EARLY

We left on another camping road trip just 2 days after Ryder, Scout and I got home from visiting Mom.  We wanted to check out a few other campgrounds and lakes.  We headed down the "Cowboy Trail." Beautiful country. Beautiful drive! After all the camping we've done this summer we've developed quite an efficient routine.  As soon as we pull into a campground, I get Ryder out of his car seat and let him stand up front with me (I know, I know, safety first, but sometimes....) I usually jump out and "guide" Marty into the campsite.  Marty then puts down the jacks and unhooks while I chase Ryder and Scout around.  Once it is safe to get into the trailer, I begin reorganizing all the crap that fell and moved around enroute while Marty and Ryder get Scout some water and set up the lawn chairs.  I am the dish washer and Marty is the cook, well, he cooks supper anyway.  Ryder sleeps awesome in the trailer, always 11 or 12 hours a night. Once he is asleep, we have a fire and try to make ourselves stay up until 10pm. LOL, it's funny how exhausting camping with a 17 month old can be!!
It's been challenging this year, trying to figure out how to "holiday" with a little one.  Sometimes it feels like we spend a lot of time waiting for Ryder to nap or making sure Ryder has something fun to do, besides play in the ashes of the fire pit, fall into rivers, throw rocks into the ashy fire pit or dump the last few drops of beer from the empty cans all over himself.  Don't get me wrong, the "Great Outdoors" is full of entertainment for little ones, but we had to learn to let go of the idea that we'd get to hike (a 17 year old is only happy in the back pack for so long,) or do much biking (scary biking in Bear country by yourself, and most trails are not chariot friendly.) We had to figure out what we could do besides sleep in on rainy days (sleeping in is never gonna happen again is it?) Like I said, we've had to wrap our heads around how to find things we all like to do together that can include a dog.  For the most part, we usually have great days that just fly by!!

 Thursday morning, we woke up to Scout barking!  This is what was walking through our campsite, a cow calf pair or moose!

 Morning walks in PJs!

 Climbing rocks with Scout.

 Hangin' on beaches (no more swim suits, it's now hoodie weather on the beaches.)

 Eating random things on beaches....

 Wearing his first "ugly camping sweater." We all have one, don't we??

 Pineapple at the picnic table!

 Lawn chair snuggles.

 Road side lunches in the mountains!

And then there are the days we struggle. The days I wish Marty understood how important Ryder's sleep schedule is, the days I wish we didn't have to spend sooo many hours in the truck, the days I spend more time worrying about Ryder having enough time out of the car seat and the days I  worry more about making sure that, Scout getting a chance to crap, than I do about enjoying the journey. 

This last trip was exhausting and I'm not sure if it was because it was sooo soon after all of our other road trips, or if we were just plain camped out, but after 3 days, we were done.  We just decided we would all rather be home than be on the road.  We came home a day early and I am sooo glad we did. We have not unpacked the trailer or the truck. We have not done anything since we got home this afternoon, but sit in the sunshine in our own backyard and it was one of the most relaxing, fun days we've had all summer. :)

 Ryder was pumped to be in his own sandbox. It's no beach, but it's what he's got and he loves it!

 

Sometimes watermelon tastes just as good in the backyard as it does at a picnic table.

 Still lots of Daddy time this afternoon!

The Wrights!