Campout and a very sore back

Tent set up in the backyard? Check!

"The sleeping gear" and stuffies in the tent? Check!

Kids all excited to campout in the backyard by themselves? Check!

...1/2 hour before getting in the tent for sleep, 8 year old says he's scared and doesn't want to campout anymore. Not even with his big brother there with him, the backdoor unlocked, a flashlight, and a phone if they want to call us in the house.

Hubby pissed because he set up the damn tent? Yup!

Mom to the rescue. "Want me to sleep in the tent with you?" Kids - YYYAAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!

I like camping but I do it on top of a queen size blowup air mattress, not on top of patio lounge chair padded covers, no matter how puffy they are.

Mommy need help getting up and out of the tent the next morning because her back is KILLING her? You bet!

I'm too old for this!

*FYI, a million stuffies surrounding you all night does not a comfy sleep make when you're over the age of 13

Camping Like A Griswold

Clarke, Ellen, Rusty and Audry almost...

As mentioned in Oh Sh$t we forgot the tent,  we went camping on this May long weekend. We didn't forget the tent this time. Hubby and the boys picked me up from work on Thursday afternoon so we could start our trip. And it went something like this...

Thursday:

Leave my desk at around 3:30 pm to wait at the front of the building.

Griswold mobile shows up towing the trailer behind it, trailer bouncing up and down making much noise (my god I hope someone I work with doesn't exit the building and see this noisy production).

Head to the border and pray no horrendous traffic or waits at the border.

Get though the border and make our way to Fred Meyer in Burlington to stock up on some food and bevies.

Rip open bevy while hubby drives (Smirnoff Ice Raspberry flavour drink, hic).

Get to Deception Pass Campground and set up with no issues.

Friday - Shopping Day

Head out early to hit as many stores as possible.

Hit Quicksilver at Seattle Premium Outlets and spend $2.69 total on a hoodie and tank top (damn I'm good).

Hit Target and Marshalls, same old, same old.

Hit Ross Dress for Less, try on a shoe on one foot.

Hobble up and down the shoe isle at Ross with one cute high heel on trying not to trip.

Trip on said shoe and fall forward flat on my face in the 7 1/2 isle with my kids watching (thank god nobody else).

Watch as kids run off laughing to tell their dad that mom fell on her face and is crying (no I'm not) and screaming about it loud enough for other shoppers to hear.

Pick myself up off the dirty floor and pretend nothing happened (crap my arms and wrists hurt from stopping my fall).

Buy the cute Ralph Lauren heels (hell yeah after that) and can't wait to wear them.

Pop open another bevy while hubby drives us back to campground.

Listen to the Canucks game on AM 1040 and boo at the loss.

Saturday:

Wake up from flat mattress that has acquired a hole (crap need to buy a new one) and rub sore back and neck.

Boil water on the propane stove for morning coffee and sit and enjoy coffee while reading my book (the part I love most).

Think about having a shower but it's too much of a pain because we don't have the right tokens that need to be purchased from the park entrance.

Put on a hat and deodorant (it'll do) and head out to Walmart in Oak Harbor to get a new mattress.

Get back from shopping and head to the beach to walk around and let the boys zoom around on their scooters.

Wonder at the fact that a wedding reception is taking place in the rental space of the concession stand (really??) and that the guests have to use the washrooms that the general public use too (they're disgusting). I'm sorry but I have to say it, TRASHY!!!!!!!

Wander by the wedding reception (there's a public path so we'll use it) and inwardly laugh at the fact that the bride and groom actually consciously chose this venue?!?!? There's goose poop everywhere.

Drink more booze and go to bed

Sunday:

Make our favourite camping breakfast. Eggs, bacon, and hash browns.

Proceed to dump one entire pack of bacon on the ground. Five second rule does not count in this case.

Applaud myself for buying two packs of bacon (phew).

Realize that I now stink of fried food, still have not showered...and put on my hat and more deodorant. It'll do.

Take the boys down to the climbing Douglas Fir tree to climb around on (inwardly hope nobody falls to the ground, breaks a limb and costs us massive bills in US$ medical).

Watch as "E" gets stuck up high and dad has to try to get him down.

Watch as "E" does it again (the kid won't learn).

"E" up the tree

"M" up the tree

Find a pair of prescription glasses in the beach parking lot and pocket them. In good shape and pretty close to my own prescription.

Wonder what the hell I'm doing (for only a moment) and walk back to the site with my new glasses thinking I've scored.

Listen to the Canucks game on AM 1040 and revel in the win.

Monday:

Pack everything back up again and try to fit it all in the car and the trailer.

Remember that I bought a cute pair of Ralph Lauren heels that I can't wait to wear (YESSSS!).

Get through the border no problem and make our way home (loving the feeling of getting back into Canada knowing that we've got two extra cases of beer, and an extra bottle of wine - we're such rebels).

Get home and do many loads of stinky laundry.

Have a much needed shower and smell good.

Ahhh, I love camping!

Oh Sh@t, we forgot the tent!

Words uttered by my hubby as we had just crossed the border into Blaine, WA on our way to Deception Pass campground two years ago. Words you don't want to hear. I'm mean, come on, the TENT for crying out loud.

You don't turn around, cross back into Canada to pick up the tent, then come right back again. Instead you go to Fred Meyer in Bellingham and pick up a brand new tent on sale for $80 USD. And this new tent is what I like to call a palace. We are a family of four. This palatial habitat sleeps 10. There's more habitable space per person in this thing than there is in my own house! Not only that, my 6'2 inch hubby can stand up in it with room to spare.

We're going camping down to Deception Pass on Whidbey Island this coming May long weekend. We go down every May to this truly picturesque place.

One of the two bridges leading onto the island. The rapids below are quite "deceptive" to boats, hence the name Deception Pass. The rapids can be deadly.

One of the beaches we like to wander along on the Northern side of the campground.

Another view of the bridges.

We love camping here every May. The truly awesome part about this area is that it's only approx 30 minutes from the outlet mall in Burlington, and 45 minutes from Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip. Camping / shopping, you know they kind of go hand in hand in my book. I usually stock up on shoes (go figure).

So here's hoping that we don't forget our palace, I mean tent, on Thursday when we set out south for this long weekend trek in the Grizwold mobile.

I'll be sure to take lots of "Grizwold" style pictures of our escapades because that's usually what we resemble on camping trips. Clark, Ellen and the kids!

Happy Camping!