My Sincerely Fro Me to You post this week doesn’t go back quite as far as my others… it’s actually not even a month old. We went on multi family camping trip. There were 8 kids 4 and under between the 3 families. Friday night we had a blast. The kids enjoyed playing with tent poles in the dirt while we set up camp. Then they went looking for sticks to roast their marshmallows.
We woke Saturday morning at around 4 am. Believe it or not, we got more sleep than we had expected with 3 kids in our tent and 2 kid filled tents nearby. By 5:30 we ventured out of our tent when we heard our friend’s kids talking. By 7 am we were all up eating pancakes with kids running circles around the tents. 
And then the rain came…
Why is it that ALL of my memories of camping growing up involve rain? It seems they go hand in hand. And yet, I love camping and continue to go back. It is hard to explain.
We expected to get wet. But this wasn’t just wet. This was hours of torrential down pouring. My husband and son went fishing for several hours in the rain. My son really wanted to fish, there was nothing else to do, and they were completely soaked anyway so they just stood exposed in the rain and fished (didn’t catch anything). I stayed at the site with the girls. Here is what our camp site looked like by mid day. My arms were tired and my back was killing me because, as you can see, there wasn’t really a place for me to sit my baby down. 
By lunch we were standing in ankle deep water and it was time to evaluate the situation. One of the tents had been flooded already and the forecast was telling us it was going to rain the rest of the day with thunderstorms that night. We rather reluctantly decided to pack up and try again another time. Could we have stuck it out? Sure… but, if people weren’t having fun, then pride alone seemed like a bad motivation.
We noticed a break in the rain and decided it was a good time to pack up our tents. After quickly packing up and loading our wet stuff into our van, we are on the road. As we drove away, this is what the sky looked like.
Yup… a clear blue sky the whole way to my brother’s house .
So much for that weather forecast.
To see my other Sincerely Fro Me to You posts click here , or, in celebration of my latest blogging milestone, check out my 100th post.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Ughh! My hubby loves camping so much that he bought a pop up camper so I’ll go with him! And that’s why! Too many rainy memories…although that’s my kids favorite part!
Just the picture of the ankles in muddy water, made me shudder!
Oh dear! I am not a camping girl. My daughter and I just had this conversation at dinner. She wants to go “camp out” but she and I stay in a “room” and not in a tent. I am with her!
I’m not a camper either, but I hate it when the weather doesn’t cooperate like you want it too.
I think you guys were brave for staying as long as you did.
It sounds like your weekend turned out ok after all! And smore’s for breakfast from Auntie how great! Sorry about the rain!
We had our first camping trip this year and it was wonderful! But we do want to get some kind of pop-up or camper just for THOSE kinds of days!
You can read my post about camping here:
http://jamiescottage.blogspot.com/2008/04/our-1st-camping-trip.html
I guarantee that if you would have stayed it would have been different! Why is life that way??
Oh good heavens! Thats what we call in deep south “come a flood”!! You’re a brave momma… and at least you got a good story out of that.
At least you had a good night of quality time with everyone, and although you got rained out, it still sounds like you have some good memories to share with your friends!
And I’m sorry your trip was ruined, but we sure were happy to see you!
Oh, and thanks for the link!
Oh bless your heart! That is always the way it happens it rains you decide to leave and then it clears up. Maybe next time it will be better.
You are very brave. My idea of camping is a hotel with doors that are on the outside. That sure made for some fun memories!!
Oh I remember those days of rain It can be fun some days. I remember when you wore winter coats at the beach. But warm rain is some times fun BUT not all the time