Camping As Four

Camping season is upon us! After a long winter, we finally took our first camping trip of the season and Elizabeth's first camping trip in her life.

Side Note: While a baby is much easier to keep track of than an active toddler and preschooler, I'd forgotten about The Nights. Those middle of the night feedings don't stop just because the family's in a tent!

We joined two wonderful ladies from my gardening group and their families in San Simeon. Arriving Friday afternoon, we pitched our tent while Chad pointed out that if we had an RV - as Tara and Chris do - we'd be done with set up. Point taken.

Side note: Anyone who contests the idea that parents lose their memory should have watched us trying to set up a tent - a tent that we'd set up quite a few times before - relying on our memory. It was almost tragic.

After getting our site put together, we spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with Sarah and her husband Josh and the previously mentioned Tara and Chris. Jackson and Arabella rounded out the Four Under Four crew who spent their time chasing squirrels and looking down gopher holes.

FYI - There's something creepy about walking along, minding your own business and then pop! a gopher pops his head up right by your left foot.
Before long, Tara was winning my husband's undying loyalty with seared shrimp marinated in chili oil. Chad couldn't get enough. They looked and smelled delicious.

Fun Fact: I'm allergic to shrimp. This fun little allergy came on my radar when I was in my early 20's. Prior to that I enjoyed them with the same gusto and verve as my husband.

Dinner was delish tin foil meals made up of grass fed beef and veggies. After dinner and more play time, Chad and I attempted to get the kids down for bed. "Attempted" being the key word.

The first problem was Joseph's excitement level. Our Chatty Charlie couldn't stop talking. Every time I'd have Elizabeth just about asleep, he'd rattle off some little thing. We finally decided to send Elizabeth on a round-the-loop car ride with Daddy while Mommy laid down the law with J.

After both kids met up with Mr. Sandman, we made campfire cobbler in our Dutch Oven and then sat around the fire, burning our tongues on gooey apples and cinnamon topping while talking about chickens, gardens, bread baking and gruesome murders. What? Don't you tell ghost stories around the camp fire?

The next morning dawned foggy and cool. For the first time ever, the Dawsons were the last family up. This is truly bizarre considering Joseph wakes with the sun. Morning people kill me.

We gathered around our camp stoves and rustled up a breakfast of pancakes, bacon and fruit. And since Tara was making the pancakes, my customary yellow Bisquick batter pitcher was no where to be found. She used things like flour and eggs. Let me repeat...morning people kill me.

But if they feed me pancakes, I may reverse my opinion.

After breakfast, we loaded up the kids for the short walk to the beach where sticks and stones were thrown, jeans and pants were drenched and creeks were crossed.

Lunch brought burgers, pasta salad, potato salad and new friends. Josh II and Casey came bearing tortellini salad that sealed her admittance into the foodies. (Personally, I just like to attend events where they're present to reap the benefits.)

After naps, we decided to hike off our lunch and build up our appetites. We discovered a trail that took us along fields and marsh and into poison oak filled woods. By the time we got back, the beans we'd left simmering in coals smelled good enough to eat right then. But they were destined for chili.

I drained the water while the Dutch Oven Council conferred over how best to approach stacking the two ovens and cook chili and cornbread simultaneously. That's right, boys and girls...homemade chili from dried beans complete with fire roasted chilies and homemade cornbread filled with cheese and sour cream. For dinner. While camping. Prepared partly by me.

I'll pause while I wait for you to pick yourself up off the ground.

I must say, dinner was beyond delicious. I literally gained three pounds over the weekend and I blame the cornbread for two of those pounds.

While I put Elizabeth to bed and Chad helped Chris clean up the campsite, Joseph joined the others Campfire Talk where a park ranger explained native wildlife and his job. By the time my little red head got back to camp, he was drooping. He quickly fell asleep, followed by Chad and then me - at the request of the Dimpled Dictator.

We broke camp first thing and drove to see the elephant seals. After meandering along the walkway, we drove to Farmstand 46 for breakfast burritos and one final chat.

What an amazing way to spend the weekend. I can't wait to do it again!