Another weekend camping - our third in as many months. We have it pretty down pat - except I forgot one meal (the lamb chops! 2 minute noodles and chipolata sausages instead!), the washing up bucket (difficult to rinse plates or wash children but we managed), the cheese (had to buy dip to eat with the biscuits), and the eggs. I think I may need to work on my food packing for next time!
However the new storage chests worked well. It is not quite like below but close enough. Ours has three shelves and is blue! I used one for kitchen stuff (crockery, cutlery and food) and one for the clothes.
Speaking of which the new Kathmandu packing cells below are pretty good too. Though - we need six (one for each child) and I think I need to label them better as it was a bit confusing.
Also think I need one for dirty washing, and one for linen and toiletries.
Anyway - it was a great weekend - with its normal extreme lows and extreme highs.
To be positive, let's start with the highs.
1) Picnic boating on the Lake
With life jackets securely fastened and all boys looking extremely cute and excited, we boarded our picnic boat for an hour on the lake. It looked as if it might rain, but instead was gloriously sunny. We puttered down the inlet to near where we were camping and then scooted back across to the wider part of the lake. Tom and William both took turns learning to steer (reverse direction rudder). Sammy was a bit of a handful as I held on to him at all times and he really loved that..... not. The scenery was magnificent and sunshine so warm, and it was peaceful. A real highlight.
2) Driving on the dirt road and us all aaarghing with the corregations and Sammy laughing and saying "I love it!"
3) Evening wines in front of the fire once the kids were all asleep with Damien. The moon, the stars, the slow conversation, the warmth, the meditative flames, the fire stoking. The future reflections on how special this time is, even with the extreme lows.
4) Cosy tent sleeping - very warm with beanies and doona - cuddles with Damien.
5) Tom and Will playing cricket together and Tom being a nice friendly big brother.
6) All four boys going exploring down to the dry creek bed and looking after each other.
7) Tom and Sammy getting close and being all cuddly and kissy together.
8) Will and Tom bike riding and just playing together nicely.
9) Fires and the campfire cooking (stovetop gas stove) - pretty easy and yummy
10) Love my sink. I know, but I repeat, I love my sink. It is even better than the one pictured below.
Lows in no order of priority or awfulness.
1) Bedtimes - so hard, so many children, so much noise, so long to go to sleep, so much crying, so many avoidance techniques ("need to wee") - so frustrating - but even as I type this I cannot work out why it upset me so much. Glad to have this blog to see that.
2) The dirt. Making everything and everyone dirty and the boys having absolutely not a care in the world (rolling in it, kicking it up, making soup (with spit - yes disgusting), etc)
3) Screaming in the car
4) Physical injuries inflicted by each other on each other
5) My yelling and screaming trying to get them all to bed (my anger/frustration level at this time)
6) The pack up either side
7) The unpack at home
8) The washing at home (see number 2 above)
But how can anything be too hard with such gorgeousness below:!! Sorry I didn't take more photos - but I guess it means I was enjoying the moment!
