were making their ways heavenward.  The reports, the crashes and the bright sparks captured our ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ all along the I-5 corridor as Gigi and Jude munched on fries and shakes from Burger King (a very rare treat).  It seemed we hit all of the finales as we drove by each town, capturing the best they had to offer.  As the flashes continued overhead for the drive, our little one’s chins dropped to their chests and the car grew quiet.  While certainly it was an unconventional way to watch the fireworks and celebrate, it will certainly live in our memories as an unusual and surprisingly satisfying Fourth of July.

 


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