We left for Williams right after swim lessons on Thursday. I heard that it was raining but we thought it would be one day of rain and then that's it. That is how it works right? All us desert people know you get one day of rain possibly two if you are really lucky and that's it. No problem. Well that is not how it worked this time. It rained and rained and rained some more. Luckily we had just gotten a tent trailer. So when we got there we got it all set up pretty quickly. As we camped we found that this and that didn't work on the trailer. Hopefully we can get that all worked out. For this trip in the evenings the Soto's were kind enough to hook us up to their generator so we had light to get ready for bed and scripture study. Thank you!
It rained off and on. Ian's dad had brought a big hay tarp that we would sit under during the rain and everyone was making the best of it. Gauge had a rough night so we were up until 3am with him. Our kids were up by 6am. Ian was positive that we had the only crack head kids in camp. The next day the kids were able to play pretty much the whole morning. It would rain a little but nothing that would slow you down. Jade found mud holes that she played in with cousins. The kids found salamanders. Jade thought they were pretty awesome. While Alyssa and Jade were playing I had to ask Alyssa not to let Jade have the salamander. I think poor Alyssa would have been really devastated if Jade squished her lizard.
Ian, Jade, Gauge and I went for a walk. Gauge needed a nap and Mommy & Jade needed some distraction. So we went and found wild flowers while Daddy got closer to nature. You really don't want an explanation to that. We walked up to a ridge and found some cactus. There was a big clearing that would be fun to stake out if the weather were better because there was poop from every animal in the forest so I'm guessing the animals would show up again sooner or later. Later in the day my kids, Ian and a bunch of others (I think mostly the Blythe John's) took a walk to the lake. Teagan was proud to be the first one back from the group. I took a nap.
Teagan stayed busy as a boy should. I tried not to worry. I just told him to stay close enough he could see camp. I only freaked out once when everyone he left with was at camp but he wasn't. He showed up again. I think he had a lot of fun. Jade disappeared constantly. The Ruckers always have awesome dogs. Her favorite this time was an African Ridgeback. I've never heard of this breed. She (I think she was a she) was energetic and sweet. An obvious match for Jade. It took me a lot of searching to finally realize that I should just go straight to the green tent where the dog is. I'm a little slow sometimes.
By the early evening of the second day I kinda started freaking out. I can only sit for so long before what I call my ADD gets to me. It was really raining and I couldn't relax and play a game with Jade running off all the time so I asked Ian if we could go into town. All the kids would be contained and dry which sounded like a brilliant idea to me. My ever accommodating husband didn't want to unhook the trailer. I'm ready to cry if I have to sit under the tarp for five more minutes. Yeah I'm that bad. He still doesn't want to unhook the trailer and I know in the end he will be right so I retire to the tent trailer with the kids for the night.
Due to the rain and Jade's sneakiness I could never relax and visit the way I would have liked. As soon as I would start talking to someone I would turn around and she would be gone. I kept thinking that the next day I'll get a chance to chat with so and so. Well there wasn't a next day. It rained all night. The first thing I did in the morning was check the weather channel on Ian's phone. There was severe weather and flood warnings. I didn't want to over react so I just showed Ian and we started getting ready for the day. Ian went out and came back with the word to start packing up. I did just that.
While we are packing the Ruckers are making us breakfast. Not just making breakfast but delivering it to everyone so they don't have to come out in the rain. Really there are just not enough good words for these people. I'm constantly impressed by them. I'm packing and I have never packed up the tent trailer before so I'm not positive where I can put things. I can't find Ian. I wait and wait and he never comes back. I'm starting to get a little irritated because I'm thinking geez it was so important I pack up but you are gone some place. Then it hits me. Duh he is helping other people. I give myself a little mental slap for being so selfish and I hear it. The men's voices, the tires on mud. I'm not sure how many he helped push out but it was several. I was not longer irritated. Just impressed again.
I have Teagan get dressed and I get Jade and Gauge dressed. I don't let them put on their muddy shoes because if I can help it they are not getting in the mud again. Not this trip. Ian carried them to the truck and they were dry and mud free. We finished packing the the trailer and we went out in the rain to push the sides in and crank it down. We were finally all done and we get in the truck. We get out just fine and then it hits me. I had been so busy kid wrangling that I didn't get out my camera at all. So I snap these photos as we are driving out. There were waterfalls coming off the rocks near the side of the road. It looked really cool.
We planned on being there most of the rest of the day anyway so we followed Ian's parents to their hotel. They made their plans for the day. They were going to the Grand Canyon. I wanted to go too but Ian was planning to head home. I'm glad we did though because we rolled into town just early enough to get things unpacked and get the kids in bed at a decent time for church in the morning. These pictures of us were taken at a gas station at the end of Williams. Even with the rain and mud and tiredness it was totally worth the trip. The kids had fun. We got to see family. We got out camping. We would do it over again with a little less precipitation.
We stopped in Havasu on the way home for me to exchange some make up and have dinner. We at at the Golden Corral. Oh my goodness. I wouldn't do it again but it was certainly an experience. The kids enjoyed being able to eat anything and everything they wanted. The bread they bring you is so yum! We are ready to camp again. Ian is going to work on the trailer. I'm hoping for the beach next!
0 comments:
Post a Comment