Labor Day camping

We arrived at camp on Friday evening and I made a beeline for Jo.  Once upon a time she was my college roommate and still today, one of best friends despite living hours apart and seeing each other only every few years. We've been planning this trip together all summer and I was dying to see her.  Our three girls piled out of the truck eager to meet their three boys.  (Most adorable was E’s chorus of “Where’s mine? Where’s my age friend?”)  I hadn’t yet met their youngest son, almost five years old and she of course had never met baby Z.  The kids hit off immediately and played while we set up camp and roasted s’mores.  We put the kids to bed and then the four adults sat around a campfire to talk and catch each other up on life and families and such.

We started each morning with hot chocolate and kids racing out to play.  Our oldest daughter and their oldest son, only four months apart, hit it off immediately and had a fantastic time together.  They have so much in common and had so much fun playing and imagining together.  At one point I overheard a conversation about what they would name their first daughter (Belle)—I am all for this plan.  Writing in our journals several days later, L confessed having a crush on him and hoping we can see them again soon. 

We spent Saturday at the water park and had such a blast.  The kids started in the outdoor pool, immediately conquering the small slides and working up to the bigger slides and diving boards.  Then we discovered the indoor pools, most especially loving the bathtub-warm kiddie pool with play equipment and the large pool with diving boards and a climbing wall.  Even baby Z played in the water, lounging happily and splashing.  We took a break for lunch but the kids could have played the whole day.  Eventually we went back to camp for dinner and s’mores.  The husbands offered to watch the kids while Jo and I spent the night at the hot pots talking and reminiscing.  I love her SO much and was so thoroughly rejuvenated and overjoyed by the hours of talking and connecting with one of my very favorite people in the world. 

On Sunday we went to a city park.  The kids loved the great play equipment, especially the merry go round and creating obstacle course challenges on the playground.  Z was fussy from teething and my allergies kicked into overdrive so we hung back a little while the rest played games like Red Rover, hide and seek, and soccer.  It started to rain so we headed back to camp and the kids played in the trailer, watching movies and coloring.  Jo made a dutch oven lasagna, something totally new and fun for us, and we made s’mores again (of course).  A rain storm cut our evening short—probably a good thing or we would have stayed up far too late chatting and lamenting having to separate the next day.

Monday was a subdued resignation as we had to pack up and say good bye.  I’m with the kids—I hope we see them again soon!