The entirety of this past week, our family has been either planning for, recovering from or actually participating in, the experience of camping. It was our family vacation this year out of desire by my family, and out of default for me, but it ended up being an enjoyable experience for all of us--as most vacations are, once you start the journey. I'm afraid I'm an extreme planner so until lists are made and modified and then checked twice, even the idea of a trip can be overwhelming to me--camping most of all because the planning and preparation are so much more intensified--but that preliminary effort, stressful as it always is, makes it possible for me to relax once there, so I guess it all balances out...or not.
For years, my cousins have encouraged us to try out their favorite camping spot. Of course it would have been so much fun to try it out with them, but since we haven't been family camping in years, by design--mine--that experience never materialized while they lived here, and this year we even tried to plan a vacation together initially, even though we are farther apart, but our calendars were a little tricky and then the summer zoomed by and we unfortunately dropped the ball and let that opportunity slide out of site, so our little family finally snatched up the last calendar date we had open and went on our own, for the first time, up to Baumgartner Campground. It's a 3-1/2 hour drive, but it was worth the trip. It was beautiful and forested, had paved bike paths, a gorgeous clear river and a natural hot springs piped into a concrete pool area. We couldn't find a bike trailer to rent so my sister let us borrow their large four wheeler trailer and since it was so big we didn't have to pack light and even took up our hammock. Because of all of the clear swimming water in the camp, we never felt dirty and we had 4 days with nothing to do but be together. No phones. No computers. No radios. No distractions. That part was heaven. Of course there were still the uncomfortable nights of fitful sleep, the continuous bug bites, no matter how much spray we had on, and the relative disorganization of living in tents, but even that couldn't overshadow the peace of no clocks, no noise, no mirrors. Everyone had the chance to spend their time in ways that were most enjoyable to them--reading, fishing, swimming, hiking, napping, soaking--and everything was in such close proximity that we could even be alone...together, which is my favorite kind of alone! =) Only Lily and Sophie weren't completely content as they wanted to do everything and at all times and they had to wait for chaperons which couldn't always keep up with their wishes and energy, but between the lot of us, even they were content for the majority of the time. I did miss my Jordan and Mikayla even more in that unhurried environment, but I guess that's just par for the course if you have children to love. We'll have to go back a few more times, when my kids are all home, and with my cousins who guided us in the first place. After all the more family, the more fun the fireside. My Mom's never been a camping fan either, but an extended family reunion there would be a blast for the kids.
Now after two days of what feels like endless laundry, unpacking and home upkeep, we will get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to pack again and send all of the girls off to a Granddaughter Retreat for another 4 days. We are all a little tired of being away from home, but, even so my girls are excited and anxious to be with their grandparents and cousins. Abe, Fred and I aren't excited to have them gone, but we will make the most of our "only child" days and try to enjoy the tranquility that we will all be pretending isn't filled with missing. I anticipate some motherly sacrifices (Star Wars or Dr. Who will surely come up) and some son sacrifices (school clothes shopping may enter the picture) but we'll all get through it and then have one last hurrah as a family before school starts again, as Jordan comes home and Katie (his girlfriend) comes to visit. It's been a good summer-- gorgeously warm and long enough to let all of the goodness sink in and relax us, but I will always miss it's farewell. No matter how old I get as a mother, I can't imagine that school will ever start without me feeling a little pang of heartache, knowing that my children or grandchildren will be away more often, but I do remember the excitement and anticipation of school starting as a child, so I ride that wave each Fall and it usually sees me through the initial transition until I can begrudgingly acclimate again. Change is good for me. I never like it, so it usually has to be thrust upon me, but it forces me to keep expanding my mind and facing my future. Of the March sisters, I have a tendency to relate more with Beth than I do with Jo in her outlook on change, but I have Jo's stubbornness and dreams, not yet Beth's goodness and contentment--a paradox--but surely I still have "miles to go before I sleep" so I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other. "Slow and steady, steady and slow, that's the way we always go".
Fred returned my sister's trailer on Saturday and had letters to different extended family members from Mikayla that he was delivering and came home with an armful of rhubarb from another sister's garden that he told her he was going to make a pie from. To his credit he did wash and chop the rhubarb, in very nice pieces I might add =) but I made the pie with some of our raspberries (because they make everything better) and it was divine. THANKS LIZ! Fred says her garden is primo. Ours is a little...a lot...sparse this year, so fresh produce is a lovely gift. I have a rhubarb plant but I have waited all summer for it to "ripen" and not one single touch of red has every appeared, so I finally did some research and found that rhubarb comes in all kinds of varieties (some of which are completely green) so I guess it has been ripe all along. WHO KNEW! It's not quite the same presentation without the deep, lovely red so I'll have to try some and use food coloring. Can't wait to try another deep dish country pie. =)
Quote of the week:
"...Understanding just who we are and what it is that we are to prove during our probation is important both to our success and to the joy that we will experience along the way...
...I believe that there is a great underlying truth in Christ's injunction to love others as ourselves—the reality is that you must love yourself in order to be able to be filled with love toward others. We can and must love ourselves for who we are even if we are not completely satisfied with what we are or where we are at the present. We can be loving and kind and even merciful with ourselves even while being fully and deeply committed to the knowledge that we can and must do better...
...I have found that a key to finding joy in daily living is to know this: If you are engaged in the daily struggle to overcome—fully engaged—if you are trying with everything you have, you are winning! And with the Lord's help you will prevail..." (Douglas F. Prawitt)
For years, my cousins have encouraged us to try out their favorite camping spot. Of course it would have been so much fun to try it out with them, but since we haven't been family camping in years, by design--mine--that experience never materialized while they lived here, and this year we even tried to plan a vacation together initially, even though we are farther apart, but our calendars were a little tricky and then the summer zoomed by and we unfortunately dropped the ball and let that opportunity slide out of site, so our little family finally snatched up the last calendar date we had open and went on our own, for the first time, up to Baumgartner Campground. It's a 3-1/2 hour drive, but it was worth the trip. It was beautiful and forested, had paved bike paths, a gorgeous clear river and a natural hot springs piped into a concrete pool area. We couldn't find a bike trailer to rent so my sister let us borrow their large four wheeler trailer and since it was so big we didn't have to pack light and even took up our hammock. Because of all of the clear swimming water in the camp, we never felt dirty and we had 4 days with nothing to do but be together. No phones. No computers. No radios. No distractions. That part was heaven. Of course there were still the uncomfortable nights of fitful sleep, the continuous bug bites, no matter how much spray we had on, and the relative disorganization of living in tents, but even that couldn't overshadow the peace of no clocks, no noise, no mirrors. Everyone had the chance to spend their time in ways that were most enjoyable to them--reading, fishing, swimming, hiking, napping, soaking--and everything was in such close proximity that we could even be alone...together, which is my favorite kind of alone! =) Only Lily and Sophie weren't completely content as they wanted to do everything and at all times and they had to wait for chaperons which couldn't always keep up with their wishes and energy, but between the lot of us, even they were content for the majority of the time. I did miss my Jordan and Mikayla even more in that unhurried environment, but I guess that's just par for the course if you have children to love. We'll have to go back a few more times, when my kids are all home, and with my cousins who guided us in the first place. After all the more family, the more fun the fireside. My Mom's never been a camping fan either, but an extended family reunion there would be a blast for the kids.
Now after two days of what feels like endless laundry, unpacking and home upkeep, we will get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to pack again and send all of the girls off to a Granddaughter Retreat for another 4 days. We are all a little tired of being away from home, but, even so my girls are excited and anxious to be with their grandparents and cousins. Abe, Fred and I aren't excited to have them gone, but we will make the most of our "only child" days and try to enjoy the tranquility that we will all be pretending isn't filled with missing. I anticipate some motherly sacrifices (Star Wars or Dr. Who will surely come up) and some son sacrifices (school clothes shopping may enter the picture) but we'll all get through it and then have one last hurrah as a family before school starts again, as Jordan comes home and Katie (his girlfriend) comes to visit. It's been a good summer-- gorgeously warm and long enough to let all of the goodness sink in and relax us, but I will always miss it's farewell. No matter how old I get as a mother, I can't imagine that school will ever start without me feeling a little pang of heartache, knowing that my children or grandchildren will be away more often, but I do remember the excitement and anticipation of school starting as a child, so I ride that wave each Fall and it usually sees me through the initial transition until I can begrudgingly acclimate again. Change is good for me. I never like it, so it usually has to be thrust upon me, but it forces me to keep expanding my mind and facing my future. Of the March sisters, I have a tendency to relate more with Beth than I do with Jo in her outlook on change, but I have Jo's stubbornness and dreams, not yet Beth's goodness and contentment--a paradox--but surely I still have "miles to go before I sleep" so I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other. "Slow and steady, steady and slow, that's the way we always go".
Fred returned my sister's trailer on Saturday and had letters to different extended family members from Mikayla that he was delivering and came home with an armful of rhubarb from another sister's garden that he told her he was going to make a pie from. To his credit he did wash and chop the rhubarb, in very nice pieces I might add =) but I made the pie with some of our raspberries (because they make everything better) and it was divine. THANKS LIZ! Fred says her garden is primo. Ours is a little...a lot...sparse this year, so fresh produce is a lovely gift. I have a rhubarb plant but I have waited all summer for it to "ripen" and not one single touch of red has every appeared, so I finally did some research and found that rhubarb comes in all kinds of varieties (some of which are completely green) so I guess it has been ripe all along. WHO KNEW! It's not quite the same presentation without the deep, lovely red so I'll have to try some and use food coloring. Can't wait to try another deep dish country pie. =)
Quote of the week:
"...Understanding just who we are and what it is that we are to prove during our probation is important both to our success and to the joy that we will experience along the way...
...I believe that there is a great underlying truth in Christ's injunction to love others as ourselves—the reality is that you must love yourself in order to be able to be filled with love toward others. We can and must love ourselves for who we are even if we are not completely satisfied with what we are or where we are at the present. We can be loving and kind and even merciful with ourselves even while being fully and deeply committed to the knowledge that we can and must do better...
...I have found that a key to finding joy in daily living is to know this: If you are engaged in the daily struggle to overcome—fully engaged—if you are trying with everything you have, you are winning! And with the Lord's help you will prevail..." (Douglas F. Prawitt)
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| Hiking...in style |
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| Lake fun in the clear, emerald (ice cold!) water |
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| Relaxing in the crystal clear (105 degree) hot water...NICE! |
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| Enjoying the rain... |
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| ...and the sun (a well used hammock...by all of us). |
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| Farm kid trials |
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| hard work, but she succeeded |
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| ...as did both of them...and Abe |
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| Fireside--the best part of camping |
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| Good food--the second best part of camping |
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| The kids kind of camp food |
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| My kind of camp food |
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| Fred's kind of camp food |
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