First Camping Trip

After much indecision, we decided to take the boys on their first camping trip last weekend.  We talk about it all of the time, and we really couldn't pass up the perfect weather to go.  Bryan took us to his deer lease near Madisonville, about 2.5 hours away. 

So here's the GOOD:

• I liked getting to see where Bryan goes when he goes to the lease.  Now I've seen his hunting spot, camping spot, and buddy's place where they go hog hunting. 
• We go to see Kevin/Jennifer/boys and Jason for a while.
• Bryan is an outdoor pro.  He tries to make camping as easy and comfortable for me as possible so that I'll keep wanting to go.
• We inherited some very nice gear from my dad when Cody's boyscouting days ended.  The mattress I slept on was very comfortable.
• Both boys got to go on 4-wheeler rides with Daddy.

• Bryan got to give JTC his first shooting lesson.

• AJC went fishing for the first time.  We caught one small perch. =)

• Sitting by the fire with Byran while listening to the boys giggle in the tent after bedtime was pretty cool.
• We had awesome s'mores. And pancakes.

And the BAD:

• AJC threw a long crying and screaming fit Saturday morning before we left.  Because of that (and some other stuff that needed to get done), we left about 2.5 hours later than we intended.  Delay.
• We only made it to downtown before JTC needed a potty break. Delay.
• Lunch was slow, pricey, and the men's room was out of order. Delay.
• After leaving Kevin and Jennifer's, we were supposed to meet up with Kevin at the lease to load the feeders.  Only Kevin's truck went to the camp site and we went to the hunting side.  Delay.
• By the time we got settled in at our campsite for the last time on Saturday (pretty much dinner time), AJC had been in and out of his car seat six times.  He was not happy at all about those last several times.

• Even with the freedom to pee anywhere he wanted, JTC had an accident.
• AJC got over-excited on the air mattress in the tent and whacked JTC in the face. Much wailing and crying ensued.  
• AJC pointed out every single cow pattie in the pasture where we camped.  There was one every 5 feet or so.  
• AJC did not nap on Saturday.  AJC did not go to sleep until after 9:00 on Saturday.  AJC still woke up at 7:00 on Sunday. AJC took a 45-minute car nap on Sunday.  Over.  Tired.  Toddler.
• AJC fell in the mud around the pond where we went fishing and was not happy about it. 
• We left Madisonville two hours later than I intended.  
  
• AJC cried for an hour of our 2.5-hour drive home.

AJC was not ready for this trip.  We should have made sure we got there in time for a nap, as originally planned.  We should have made them go to sleep earlier, even though they were having fun.  We thought we'd be ok since we are past the put-everything-in-his-mouth phase, but we may need to wait out the nap phase, too.  But have no doubt... we will camp again!