We decided Friday afternoon to camp for the weekend and headed out to our usual spot, christened the last time we were there as Bandit Hallow, or as River calls it, Bandaid Hello.
As I sit in piles of smoky laundry and wrestle overtired kids into their naps, it is quite clear that I'm not rested or refreshed by the experience. Let's play a little game where we stack work and fun up next to one another when it comes to a family camping trip. Work wins. Hands down, no comparison. Geez louisa, camping is a lot of work.
I was in a melancholy way the whole time. Maybe its because I'm obsessed with every word of Anne Lamott's newest book, Some Assembly Required, have been reading it whenever I get a minute, and it has a melancholy tone.
But when I look back at the few pictures we shot, I see that these truly are the things memories are made of...
the stars aligned and everyone got a nap at the same time
falling asleep by the fire
making tinfoil dinners
berries from a bowl before heading to the swimming hole
bliss
The kids got ahold of the camera in the tent for these two shots...
If you were one of the flies at our camp this week, you would've also seen...
Eva and I racing each other to the outhouse, then walking arm in arm back to the camp.
Over and over.
River exerting his will at every single turn.
Ryan and I bickering - largely out of our subconscious annoyance that this is hard work instead of play.
Sage loving the swimming hole, and desperately trying to drink the water in it like a puppy.
Lamott says,
"Peace is joy at rest. And joy is peace on its feet."
Thank you, Bandit Hallow, for once again giving us a bit of both!