Camping

We just got home from camping. It was awesome, as usual. Luis even admitted it was worth the drive this time. He has been giving me crap about the ride since 2 years ago when we took Taye. We had such a miserable time that we left early. We were just not prepared, we froze all night and got no sleep, and Taye was so little that he got nothing out of it. We only stayed one day, and Taye cried almost the whole 3 hour ride each way. Since then Luis has said its not worth going all the way there, when we can go camping right up the street. He just didn't get it, but he does now.

Dad and Val went up Thursday night and got a site at Passaconaway. They told us they were going to get up early and drive around Jigger Johnson to try and find a site there on Friday, and they would leave us a plate wherever they ended up. We headed up Friday morning, planning to get there around noon. The ride was a little rough, the boys were not thrilled about being in the car. We had the portable DVD player and that helped some. Taye lost his beloved 'red car' at Job Lot on Thursday night, and I think that played a big part in why he was so unhappy. I should have gone back to try and find it. He didn't ask for it all weekend, but he is usually so content to sit and play with his cars, I think he would have been happier if he'd had them. When I could tell they had reached their limit, I grabbed the next exit. We lucked out and found a nice playground as soon as we got off the highway. We killed 20 minutes there, and then got back in the car for the rest of the ride. We got to Jigger Johnson site #47 at around 1pm. It was definitely one of the best sites we've had. We had two paths off the back of the site that went right down to the river. And since they were not the main paths, we had the river to ourselves once we got there. It was awesome. We were also right by the water, dumpster, and the path to the bathrooms. Location, location, location...lol.

While we set up camp, Taye had tons of fun playing in Buppa's van.





Now, everyone thinks my dad is a big neat freak about his cars, and that they are always spotless. But I have evidence to the contrary. I sent in a perfectly clean kid, and this is what came out. You be the judge.



They both had a lot of fun playing in the tent once it was set up too.







After a while, Taye wanted to explore so he and I set off down the path to the river. The path ended on a little cliff over the river, so we had to walk down a little way to find a place where we could actually get down to the water. Taye wasn't very impressed, until I showed him what a splash it makes when you throw a rock in the river. Then he could see the potential. After a little while, Luis and Darius joined us. I didn't think they would want to get in the river since it is always so cold, but they surprised me. Darius scooted right to the edge and played with the water. When I walked in with him, he even thought about sitting down in the deeper part of the river. Even Taye jumped around and splashed in the shallow water. It was a lot of fun.



























Dad was napping when we got back to the campsite, so we took it easy for a while.





He woke up shortly after we got back, and we headed in to the store in Conway. We decided to go to Cathedral Ledge (my favorite!) on our way back.







I thought this seemed like good advice:



Dad took these pictures of us, then Luis had him pose with both boys "so they would be able to remember what he looks like after he moves to Arizona." :o)







Taye fell asleep on the way back, and was so tired he didn't even wake up when I took him out of his carseat. I had to put him in the seat of the van so I could step down and then get him out, and he just slept right where I put him.





We had a yummy dinner, then made a fire. Darius wanted nothing more that to get in the fire for at least the first half hour. It was exhausting trying to keep him away from it. But eventually he got over it. We made s'mores (with Reese's PB cups - I don't think I will ever to back to a plain Hershey's again!) and stayed by the fire until almost 9.









Darius was blowing on the fire because he heard Taye say it was hot, lol.







Before we went to bed, Val and I headed to the bathroom. Taye decided to join us, and as we walked up the path I wondered what the whole experience must be like to a two year old. Here he was, walking in the pitch black night straight into the woods with just a flashlight. He just held onto my hand and didn't hesitate a bit, he was as happy as can be. I can't imagine what he must have been thinking.

We froze our butts off all night. Taye slept like a log from 9:30-6:30, I don't think he moved once. I was only wearing a light long sleeved shirt, since I figured a sweatshirt would be a pain when Darius woke up (6 times) to nurse. By about 2am, I was too cold to care, I put my sweatshirt on! We were all up before 7am. We ate breakfast and went to Lower Falls.

We got there around 10am, and there was almost no one else there. Of course, the water was freezing, but it always is, so it didn't matter. The boys had a lot of fun, and came in the water with us, as long as we didn't let more than their toes touch. We brought sand toys too, so they had something to do. And, of course, Taye went exploring a lot. We found tadpoles and Luis caught a tiny baby minnow. Luis took each of the boys up on the rocks to see the waterfalls. It was a nice, relaxing time. Best of all, by the time it started to get crowded, we had had enough, and were ready to head back for lunch anyway. We really timed it perfectly. We realized that even more when we drove by again a couple of hours later, and there were cars parked along the sides of the highway for a good distance as people walked up to the falls. I have never seen it so busy.

At the campsite in the morning:








Lower Falls:
















Look at what I got!











I thought this was so cool, the roots grew around the rock, and it was stuck in the tree.



After lunch we hung around the campsite for a while. I decided to lay in the hammock, and Taye joined me for a few minutes. Mostly the boys played with their trucks. When Taye came to see me he had some oyster crackers that Val had given him to feed the chipmunks. We had little chipmunks all over the site, and they were not shy, they'd come right over while you stood watching and grab food off the ground. As I lay on the hammock alone, I heard rustling around me and saw a chipmunk under me. I took the crackers Taye had left and tossed them on the ground. The chipmunk came right over, within 2 feet of me and ate them. It was so cool to watch him.







Later that afternoon we headed back to Conway. We went to the Army Navy store, and the outlets. We left empty handed, I wasn't that impressed (I did not, however, allow myself to go into Oshkosh!) We went back, had dinner and a fire (with s'more s'mores and Jiffy Pop), and went to bed. We were better prepared and had a warmer night.

This morning we had to be out by noon. We had breakfast and packed up the site. I thought it would be fun to go down to the river again, which we did, but Taye didn't want to be there. He wanted to be in Buppa's truck. We had a very brief time at the river, we saw some ducks which I don't ever remember seeing at the river before. Then we went back to the site. We helped Dad and Val pack the rest of the stuff up, and then went home. Both boys slept the first two hours of the ride. We got home around 1:30.

I am exhausted, but happy. I love camping, and always feel great after going. It was so much fun, I can't wait for next year!

















Luis was talking to me while I took these. He looked so cute, I had to take a picture.





He asked what I was doing, and I told him I was taking pictures 'cause he is so cute.