My wife deserves a break. So much went awry while I was gone, and that’s apart from the challenges of raising our 3 challenging kids (who were busy with such activities as being kicked off the school bus and out of the child care center at the gym). If you asked her she’d probably like 101 days to recover from the 101 days I was gone. I don’t know…I’m not asking.
I’m happy to give her a break but the best she’s getting is 4 days, 3 nights…that’s how much crap my truck will hold for a camping trip. Our camping trips aren’t so much wilderness adventures as they are relocations to a parking spot in mildly primitive conditions, i.e. where one must walk to the bathroom/shower.
Hmmm…sounds like my deployment.
The kids and I drove to Gifford Pinchot State Park in PA for 4 days and 3 nights, capped off by a stop in Hershey, PA on the way home. I know during our time together…our “get reacquainted time”… I said more than once, “we can pack up and head home right now, mister/missy!” This only served to scare me, not them – did I really say something that old sounding?
Each night, home or away, I ask God for more patience with my children. Each day they give me reason to ask for more patience anew. Still, sometimes I see payoffs that warm my heart enough to keep them at least until the next tax return is filed.
Mealtimes when camping are always great. We all love preparing then eating the meals. Camping is probably the only time they don’t complain about what’s being served. The dinner menu for our 3 nights? Bag tacos, silver turtles, hot dogs.
Camp-made ice cream and dutch oven apple cobbler...perfect after a meal of silver turtles. The more observant will notice we're eating off paper plates while my mess kit sits in a plastic bag. Sorry, Woodsy Owl, I do give a hoot but we were one pair of broken glasses away from anarchy at this point - I just wanted to get food on the table.
We all played in the water, but afterwards I sat and watched them dig and build independently and together for hours. Hours without any fighting is a treat indeed.
Remaking the beach to their own tastes.
Over dinner one night Isabelle had the idea to take turns telling stories. She started us off with an epic tale of good vs evil, love, magic, fairies, and dragons. Jack was reluctant to participate but with a little encouragement came up with a funny story about an adventurer named Adventure facing a mad scientist and aliens. Cole, keeper of the middle ground, proclaimed Isabelle’s story to be more interesting and Jack’s story to be funnier. Attention spans ran out before Cole’s turn but the three were surprisingly good listeners, even without a conch.
Storytime. Ok, so I don't keep the neatest campsite, but at least the fire is going.
No electronics allowed while camping – we’re roughing it after all. Books on tape for the car ride, books in the tent at night. Headlamps are perfect to draw insects to the face.
Cole would soon be asleep and draped all over my air mattress. That's right, air mattress. We're roughing it - no real mattresses for us.
Hershey’s Chocolate World was our first stop on the way home. It’s not worth it unless you really want some Hershey’s kitsch to dress up your digs or a bunch of chocolate to melt in your car (we escaped with only a chocolate bar for mom featuring the kids on the wrapper). You’re better off watching “How It’s Made” on TV for all you’ll learn about how they make chocolate.
Far more interesting and entertaining was The Hershey Story, aka The Museum on Chocolate Avenue. We partook of the “Museum Experience”, i.e. walking around the museum (carrying the large chocolate bar purchased in the above paragraph). For an additional $3 apiece the kids joined the Apprentice Program, a scavenger hunt that rewards them with a gold coin and a newspaper front page with their picture on it. They really enjoyed answering the questions in the booklet…or at least they were diligent about searching through exhibits for answers in anticipation of their reward.
Watching a video on how chocolate is made...for clues or fun, hopefully they learned something.
Next time we’re in Hershey we’ll sign up for the Chocolate Lab, where you learn to make chocolate from scratch. This trip, though, we were content to roam the museum. We like museums, the kids and I, and if you’re in Hershey I recommend stopping by the Hershey Story. It’s a well-presented overview of Milton Hershey’s life, the growth of the company and the town together, and a look at how their chocolate is made.
Hours later (sans complaints, no less) I treated them to a quick unhealthy blood sugar boost at the museum’s cafe.
So peaceful, I felt safe in leaving them to visit the gift shop. By the time I returned they were decked out in face paint and had killed Simon.
Meanwhile, Louise ate sushi, had girls’ night out in Annapolis, got a pedicure, went to her sister’s baby shower.
Gee, I’m sorry I missed all the fun.
Hope your camping weather was better than ours… Gina and I had to head home a night early this weekend after severe storms wrecked havoc at our campsite all day Saturday. Fun times.
Looks like the camping was fun — we’re planning something small in August, probably an overnight trip at the Base Lake. I remember my college roommate making several trips to Gifford Pinchot S.P. with her assorted forestry classes.
I’ve done the Hershey thing several times, too. I also had expressed interest in the chocolate lab when the boys are older.