Diamond Lake

So, this camping trip was not the best timing.  Phil's last month of school has been insane with graduation and end of the year obligations (including social ones like retirement parties).  He wasn't able to take the kids to work with him very often and was gone a lot in the evenings.  When he was here, he was finishing up work stuff and working outside on watering.  He was staying up late, no downtime or reprieve.  The grass hay was in full bloom which meant feeling terrible and having to take allergy medication and use his inhaler.  In the meantime, I was finishing up all the end of the year school stuff, moving water constantly, doing all of Jubilee's birthday party stuff, and not getting any reprieve or downtime either.  After weeks of this, a camping trip was just too much.  We signed up to join some work friends of Phil's months ago, not anticipating (remembering?) how insane mid May to the end of June is (with some 90 degree weather making it even worse).

Phil was too busy to do anything to get us ready and I had to throw things together last minute.  I really debated whether or not to even go.  I was desperate for some quiet alone time and going camping with people I don't really know was not appealing.  

I made lists, did the shopping, packed everything we needed, did food prep, and made arrangements for animal care.  We were up early Saturday morning and neither one of us wanted to go.  Phil just wanted to sleep and I just wanted to work on some farm chores alone.  The children, however, were very excited.  Sawyer especially because there was going to be fishing.

Jubilee helped with list making.

We got treats on our way out, and then this big camper pulled up next to us.  They had two kids, a huge 5th wheel, and it was one of those campers that hauls 4-wheelers or motorcycles.  Here we are, in our dirty crowded van, with a pop up trailer that sleeps a crowded 5 (we had to squeeze the 3 girls on a double bed and the 2 boys on a single - no tents allowed in the RV campground).  The kids were all staring out the window LOL. 

We get to our campsite and drive in and begin setting up.  We were in a group of 4 reserved sites and we were the last ones to get there so I begin the set up while Phil took Sawyer to get his fishing license.  We were then met by the "aggressive" park hosts which came in a posse of 3 men, riding in 2 of those golf carts, telling us that we need to check in and that we are NEVER allowed to enter the campground without checking/registering first (and then getting an escort to the campsite).  One of the guys offered up that they can call the police for any reason.  Ok, weird....

I set up the tent and we had not thought ahead about the mosquitoes...oh misery!  Sawyer was able to head out on the boat in the afternoon for fishing.  I visited with the other moms for awhile and we did a group dinner.  The other kids played and rode bikes that other family brought.  Then, there was the mom shaming....Glorielle was riding one of the bikes, without a helmet, and crashed.  She had not a scratch, bump, bruise on her luckily but it horrified the witnesses enough that they came up and lectured and lectured us.  Now, truthfully, she should have been wearing a helmet.  The other kids weren't wearing them and I had hesitated to let her ride without one but the campground was fairly level so I didn't think she would be going too fast.  Unfortunately, there was a downhill around the bend that I hadn't scoped out and they were intentionally riding fast down it (of course!).  As one of the most careful and protective moms I know, it was ironic that I should be getting lectured on safety.  





Cornhole

The kids...and Brian, the grown up kid (yes, he is nearly 7 feet).  


Phil and 4 of the kids went out on the boat first thing in the morning.  I got up, packed, and loaded the van, and then made breakfast.  It was a long wait for them to return and I ended up just sitting in the tent reading because the mosquitos were so bad.  Sawyer caught two fish and was thrilled.  Phil looked exhausted.  We had breakfast (or rather brunch at that point) and then headed out.  We drove down to the lake so I could at least get a glimpse of it before we headed out.  

Phil could barely keep his eyes open, we were all covered with bites, I had spent a day and a half prepping for the camping trip and the entire camping trip setting up and taking down, and trying to watch kids.  It was just too much.  The kids had fun though and hopefully it will be a good memory for them.  It is now Wednesday and I feel like I am nearly recovered after 3 days (though I haven't done any of the laundry from the trip)...at least my mosquito bites stopped itching 2 days later LOL!  Now, I do think this could be fun in the future IF it is planned in July, if we go someplace where there are less mosquitoes, and if we stayed an extra day. 

My 3 minute glimpse of the lake before we headed out.



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