I am embracing being a "camping" family. Can I call us that after just two camping trips?
Last year, after returning from our first (and what I fully expected to be our last) camping trip, I had decided that I hated camping. I had already figured out how much I would price the "like new" tent for at our next rummage when the thought came to me that maybe, just maybe, I should give it one more chance under better circumstances.
I'm the type of person who chooses to focus on the good memories. Problem being, there were absolutely none from that trip. So, I would have to go again just to make sure that I wouldn't conjure up images of Hell in my mind whenever I heard someone talking about camping.
Fast forward a year later: Camping gear crammed in the SUV ,we began our 4 hour journey to Hocking Hills. Intention: Erasing bad memories ~ replacing them w/ good ones.
To help me gauge my success I made a short list of PROS and CONS.
PRO: Smores!
CON: Hungrily waiting 45 minutes for your husband to get fire started.
PRO: Satisfaction of pitching tent and the word "divorce" not being mentioned even once.
CON: Countless hours of prep and sweat labor and the end result is that you're sleeping on the ground in a rickety tent.
PRO: Waking up to birds singing!
CON: Going to bed to sound of racoon ravaging your campsite.
PRO: Hiking to Old Man's Cave and Canyon Falls!
CON: Hiking to shower house.
PRO: 3 days of going "au naturale" from neck up!
CON: 3 days of smelling "au naturale" from neck down.
Soon the smell of campfire smoke and bug spray will be washed away, but long will linger the memories that we made. (Cue soft piano music) The memory of being stalked by a very persistent raccoon and Pete's obsession w/ kicking it. The memory of Beth, Pete and Heath racing downhill on scooters and Heath trying to "thread the needle" between them, consequently wiping out going about 25 MPH and landing on his chin. The memory of Marley falling backward out of her camp chair, in what appeared to be slow motion, with drink in hand. And the memory of everyone screaming in stinging pain as we sprayed on "Deep Woods" bug repellant (seriously, what is in that stuff?)
These are the memories I will hold dear!!
Do I LOVE camping? No.
Will I smile when, in 20 years I picture my girls sitting around the camp fire? Absolutely.
Will they smile when they remember our family camping trips? That's my goal.
