Camping at Mayfield Lake

Steve and I both LOVE to camp. We've often said that when we're old we're going to be campground hosts for a summer sometime...who knows! And even though camping with a 4yo, 2yo, and 4 month old sounded a bit risky (would we actually have any fun?), we couldn't really stand the thought of going a summer without camping. So, we decided to go for it! Steve had been wanting to check out Mayfield Lake near Mossyrock, so we made the reservation for just one night, knowing that that would probably be enough considering the kids' needs. And though it was a lot of work for just one night, we had SO MUCH FUN! The kids loved it, and even Evan was happier camping than he generally is at home. Steve slept in the tent with the older two and I slept in the back of the canopied truck with Evan.

I often question the wisdom of getting out and doing things with all three kids. Sometimes (4th of July, for example, when Steve was working and I took the kids by myself to a friends' house) it ends up a train wreck...Evan's fussy, Jayna's clingy, Travis is whiny, and I spend every second in triage mode - assessing which kids' needs are the greatest at any given moment - and no time just enjoying myself. And I end up feeling frustrated and incapable. Sometimes it's just better to stay home. But the thing is, you often don't know how it's going to go until you go ahead and try. In this case, I'm glad we didn't decide to stay home! We didn't necessarily have any time to relax, but just being in nature and witnessing our kids' excitment was so refreshing. As Steve and I sat by the fire after the kids were in bed, we agreed that we wanted camping to be a big part of the kids' summers (especially after they're a bit older:)

The lake was peaceful and beautiful.

Like I said, Evan was a happy camper!

This picture's for you, Sam.

You'd have thought it was fall, as leaves fell left and right. Travis is still getting the hang of his new bike, and this was a good time for him to practice. Jayna's first s'more!Steve took the kids out on the raft while I stayed back on the beach reading and watching my baby sleep. Jayna really did have more fun than she appears to be having here!And of course, Travis and his rock-throwing! He'd do that for hours if we let him.

And in the last few hours of the second day as we were packing things up, Jayna threw several tantrums...this confirmed the wisdom of our decision to only go for one night:)

I'm so thankful for my adventurous husband and my outdoor-loving children!