My parents had invited us to go camping with them for Fall Break weeks ago. As the break got closer and closer we had not decided what we were going to do. Tuesday night Kevin and I were talking about all our options. Neither of us knew that Carson was hearing our whole conversation. We were not going to be able to go camping as a family because Zach had previous commitments and we were contemplating the idea of noone going or some going and some not. Carson out of the blue says that if we were not going to go camping he was positive that Grandma and Grandpa would take just him and he was ready to call them right then. Kevin and I decided that Carson, Lexie, and I would go with my parents and he would work Thursday and spend Friday with Zach and send him off on his campout with the Scouts. Carson called Grandma and Grandpa and the plans were finalized. Carson was so excited about camping that he helped get everything ready, and was the first one up on Thursday asking if it was time to go yet.
As a family we love to go camping, but since we moved here we have not been. Our family is getting older and as a result busier. More people have obligations and commitments. We find it harder and harder to get out and enjoy the great outdoors (just ask Jon or Wendy they have been trying for years to get us to go camping).
My parents and I met in Nephi and headed to Lehman Caves National Park just inside the border of Nevada. My family went to this National Park when I was a teenager. On the way we stopped in Delta at the cheese factory and bought "squeaky cheese". My kids loved it and we even stopped on the way back as well.
When we got to the campground Grandpa, Lexie, and Carson found us a fabulous spot. Their were several groupings of trees that Lexie instantly said could be a great play house. My parents and I instantly laughed because that is exactly what I would do when I was little. The weekend before the area had six inches of snow. Their was still snow in the campground and the table was iced over, but the sun was out and everything was good. We cleared off the ice and the table dried. We set up the humoungous tent and set up camp. The weather couldn't have been better. After setting up Lexie went to work on her play house outlining each room with rocks and kept her busy for hours. Carson went to work with Grandpa collecting firewood and sawing off logs for the fire. He took on this responsibility and enjoyed being the fire guy. He started the camping trip not knowing at all what to do to start a fire, by Saturday he started the fire with one match and no newspaper to help it get going. He was so proud of himself and his confidence grew.
At nighttime we played games by the light of the lantern in our huge tent. The Pay Day game for traditions sake because thats what we would play when we were little. We played Sorry and Grandma surprised Carson and Lexie with the candybar game. We read one whole Junie B Jones book which Grandpa had never heard of but laughed all the way through it. We watched the lantern go out and cause Owl Eyes which the kids loved and experienced for the first time. The first night seemed to go on forever, because everyone but Grandpa had to go to the bathroom in the night, and all one at a time.
Friday as we were making breakfast six deer walked past our campsite. That was awesome. After breakfast we went on a leisure 3 mile hike the Park Ranger said was good for kids. Whatever, there is no way that was only 3 miles just ask my legs which are still sore and there is nothing leisure about walking straight up. We had fun crossing numerous bridges and seeing animal tracks. Of course the kids did better than the adults. We went to the actual Lehman Cave for a guided tour in the afternoon and we had a great time learning and exploring the cave. We learned lots of crazy things they used to do in there, like have weddings and receptions, dances, and the early guides would dress up as Cavemen. It was a lot of fun.
The second night was a lot better, everyone slept better and noone had to get up and use the bathroom. We made adjustments in the beds to make everyone less cold, which as a result also helped the bathroom issue.
Saturday morning Lexie asked if this was the last day and I said yes and she kept asking me and Grandpa if we could all stay one more day. That made Grandpa's day and he knew the kids had a great time.
It was a great weekend! It was so nice to be away from my cell phone, and my never ending to-do-list, and really enjoy my kids and experience things with them that they have never done before. I will never forget the look on Lexie's face as she took everyone on a tour of her house in the woods. I will never forget the look on Carson's face and the sense of accomplishment he had for starting the fire all by himself with one match. We made a lot of memories and next time we will all go together.
