Camping with the girls - Part I

I just found out my wife has been talking behind my back.  About what you ask?
For about a week she has been telling her friends about the overnight camping trip I took my two daughters on the night before my writers workshop.  She came clean tonight explaining how her and her friends have been talking and laughing about the camping trip.


For the rest of the story I am going to refer to my daughters as Kipp Jr or KJ for my oldest and Squirt for my youngest.


What was so funny?  Well there was one portion of the trip I was not completely prepared for.  For you ladies reading this, you know exactly what I am about to say.  For you guys, you are waiting to see what all the fuss is about.  My girls and I had been at camp about an hour when I heard the words, "Dad I need to pee."


Can I back up a minute?  Let me back up a minute.   I can already see this is going to have to be a multiple part post.


Some guys from my church wanted to go camping.  They went way beyond what I consider is necessary on planning for a camping trip (which last years camping trip will need to be a prequel to this post - blog material suddenly floweth).  

I am a spur of the moment planner.  Matter of fact, I called my wife at 3:00 the day I was going camping and asked her if she thought KJ would want to tag along on the camping trip.  KJ has been wanting to go camping since she saw a movie or something where kids were camping.  I was planning on borrowing my dads tent and sleeping out in the backyard on a test run to see if KJ would enjoy sleeping on the ground near the house before taking her out in the real woods.



Phone call 1 made about 3:00

Kipp I am not sure it is a good idea to take KJ with you.  
Honey it is relatively close by, it is only 45 minutes from the house.  If she does not like it I can bring her back home.
Sounds like you are taking her so you do not have to stay all night.
Not true, not true at all.  However since I have the writers workshop in the morning it would not necessarily hurt my feelings.  Just ask her if she wants to go because it is a good opportunity to see if she is going to like it.  It's close, it's better than the backyard, but it is not so far away as to cost a lot of time and money.
OK I will ask her.
~We hang up.~


Phone call 2 at 3:02 

Squirt is packed and ready to go.  She has her stuff in her backpack and wants to know when you will be home to pick them up.
Squirt!? She wants to go?  What about KJ?
Yes they both want to go.  Are you sure about this?
Cool.  How about you, you want to go?
Kipp.
Just thought I would ask.  Tell them I will home about 4:30.



Sure enough I get home and both girls are standing in the kitchen with their backpacks on, sleeping bag (yes just one) by the door, jackets and blue jeans on and asking:
When are we leaving?
As soon as I pack I told them
How long will that be?
We can leave in one hour.
(See the Beach Trip to see how patient the girls can be)


I yielded some phone calls from the other guys while I packed.  I find out the host, the one with the key to the gate to the campsite is running late.  He tells me he is just got to the grocery store and he will not be at the gate until almost 6:00.  My girls had been ready to go camping since 3:02 waiting till 6:00 to leave was not going to be an option.  I gathered up my stuff as quickly and thoughtfully as I could.  While in the backyard I had a moment of brilliance.   The girls have a Fisher Price picnic table, I grabbed it and threw in the back of the truck.  This will give them a place to eat and hang out.  


I grabbed up the other essentials taking a sleeping bag, 2-man tent, firewood, my camp chair (see Is that you for a picture of my camp chair), my toboggan, my cool safari hat, roll of TP in a zip lock bag, a small flashlight, and a few extra folding chairs.  While I was doing this my wife was giving both the girls and me instructions.  Didn't you say there was a creek?  Girls do not go near the water.  Are there going to be guns?  Do not go near the fire.  Where is this place?  Do not walk near the pond.  Is there cell phone reception?  The girls each have a light in their backpack.  If you two get scared tell daddy and he can bring you home.  Will there be other campers out there?  Drink this water you need to be hydrated.  


All valid questions and instructions.  All were provided in rapid succession, all at about the same time.  Can you tell she was nervous about us going?