We planned it months in advance so it gave us lots of time to get excited and prepared! Unfortunately we weren't able to camp throughout the year too much as we had planned but we did some back yard practice and some fathers-son camping but this would be the first camping trip as a family of four.
Camping was my favorite part. I'll be honest, i'm no good at it. I was only in charge of 2 meals and 1 was a total bust...that's an F. If I was being graded. Which I tend to be a pretty hard grader when it comes to my self evaluations. So I guess I need to work on that... and my camping skills. It was my first time camping in probably 5 years so yeah its been a while but all my mistakes got me real excited to try again in a few months! I just love living in the wild, no screens, no phone calls, no distraction and lots of fun camping fun, games and warm fires. It's my favorite thing.
Matix had a rough weekend, being outside of his routine and camping for the first time can be hard on a little body, especially when you have so much fun you just want your warm crib and you dark room. He was a fussy little guy but considering it all, we were so proud of him and he reminded us how important it is to embrace the chaos. He finally took a nap one morning so we let him sit in the car seat a few feet from where we were at the camp site, i went to check on him through the trunk and as soon as I opened the trunk i smelt the most awful smell. "Chad i think Matix is stinky, would you get him out, he must have just woke up."
Moments later, Chad opens his door to find this grueling sight.
The camp ground was not exactly what we had expected but it ended up being wonderful! We were a little nervous about the loud trains that passed through at all hours of the night but all the kids slept through and we were not more than a minute walk to the beach! We had showers, sings, bathrooms and power so it was hardly camping but it didn't stop us from getting good and dirty!
We played on the beach most of the time but we managed to get in a nice nature walk along the cliffs where we watched some painters at work, saw lots of squirrels an lizards and little legs got good and tired. Sam and I even managed to talk a man-packs in to going antiquing in downtown Carpinteria, we are some delicious local pizza and saw some local children's art. We stopped every dog walker and got real close to some ice cream but not quite close enough to taste. We always ended up on the beach. I'm sure if we lived there we would be explorers every day, finding new creatures, coves, cliffs, special trees, and unique beaches.
Matix was a magnet to the sand. More specifically, his head/face was a magnet to the sand. he loved it so much and between running directly into the waves and dragging his head to make lines in the sand, he could easily be there 24/7.
Liam loved being with cousins and running from the waves. We built rock towers, poked poor little sea creatures, went on early morning walks, admired the seals from afar and went on long walks to see the sunset.
Moments later, Chad opens his door to find this grueling sight.
"OH NO"
"OH MAN NO"
You would have thought he was horribly wounded the way chad was yelling and whining! I rush over to find Matix who had smeared his own fecal matter all over himself and everything he could reach. It was HILARIOUS and disgusting all at once. Chad dry-heaved a few times while i tried not to wet my pants from laughing so hard and Chads reaction. Long story short, Chad earned his daily dad badge and I got an ab work out.
Chad and Preston had some brother bonding time, catching crabs and gather muscles in the tide pools for a 'manly feast" in the evening and Sam and I had fun watching them "eat what they kill". What would we do without their foraging skills! I loving seeing the brothers together. it was a relationship i never had or saw growing up so its both fascinating and refreshing to see the light-hearted, fun and loving bond they share. a bond i hope my boys to have.
While Sam and I chatted on the beach we talked about how great the camping trip was for our boys and came up with the plan to make it an annual "cousin camp". A way to get the cousins together for a trip every year dedicated to them being together and away from the world. I don't think i could ask for more!
We didn't have too many pics from the last day but i loved spending time in the Merrells new home. Its so warm and bright and beautiful and fits them and their needs so perfectly! What a blessing it is for them to live in such an ideal location, in such an ideal home. Perfection. Truely.
Church was great and we were so lucky, Brigham had a talk in Primary that we were able to listen to before taking off back home.
Huge Huge HUGE Thanks to Sam for 1, taking so many pictures and then making this perfect little video of our perfect weekend! Here's to many many more cousin camps!
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