Time to Slow Down

 

This weekend we decided to go camping with Monte's family.  Our thirty one foot fifth wheel with a slide has been retired and the truck that tows it has been sold in place of more practical transportation for a soon to be family of eight.  But...we still wanted to camp.  So we purchased a 150 square foot tent and decided to rough it in order to make memories with our children and extended family.  It was so much work and fun all wrapped together but it was worth every minute.

We took two vehicles in order to carry all of our gear and haul all of our little people.  Vaeh rode with pillows and bedding packed all around her.  On the way home she was exhausted and used them to her advantage.
The weather was beautiful the first two days but Saturday night strong storms were forcasted so we packed up and headed for home for night and returned the next day for more family fun.  It was nice to be only thirty miles from home so that this was an option for us.  Tent camping through a storm is not my idea of a good time and we really needed sleep to be able to function well.

We found a large group of geese and enjoyed skipping rocks down by the shore.  Smores and visiting around the campfire are always a favorite for everyone and Grandma makes her famous camping funnel cakes. Many enjoy card games around the picnic table.
My kids have the best cousins in the world and even the little ones are included in their fun.
On Sunday we returned without our box of toys so creativity was born out of boredom and the older kids enjoyed building tee-pees while the little ones played with sticks and rocks.   

We returned home exhausted from all of our family fun.  As we were working together to unpack I looked down at my pregnant body and swollen ankles and came to the conclusion that this was probably our last big family outing before the baby arrives in seven short weeks.  Although it was so much fun, it is probably time to slow down, to start saying "no," and keep our outside activities to a minimum.  At this point, being seven months pregnant, outings are getting more and more difficult and physically taxing to organize and orchestrate.  I am entitled to hibernate in the air-conditioning and nest, spend time relaxing with my children, and slowing down before our new little blessing joins us and I will try to do just that.