Survival of the Fittest

We went on a camping adventure this week.  Just Janelle, the boys and I headed up to the Uinta's to meet some more of the Ponds for a few days in the wilderness.  Janelle and I thought we were tough, real tough, but after the first night in our tent we realized otherwise.  We put up a 3 room tent, complete with a room for the children, a room for us with a Queen size air mattress, and a commons area for changing clothes, diapers, and playing with toys.  We loved our outdoor abode and thought that it would be our earthly home for 3 nights

James went to bed around 8pm and feel asleep easily in his pack n' play.  Henry and I went to bed around 10pm. Henry in his Lightening McQueen sleeping bag/air mattress, and I in the Queen.  Henry showed up at my bedside at 10:15pm, pleading for warmth.  I let him join me in my sleeping bag.  Janelle and Davis joined us at 10:30pm, and we were quite snug in the bed.  Then James woke up at 10:45pm cold, real cold (do they make baby sleeping bags?...it sounds like a suffocation hazard to me).  So by 11pm we had 5 bodies in a queen bed.  Janelle decided to take over Henry's sleeping bag on the floor....the sleeping bag that was meant for 75 degree camping and had NO insulation.  At 11:15pm I was cursing that I even agreed to sleep in a tent with 3 toddlers, as I was sandwiched between my boys who were both breathing hard and kicking me endlessly.  At 11:30pm James woke up and began crying (he doesn't sleep with people...it just doesn't work).  I went to put him back in his crib and hope that I could give him enough blankets to keep him warm there, but on my way to the crib I tripped over Janelle on the floor, dropped James half asleep on the ground and flew forward, slamming my nose smack on a carseat bar.  It was burning, I thought it was broken, and I could feel it swelling by the second as I comforted James back to sleep in his crib.  

Basically, the story goes on and on, and ends with very little sleep and a lot of cold for everyone involved.  We ended up ditching the tent the next 2 nights and bunking with Grandma and Grandpa.....I thought I'd never purchase another travel trailer, but after this trip I'm thinking it's the only way to go!  

Here's a few shots of the fun that was had when it wasn't time to be sleeping.

Henry was an angel for all 3 days, just enjoying time playing with bugs, dirt, and his cousins...We enjoyed the pool, despite the daily rainstorms and cool temperatures...No Pond event is complete without ice cream...My favorite new camping item are these beautiful plates from LLBean. Honestly, don't you love the colors and the shape? And the matching sporks? They made eating that much more enjoyable. Feeling is returning to my extremities, the nose swelling is under control, the boys have had a good night's sleep at home in their beds, so I'm just thinking that I may brave another camping trip next month, afterall.