Camp Wilderness

Our church is going to have a camp out over Labor Day weekend and yours truly is trying to get it organzied. So, on Saturday we headed up with some friends to check it out. On a side note, I have to mention that it was supposed to be a quick trip because everyone was supposed to have other things to get done. Also, I had decked myself and all of my kids in pants/shoes/socks on Friday for the hike with Grandpa that did not happen and so I decided to put everyone in shorts and sandals ... Murphy's Law strikes again!

The camp was awesome. We let the kids run around - Byron was a bit crabby (to put it mildly) and channeled that ire into a quest to make sure that the kids did not get any dirt on them or in the car ... while we were in the mountains. That didn't last long and the kids had a blast. Then Byron heard that the Needles lookout hike was really close to Camp Wilderness and decided to check it out - and our friends thought this would be a great idea too. It is a 2.5 mile hike (one way) up the side of the mountain until you get to a bare pile of rocks which has the lookout perched on top of it - you are supposed to get a phenomenal view of the entire valley from there. It started off pretty fun - great temperature. We were completely unprepared. Little water for all of us and as I mentioned before we were not dressed appropriately for hiking. Still, it was a good trail and we started off. Ben kept wanting to run - right on the edge of precipice (I swear that kid is going to give me heart failure). I tried run along side and keep him away from the edge - he tended to take that as a personal affront and would walk as soon as I started jogging and start running when I started walking - he was having a great time! Josh on the other hand decided after about 100 yards that he wanted to be carried and we ended up coaxing him the rest of the time because he is just too big to be carried. All in all he did pretty good. Ginny had to be carried but perversely wanted to walk and we really wished we had brought the backpack carrier for her ... she is getting solid! Lynn helped carry Ginny a lot. Byron eventually took Ben and went on ahead of us. I ultimately only made up about 2 miles. It got really steep and I realized that we still had to go back and the kids were just about done. Byron made it to the steps only to find that the lookout was actually closed. We really want to try that again ... without the kids.

After that we headed over the upper Peppermint Creek to see the water slides that we had tried to reach on Friday with Grandpa. I stayed in the car with the sleeping kids - and Byron, Bryce, and Tess headed out. I understand that it was too cold to do more than dip their feet, but they found them!

We headed down the mountain and tried to stop at McNally's hamburger stand for lunch - where our friends had already headed, but it was cash only and we didn't have any. So, we ended up at Nelda's diner in Lake Isabella - a milkshake tasted really good by then. The best part of the dinner? Bryce grabbing the largest shaker at the table (which holds sugar) to "salt" his french fries and then spending an amazing amount of time meticulously wiping each fry (and his plate) clean of the offending white stuff. Bryce thinks all restaurants should either use the packets he is used to or color their sugar so that it can't be mistaken. We tried to tell him that salt is usually sprinkled through little holes - rather than just poured through a spout, but he didn't think that was a good enough distinction.

When we got home I wanted to leave again. It has been soooooo hot! We are really praying to get this house now because it has air conditioning. I am going to have an AC fund all year so that I can afford to use it next summer - then maybe we will like being here in the summer. Alternatively, I hear that Camp Wilderness is looking for a caretaker next summer - I could seriously consider staying up there with the kids and having Byron come up for the weekend ... I would love it!

Grandpa's Day ... almost

Ooops with the last post - I was interrupted. I know, that's a first! Here is what it should have said...

Friday (7/25) was supposed to be Grandpa Bob's day with the grandkids. He brought the nieces and nephews out here and we were going to take them all up to Peppermint Creek where the water slides are. We packed a picnic lunch and started out. Unfortunately, Grandpa's car is afraid of heights and would not go all of the way up the mountain. We trespassed on the backside of a campground for our little picnic and nursed the car back down the mountain. We made it as far as Hwy 178 before Grandpa's car just decided it was done. We pulled over and I noticed that we were pretty close to the library and decided to have Byron drop me and ALL of the kids there since it was air conditioned and I was sure I could keep the younger ones out of trouble until the guys figured out what we were going to do. My only excuse is temporary insanity ... maybe sunstroke ... anyway

The library was hosting an animal show of some sort which was great for the older kids and even Josh. Ben and Ginny, however, could have cared less about the neat monkey from Pirates of the Carribean (possibly they recognized a kinsman?). I was a little too intersted myself and had to chase down Ben who was trying to climb into one of the cages ... can we say embarrassing? I finally gave up on the show and took Ben & Ginny to the back of the library to run around which worked much better. When the show was over - the work really began. I sat and read books with the babies (or attempted it) while the animals were taken out then I let them play with the toys and noticed that they were being fairly quiet - the real noise was from the older ones who had decided to play tag around the isles. I was soooo done at that point. Thankfully, Byron and Bob got the car going and came to get us before I could seriously ask the librarian if she had any duct tape handy.

The kids decided they would rather go swimming and so Byron took them all to our friend's pool (Jenny I love you!) and I stayed home and put the babies to bed and enjoyed nearly 2 completely quiet hours. Then they all had pizza and Bob headed back across the dessert. Thankfully his car decided to make it all the way home and there were no more issues. Better luck next year Grandpa! Truthfully, though, I understand that the kids all had a blast and that was the real point in the adventure, right?

Grandpa