Camping trip 2014

This years trip began like any other... me stressed to the hills, frantically cramming every last thing into the trailer, cooking meals, baking and decorating cakes at the last minute, and jumping into the truck at the very last second.  Toothbrush in hand, shirt on backwards and my hair still un-brushed from the night before, I made it with most of my sanity still intact.

We began our trek to Osoyoos in the 26 degree heat. (Thank god for air conditioning!) The kids, the dog, and even the mother-in-law were all well behaved along the way. A quick stop in Hope for dinner, the same restaurant every time, and we were back on the road. We arrived at Haynes Point Osoyoos at 8:30pm.....31 degrees. This was the real start to our holiday, and this is what we accomplished/learned along the way:

1) Even though I don't make sense sometimes, Arthur always listens and tries to make me happy.
2) Bring a bike to ride and your kids will be happy. They never get tired of that!
3) Arthur beat me at chess and won't have a rematch! (For fear that I will kick his ass, the last match was close)
4) Kids who are camping consider 5am to be sleeping in....I do NOT!
5) Big hugs with close family is always as good as you remember.
6) A jump in a warm lake will cure just about any case of the grumpies.
7) Since we had other kids to play with, I only saw my kids when they were hungry or injured.
8) Austin likes to hide his injuries. Like when he got a stick to the ass that went through his pants. There is still a little hole there.
9) I read an entire novel in just over 24hours.
10) I get extra warm and fuzzies from buying from a real farm. 100lbs of potatoes, practically straight out of the ground, from a third generation farm.
11) We also got peaches, apples, tomatoes, and onions from a 4th generation fruit stand.
12) I have a fuck ton of canning to do.
13) Our dog loves Arthur more than me. He slept with his head on his lap the entire trip.
14) I picked jalapeños from Arthur's cousins garden and it has inspired me to have my own garden next year.
15) I want to sell everything and move to a farm in Grand Forks! (But that will never happen. lol When Arthur built our house, he wanted to put in an elevator for when the day comes he is too old to walk up the stairs.)
16) Little boys who stay up late and wake up early are prone to grumpy moods....This is also true for husbands.
17) We took 5 trips to various grocery stores for food and stuff we either ran out of or completely forgot.
18) I am so thankful that Arthur is the weird man he is. He is the only man I know who will bring a generator and the coffee maker camping, so we can have fresh coffee every morning....and once at the ferry terminal in the rain on the way home.
19) My kids are growing up so fast! They hardly needed me on this trip, which was a good thing, but still sad.
20) Arthur and I should not be allowed into Costco! But I am thankful to have a full pantry and freezer....and Halloween costumes for the boys!
21) As much as I hate the ferry, Vancouver traffic, and trying to get home, I am always happy to get home. And since we came home a day early, I have a full day to drink coffee in my jammies, eat peaches to my hearts content, and soak up the cool, rainy, September air.