The Neuhausers Camp . . . again

We camped last weekend at Deception Pass, and by the time we arrived home around 8am Sunday morning (much earlier than planned), I was pretty sure I didn't like camping anymore. 'Course, that could've been five hours of interrupted sleep on the cold ground talking. I dunno.

Note: I am not a morning person. I am especially not a morning person when I wake up from less than seven hours of sleep. I have been known to transform into a bear and growl at anyone who comes too close (or attempts to tickle, snuggle, or otherwise intrude on my personal space. Just ask Jason; he'll tell you stories). So any claims or opinions I might express when under the effects of SDD (sleep deprivation disorder) should be deemed highly suspect and filed for possible retraction at a later date.

The trip was a kind of a last hurrah for us; we have no more big events planned for the rest of the summer. As with our previous trip to South Whidbey, we learned a lot this time around, too. Like a slow-leaking air mattress makes for tough sleeping and, when packing a toddler, one can never bring too many changes of clothes (Think Caleb, diarreah-inducing diaper rash, and a camp shower rendevous at 10:30 at night).

But at least we had dry firewood. :)

Lest you get the wrong impression, the trip was not nightmarish or horrid. It was not the kind of tale you'd read about in wilderness adventure magazines, where everything goes wrong and you have to make dinner using duct tape, a coffee can, and tweezers. We had plenty of fun, plenty of sweet moments where we smiled and laughed and made memories. And for proof, I offer you these:

Snuggling with my Bud

(quite possibly my favorite photo of the whole trip)

(( do I look happy in this photo? this was Saturday morning, after a full and restful night's sleep))

Campsite #98

Jason building a fire on the first night

(keep on eye on Caleb; he's about to have his butt kicked by the camping chair)

And he's down! The chair: 1

Caleb: Zip!

Making breakfast the next morning

I'd never cooked over an open fire before! We made hashbrowns and bacon and

Jason and I agreed that the food tasted better cooked this way.

Now we're on the lookout for a Cooking On an Open Fire cookbook! :)

What camping trip is complete without s'mores?

Pretending to be Peter Pan on his

"pie-at ship"

Mist on Cranberry Lake, early Saturday morning

Unfortunately, our air mattress died Saturday night and my sleeping bag apparently only works in 60+ degree weather, because I couldn't get warm for the life of me. When we woke up at 5:45 Sunday morning, to a wet campsite and gray fog, we decided to go home. We rolled out of Deception Pass around 7:30, had a hot breakfast a la McDonalds, and went home for four-hour naps all around.

I felt bad a leaky air mattres and a cold night kicked my butt. I also felt bad that we left our campsite hours earlier than planned. But Jason, being the wonderful guy that he is, told me I had nothing to prove by "roughing it". I don't have to camp in a tent, in the rain, in the cold, to prove I am some sort of Wilderness Woman. If I don't like that particular kind of camping, that's ok. I'm not a terrible person.

Many of the state parks around here offer rustic cabins for rent in addition to regular campsites. Most of them are heated and have electricity, though you're still bringing linens and cooking food over a camp fire or in a bbq grill. Jason and I want to try one sometime to see how we like it. It may not be roughing it, but it just might be more enjoyable.

How about you? Do you like to camp? Do you prefer a tent, a cabin, or an RV?

Or would you rather just spend the weekend in a city, maybe visiting the zoo or taking in a Broadway show?