Camping 2009

Ah, camping 2009.... What a great time. Although it didn't turn out exactly how we planned, we did have a great week.

My sister Erin and her family came from KC on Sunday. Monday morning we ran around town and did last minute necessary shopping... you know, puzzle books, pens, snacks, etc. Finally made it to camp and Mom and Dad had one campsite nearly set up. My sister Becky and her family were there to join us, so it was a great reunion. This was actually the first time our whole family has been together to go camping since Erin and Ben got married.

After getting our two campsites organized--thanks to Mom and Dad--we actually went swimming. This is a luxury we rarely enjoy on our first day of camping. Little did we know it would be our last. (Swimming day, that is.) Monday night was beautiful and very enjoyable.

Tuesday we awoke to clouds and cool temps, which later turned to drizzle. Knowing we've needed rain for a while, it wasn't too distressing. And, whenever the Lutterman family puts up a tent, we are guaranteed rain at least one day. But how do you entertain 2 small boys when they can't crawl around on the ground because it's so muddy? It wasn't easy. You can only throw a ball around a tent for so long. And Auntie Rah only has so many tricks up her sleeve! :) It was a good thing we had electricity in our campsite. DVDs were our salvation for the 4 girls. Madagascar, Bolt, and Princess Diaries were a hit.

Wednesday, we had torrential downpour in the afternoon. So much that dinner plans were cancelled and we opted to drive 30 miles to Hibbing to hit McDonald's, thinking there was a playplace. Oops... Auntie Rah remembered incorrectly. No playplace there. Since we were the only idiots out in the soon-to-be flood (besides Noah--not that he was an idiot, don't get me wrong), we basically had the place to ourselves, so the kids were free to roam. Wal-Mart was our next stop, then it was "home" to camp and bed for the kiddos. After a few games, we ran in between raindrops to hit the hay.

Thursday it was family powwow time. A decision to be made... do we stay and hope for good weather on Saturday, when we'd have to pack up anyway? Or do we call it quits and head for home to camp at Gramma and Papa's house? We decided to pack up the soaking, dripping tents, tarps, toys, children, parents, grandparents, and auntie... since the weather forecast wasn't looking too great for the rest of the week. After one last ice cream cone at our favorite gas station, we accepted plan B and spent the rest of the week "camping" at Gramma and Papa's house.

Don't feel too badly for us... we had some of the camping spirit left in us. Campfire, roasting marshmallows, kickball and baseball outside, picnic lunch, and of course our favorite camping pass time--playing GAMES! The boys loved the freedom to run/crawl around, and the girls took over the toy room upstairs.

I'll update with photos later, once I get them onto my computer. All in all, it was a great week of family time, and we're looking forward to Camping 2010!