Ward Campout

Feeling that the kids needed a break from the daily grind (e.g. lounging, having meals prepared for them, reading books, watching shows, coloring, etc.) I took them to the ward campout at Camp Peine in Idaho.

Mommy wasn't quite up for the trip so she stocked up on food for us and sent us on our way. The drive took about an hour so the kids read books, we talked about animals, and I quietly listened to the Mariners game. This was the first time I have had to endure the "are we there yet?" phenomenon. For the last 20 minutes of the drive the kids asked me if we were there yet every 4 seconds. Determined to outlast them (and determined to be more like Caillou's Mom) I answered with a calm "no" every time. They thought it was hilarious at first - they alternated asking me - but they soon discovered that they could not break me. As Rachel has discovered in our 7 years of marriage, I never tire of trying to out-annoy someone, which will probably be good for my career. We arrived just in time for dinner, but Rylynn and Carter were more interested in eating candy and running around like lunatics.

Rylynn found some of her friends from Primary - Jayden & Julianna - so she was hanging out with them and having a blast.

Carter helped me set up the tent. A proud and touching moment for me, because I remember doing this with my dad. In fact, camping with my own kids was a very bizarre experience. I remember "helping" with the tent and everything, but I always knew that Dad really had everything under control. Now I was the one who was supposed to have everything under control. No one was going to make sure the stakes were in the ground, no one was going to cook the food, and no one was going to spend 45 minutes trying to squeeze the sleeping bags and tent into nylon bags that are way too small for them. I nailed it!

We had s'mores, played football and ultimate frisbee, gathered sticks, climbed on a big rock, looked for bears and played in the tent. I should clarify something about the "s'mores"; collectively the kids had s'mores, meaning that by the end of the night they both had chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers in the their stomachs. It was by no means proportionate and it was not part of a comprehensive s'more plan. I think the ratio was: chocolate bars = 6/marshmallows = 10/graham crackers = 1/2.

Maybe that's why they didn't go to sleep until around 11:00. However, Mommy wasn't around to keep us in line so we had to go for it. Mommy was there in spirit, though, because (being totally exhausted) I tried to convince Rylynn she could go to sleep without brushing her teeth - a horrible idea since they ate tons of sugar. She refused and demanded her tooth brush and flosser. I saw her mother's determination in her eyes so I let her brush her teeth. I thought we were finally ready for bed, but Carter demanded that we read scriptures. I wanted to say "Why do you two have to be so obedient?!?" I didn't bring the kid scriptures so I told them a story about Nephi. Maybe I didn't nail that part of the trip. However, after many battles, stories, songs and threats they finally crashed.

The next day was all about swimming in the lake. The lake was beautiful and clear, but it was a bit cold too. I went swimming too even though I am a wimp when it comes to cold water. I have to share a funny story about Carterman. I was standing on the dock making sure Carter didn't jump off when one of the Deacons walked by and pushed me into the water. It was a fair push and I left myself vulnerable to it, but Carter was wroth. He was so angry about the boy who pushed Daddy in the water that he kept his eye on him the rest of the time. Every couple of minutes he would say (in his grumpy voice) "that boy pushed Daddy in the water. He's a mean boy." So, the next day was Sunday and that very Deacon was passing the sacrament. As soon as Carter saw him he pointed at him and angrily shouted - during the silence of the Sacrament - "That mean boy pushed Daddy in the Water!" It was great. That boy better watch out, cause Carter doesn't take kindly to punks who push his Daddy in the water.

We had a great time and we got to know some of our ward members better. However, I don't know if they will recognize us at church without dried chocolate and marshmallow all over our faces and clothes. I had been extremely busy studying for the Bar the previous weeks so it was a great chance to get away, spend some time with my issue (legal term for children) and forget about negotiable instruments and Indian sovereignty for a time. I only thought about the Bar roughly 200 times.:) It would have been less frequent if I wasn't mentally keeping track of the number of torts Carter committed (assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence, trespass to land, trespass to chattels, conversion, intentional and/or negligent infliction of mental duress, defamation of a Deacon, etc.). Good times!

We missed Mommy a lot. She stayed home with a couple of chick flicks and got some well-deserved rest. We don't have any pictures to document her activities but I imagine it looked something like this: