Luke's Diary: Our First Camping Trip!

Hi Mommy's Blog Readers!

Today Mommy said I could tell you about the camping trip we took for our first Labor Day weekend! I don't know what Labor Day is about; all I know is Mommy got an extra day off so we got to spend LOTS of time with her.

We got hungry on the ride over, but Mommy fed me as soon as we arrived. That's Uncle Ben's motorcycle in the background...Mommy didn't get any pictures of him this trip, but he was there and it was so fun to see him!

Grammy and Grandpa were there, too. They helped hold us, so we didn't have to sit in the dirt:

The grown-ups made a fire pit for campfires. I've seen fire before at Uncle Ben's...I love watching it...just stare at it, totally mesmerized.

Me and Sissy and Mommy and Daddy had our own tent. Mommy and Daddy bought it used from a friend of Uncle Ben's last weekend. Mommy says she and Daddy went camping in California last summer right before she got pregnant with us, and they camped in her backpacking tent like always, but a friend of Mommy's had a big comfy tent and ever since Daddy saw it he's wanted one. Mommy figured it was a good investment as we'll probably all be car camping--not backpacking--for a few years at least. (Plus, she says, how awesome to get one used and not have to spend the money on a new one.)

And then Uncle Ben and his girlfriend and Grammy and Grandpa stayed in Uncle Ben's camper:

Here's the inside of our tent. We all slept on this air mattress with two sleeping bags zipped together...it was pretty cushy. Mommy says to tell you I'm using the term "sleep" loosely...being in a strange place, we didn't really sleep all that much.

We camped RIGHT next to a pretty little stream...it sounded so nice. Grammy took me and Sissy and put our feet in it. I loved it; Sissy started crying, but I understand...it WAS pretty cold.

Daddy napped me, like he does at home:

There were also these rock cliffs on both sides of our campsite. We saw a marmot on the rocks one morning. And Mommy went out on the ATV with Grandpa that same day and told me they say two big deer--one with fuzzy antlers--and a red fox. She also said the aspen were just starting to turn, with little bits of yellow.

Oh, and Daddy brought our swing. Good call, Daddy!

Our boxers came camping too. Here's Newton keeping the ball away from all the other dogs:

Oh! And Mommy and Grammy took us on our first hike, too! We went on the Colorado Trail, just off of Marshall Pass:

Mommy said that's Mount Ouray, and that maybe we'll all climb it someday:

Sissy got hungry on the trail, but Mommy was prepared, and Grammy fed her a bottle while we walked:

It rained most of the hike...Mommy did her best to keep me dry:

Sissy was in the Baby Bjorn and I was in the Moby Wrap, both of which worked pretty well for hiking. I can't say that we LOVED our first hike, because it was raining and frankly, me and Sissy were both a little bit cranky. But everyone made it back safe and Mommy says we'll try again soon.

Whne we got back to camp, Daddy had made a spit out of willow branches and was roasting sausages. The grown-ups had Smores that night, too. Mommy told me when I'm a little older I can have a Smore too. She said that they are divine.

<<Insert second sleepless night in a row here.>>

And then it was morning and the last day of the trip. Grammy held us and then Mommy held us while Daddy and Grandpa broke camp. (Uncle Ben had to be back so he had left the day before.)

My conclusion of camping (me and Sissy both): We love being outside! Camping was super fun! (Although hiking in the rain is kind of for the birds.)

And Mommy says to tell you her conclusion of camping with two five-month-olds, and I quote: "A lot of work, not much sleep, but sooooooooo fun and worth it!"

Love, 

Luke