Hobble Creek Campout

Three years have passed since our last big camping trip.

Well except for one little over-nighter with some friends in-between. And as far as over-nighters go...anyone can handle that and have a great time. Even if you've forgot a tent and have to sleep in the truck bed. {So that's how sardines must feel.} And if you get the world's most amazing summer thunder and lightening storm playing havoc in the sky right above you in that truck bed....well dang if that isn't some serious awesomeness!

Enough time had passed that we decided it was a good time to try again. And not that we didn't have fun last time, because we did. But I was worried about snakes and heat and having to pee in the middle of the night. Well okay, I was worried about all those things this time as well. But Lilian is now 6-years old instead of 3, and I really think that made a huge difference in my stress level and enjoyment of a 4-day long camping trip.

So up Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville we went. This time equipped with our very own (not even borrowed!!) tent, coolers, camp chairs, cots, etc. We set up in a group campsite with the rest of Bryan's siblings and their families and proceeded to be all outdoorsy-like. I didn't even wear mascara.

We went on a big hike one day. I was told it was "pretty steep but not overly treacherous." And I suppose that's true. But I tell you what, there were places where I felt like I was literally mountain climbing...holding on to branches, rocks, whatever I could get a grip on to heave myself up the trail...it was so steep. And muddy. Because it rained every night we were there. Which actually was pretty cool. Hearing the rain patter down on the roof of the tent was actually somewhat calming. Even if it did mean that I could sing "rain drops keep falling on my head..." during my nightly squats outside the tent door. (Darn bladder that I swear must only be the size of a grape.) And can I just say it was dark out there. Seriously pitch. And a cougar had been spotted in camp the week before. And a bear a month earlier. So, you know...I was seriously cursing that grape size bladder.

 (I look like some giant in this picture....)

But coming back around to the hike, yeah. There were multiple times I asked Bryan, "Are you sure this is a trail???" He assured me that it was so all I could figure was that it was clearly not a well traveled trail. My guess....most hikers don't go anywhere up as high as we did.

And then we found a snake. Megan was bound and determined to catch it. And I was bound and determined to take a picture of it once she did...you know, just to prove that I was brave enough to look at it. But then she wanted to bring it back to camp. And our conversation went something like this:

Me: NO way, NO how are you bringing that snake back to camp.
Megan: But what if I just bring it back long enough to show it to the boys? I promise to bring it back to the river and let it go far away from camp.
Me: But what if it gets away from you while you are showing it off?
Megan: I'll just catch it again.
Me: Megan...you know how terrified you are of spiders?
Megan: {shudders} yes...
Me: That's how I feel about snakes. I'll continue to smash spiders for you if you don't bring that snake back anywhere near camp...
---And an understanding was reached---

We played lots and lots of board games. And we read books. I finished up The Great Gatsby...and decided that there aren't too many redeemable characters in the darn thing. Why do people love it as much as they do? And then started into a book all about Earnest Hemingway. Apparently I was being rather highbrow literary in my reading selections. Maybe it was my way of holding on to the city girl in me while puttering around in the dirt with no mascara.

The kids spent a lot of time in the creek. Which meant I was hanging wet shorts and shirts on the clothesline each day...and then rushing to pull them down before our nightly rainstorms.

Lilian got sick one day...diarrhea and vomiting. Which meant scrubbing out more clothes and hanging them to dry on that same clothesline. (She asked for a "special daddy prayer" and got better pretty quick after that. The faith of a small child is truly sweet.....)


And though we ate well and plenty, I didn't eat any chocolate for 4 days straight. Well, unless you count the oreos. But really, I'm talking about chocolate, candy style. Because strangely enough, I wasn't ever in the mood for smores and the chocolate that would've come along with it. Hmmm.

Here's more pictures of our adventures....