Camping - Vacation Part 2

A couple of things before I get to the camping...

I know I said that I'm writing this blog to document some of the craziness of my life for the kids to reflect back on some day in the distant future.

But, I'm finding that it feels good to learn that people enjoy reading it.

This vacation my brother told me that this blog is his guilty pleasure.  Awwww.  So sweet.  Glad that it's enjoyed by my big brother who has lived too far away for most of our lives.  He's such a great person, dad, son, and brother.  I wish I could spend more time with him and his whole family.  Love them all to pieces, even if I never do get to see them.

I also learned that my big sister enjoys the blog too.  Also, great because she lives all the way across the country and I don't get to talk to her as much as I'd like to.  At least these ramblings can give them both a peek into my family circus.  Maybe see a little of what I remember of our family life.

So, blog #3 of the day is to make up for lost time and I feel a little less weird about it knowing that my big brother looks forward to these postings...

And, the beauty of a blog is that you don't have to read it- just ignore it if you think I'm being long winded and annoying here.

From Coeur d'Alene we loaded all 6 of us into the truck and headed back to Leavenworth for another sleepover and to pick up the travel trailer for our next leg of the trip.  Our now annual camping trip with two families Mark and I have known since school days.

This is our second year at Confluence State Park in Wenatchee.  It's a great place for kids our kids' ages.  The campground is relatively transparent so we can watch the kids ride their bikes on big and small loops.  We always get the spots next to a little playground so the kids can amble over there to play on the slide and tire swing.  Bobby always brings a kiddie pool which is genius for keeping the kids cool (grown ups too every now and then).

I love that we make this an annual camping trip with these families.  My memories are spending summers at the lake with cousins.  My kids memories will be camping with two families each year.  We've been going since Carl was a baby and I see continuing until they're too old to go with us.  Maybe that will be never...?

I realized that this is the first year we've gone with a 3 year old and no baby in tow.  It was actually liberating.  We were able to go on bike rides.  I got to go for runs with the mamas.  Mark and I even went white water rafting (more on that later...).  I can see how much more these trips will feel like vacation in the upcoming years.  It was the first time I could sit down and look through a magazine and not feel terrified that one of the kids would wander away. 

Maybe because I'm getting complacent...

maybe because they're getting bigger...

either way it was nice.

It always seems to take a good 2-4 days of breaking in to vacation sleep schedule.  We'll put the kids in bed way later than typical for our household but they still wake at the crack of dawn for the first couple of days.  Then comes the sweet spot where they go to bed later- literally fall into bed and zzzzzzzzzzzzz -then sleep til a decent hour- 7 to 8am ish.  It's so much more pleasant than waking at 5am then trying to figure out how to keep one or more child quiet while holding your breath that the rest sleep just a little bit longer.  All without coffee.

This trip we had the break in at the condo in Coeur d'Alene so we were golden in the trailer where there's no where to escape and keep quiet.  Phew!

Another genius plan for camping is we each take turns cooking dinner for the families.  So great to have someone else cooking for you.  We were a little lame in our taco salad and hamburgers this year.  But I made the La Fuentes cabbage salsa for the taco salad which was a little break from the norm (I'll post the recipe below) and Mark makes a mean burger (rivals the demo burger at Lakefair in my book) on the outdoor griddle with sauteed onions and cheese.

Our friend Robin made her amazing pork tacos with a chipotle pineapple coleslaw and Bree did steaks, potato salad, green salad and grilled cabbage that could be my new favorite grilled item.

We were spoiled this year, my sister and brother-in-law took the kids for us for a day while Mark and I went white water river rafting.

I hadn't taken that type of adventure since my days as a camper at Camp Houston, a lifetime ago.

I was moderately nervous after learning that a 69 year old woman died rafting with her family in front of my brother-in-law's mom's house on the same river we were about to head out on.  But was reassured that we wouldn't be going on that part of the river and would be perfectly safe.

As we were preparing to head out I listened carefully to all my instructions for rafting: if you go in, keep your feet up and let the river carry you til one of the kayakers can get to you, there are more rapids and less hazards on this river, the difference between paddle (80%) and paddle hard (100%), etc.  I actually opted out of the girly life vest for the one that was less attractive but with 25 more something or other for more buoyancy.  And I was talked into wearing 2 wet suits AND a helmet.

Boy am I glad.

Because apparently our raft was a little too light for the bu%* hole rapid. 

It flipped us before I knew what was happening. 

First rapid out of the gates then 300 yards of rapids to go before smooth waters again (not to mention the rapid arrival of a dam). 

I was so stunned I didn't really know how exactly I made it into the water but I knew to keep my feet above water and go with the flow. 

About the time I was realizing this I heard a gurgle gurgle behind my left shoulder and up pops Mark.  He'd been stuck under the raft but tried to get out and find me. 

Thank God. 

I was so relieved to grab his shoulder and to hear him say, "we're ok" over and over again. 

Well...  he did get a little quiet when he saw us heading into the "eye hole" rapid (close neighbor to the one that bucked us out of our raft). 

But I sure needed that reassurance. 

It felt like an eternity before we hit a patch of water that wasn't constantly breaking or about to break over our heads. 

It was nice to know that I did get my head and remember my instructions. 

I'm a little peeved that Mark risked himself to try to keep me floating a little higher- he kept his feet down to push me up.  I think I'd rather suck a little water and keep him than breathe free and clear while risking his safety...

Looking back I'm impressed that I even had the presence of mind to check that he was still wearing his wedding ring.  A ring that had been his grandfather's wedding ring and has even traveled through some exotic places...

Eventually, the poor guide (who volunteered his time and equipment to take us) was able to right the raft again in the water, then pull himself and us rafters back into the boat.  I was terrified the first couple of rapids we encountered but I'm sure glad that we took that trip. 

A little time during daylight hours with your husband and no kids in sight plus a little adrenaline can do wonders for your soul. 

And obviously a happy ending can't be beat.

La Fuente's Cabbage Salsa
(from a yummy restaurant in Wenatchee- theirs is way better than mine so if you're in town you have to stop by and try it)

1 head shredded cabbage
3 Roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 medium red onion chopped
1 bunch cilantro, also chopped
1/2 can pickled jalapenos + juice from the can
2 limes- juiced
3 oranges- juiced
2/3 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper

*watch the jalapeno, the spice can creep up on you and overtake the recipe
**I think this would be really good on fish tacos with a little sour cream Mexicali dressing too