10 Things

I'm cheating, it's Saturday, but I'm still going to post my 10 things. We left for the lake on Thursday and didn't return home until today, so I'm sure this still counts!

Thursday evening my sister-in-law and I packed up our six children and headed off for a "surprise" for the kids. Well, at least for most of the kids. Since my four year old was sobbing hysterically about all of the swimsuits and water toys we packed, I finally told him that we were NOT going to a waterpark, swimming pool, or any place that he would HAVE to swim. He calmed down when he realized that grandma and grandpa's camper was waiting for us at the lake and we were going to camp there with his cousins. Whew.

So, off we went, two vans loaded from top to bottom with an 8 year old, 6 year old, 4 year old, 3 year old, TWO 1 year olds, us, and as much stuff as we could possibly cram in for approximately 20 hours of camping. I think my last words to a friend (on the phone) as I was driving out were "If I don't return, come pick me up at Prairie View."

Here are 10 things I learned while we were there:

1. My 4 1/2 year old still needs naps and fairly regular bedtimes to act somewhat human- neither of which happen while camping.


2. Even microwave popcorn tastes better at the lake.


3. For some odd reason, bumblebees, 100's of them, have decided that areas with swings and slides are the best places to hang out.


4. Eight people can sleep in a camper that "sleeps 6". Two in the regular bed, 2 in the couch bed, 1 on the table bed, 2 in pack-n-plays, and 1 on two couch cushions squeezed in the last 2 x 3 area left on the floor. I'm sure that was against some kind of fire code.


5. My 4 year old is still afraid of everything and my 1 year old is still afraid of nothing.


6. Even while camping, kids will still beg to watch a video.


7. No matter how many showers you take, all the sand will never completely come off.


8. At 11:00 p.m., when you're driving your child around as a last resort to get him to go to sleep, the prayer changes from "please fall asleep" to "please fall asleep before I do".


9. Time with cousins is priceless, no matter how tired and sunburned everyone is.


10. In spite of all the craziness, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.