Kamping With The Kiddos...Bad Idea!!!!

The kids and I camped out last night in the back yard and I am really regretting that decision this morning let me tell ya!!!!!

Everything started off great. I built it up all day yesterday...they were so excited about the campfire we would build, the camp fire stories and songs there would be, the tent, the sleeping bags on the hard ass ground, etc.

The night started out great. We gathered rocks to make a little fire pit on a bare spot in our back yard, gathered sticks for the fire, set up the tent, gathered snacks for around the campfire and finally had Jamey help us make the tiny little fire. We were having great fun at that point.

Jamey came inside to go to bed and the kids and I climbed into the tent. Torture does not even begin to describe what I felt. How does a sleeping bag get thinner and thinner as the night goes on? How many questions can two kids ask back to back? How do two dogs next door never get tired of barking at three campers next door? Why are kids so fascinated with shining a flashlight in the eyes of others? Why do children wiggle so much when they are trying to go to sleep knowing that it messes up their sleeping bag and that upsets them and they have to have their mommy fix their sleeping bag 10,000 times? How does a little girl wake up at 1 am from a dead sleep and have to pee? Why does a girl wake up again around 2 am and decide she wants to "go home" and is tired of camping? (Samuel was sleeping like a rock so I sent Riley inside to get in the bed with Jamey...he loves me for that this morning!!!) Where the heck are people going and coming home from at 2 am in the morning in our neighborhood?

So, with Samuel dead to the world I was stuck sleeping out there with him all night. Basically my night consisted of tossing and turning so that my arms and legs could take turns "waking up". I also tried imagining I was somewhere more comfortable and pleasant...that somewhat helped until exhaustion took hold.

Here is a valuable lesson I learned last night that I would like to pass along to you all....If you ever find yourself sleeping on the hard ass ground....for most people the front of your body is more squishy than your back or side (no feeling like a spine, shoulder blades or hip grinding into the ground)....SLEEP ON YOUR TUMMY!!!! Your boobs and belly give a better cushion.) You should be good until your arms fall asleep and the pins and needles sensation starts which wakes you up every 30 minutes or so. I didn't try laying on my tummy until almost dawn!!!!

I WILL NEVER CAMP WITHOUT AN AIR MATTRESS AGAIN!!!!! FORGET CAMPING THE REAL WAY AND ROUGHING IT!!!!!!! I am glad we did a practice run at home...now we know how the kids would do on a camping trip. Sam passed the test...Riley and I not so much!

I took a few pictures but I am too tired and too lazy to post them! I just want to go to bed...a REAL bed...my wonderful bed!