Camping Trip From Hell

I didn't intend for it to be so long in between posts but life has been a little crazy around here.  A couple of weeks ago the hubs and I borrowed a friend's camper (and the big honkin' truck required to pull it!) to head out for a last hoo-rah before our summer came to an end.  Let me tell you, this is the way to camp!

We started out with high hopes. Babycakes was in the backseat chillaxin' while the Hubs was in the driver's seat...

As the official photographer and baby entertainer I was able to avoid driving the monstrosity RV down the interstate.  Which is a good thing since 45 minutes into the trip the driver's side mirror slammed into the side of the truck on the way down the road.  After a stop at the Ford place, the mirror was fixed and we were on our way.

Yep, those are zip ties holding the mirror on the truck.  Nothing like a bunch of rednecks to fix your car.  But I'm not complaining - it worked!
After this unscheduled stop we realized we were not going to get to the campground in time for dinner so we had dinner at a truck stop since they had the parking for the RV.  While we were there Babycakes got in touch with her country-side.

I'm pretty sure she wanted to take that hat out of the truck stop.

Once we arrived at the campground the Hubs got everything set up.  In the dark. With a cranky wife. And a cranky 2 year old. And a cranky wife.  The man deserves a medal.

They next morning we awoke to a (still) sick kid.  She had JUST finished up a second round of antibiotics for an ear infection that kept hanging around.  Now she appeared to have a sinus infection.  So we located an urgent care center that accepted pediatric patients and spent the whole day dealing trying to get her some medicine so she would start feeling better.  I would have to say it was one of the worst. days. ever.  The evening improved after Mommy  Babycakes had a nap.  The Hubs made steak and baked potatoes and we were able to visit with our friend Jack and his son Josh.  The food was a-maz-ing and Babycakes even showed off for our visitors!

The next morning I was up before anyone else so I was able to enjoy some quiet time.  I loved it.  Definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip.

That morning, after breakfast, we went to the pool even though it was a little on the cool side.  (As a side note, the weather here has been freakishly unseasonably cool this summer)

Yep, that's me in all my porcelain white glory.  My 2-year-old tans better than I do.  

Anywho, later that afternoon we headed down to the Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia.  Babycakes LOVES live music, especially if there is a banjo involved.  So we thought we would check it out and we were not disappointed.  I'll tell you, I'm not one for sitting around listening to bluegrass music.  But if you have the opportunity to see this thing it is pretty amazing.  We just went around to the different campers and heard TONS of great, live music.  Not all of it was bluegrass.  There was some folk and even some classical pieces.  Definitely an interesting experience I'd like to repeat again!

 Babycakes was obsessed with the yellow caution tape.  Now I know what to get her for Christmas...

At the end of the awesome day, however, my eye looked like this...

Yep, pink eye.  By the next day I also felt rotten and had it in both eyes.  It's a good thing we had planned to leave that day because I was really done with camping by this point.  We had planned to stop and visit some friends on the way home but skipped all stops and drove straight through.  Even Babycakes was done.

So while our last great summer excursion wasn't all that great it wasn't a total bust either.  Here is the conversation the Hubs and I had as we were leaving the campground:

Me:  Well, it wasn't the best trip but I'd be willing to try it in a couple of years when the baby is potty trained.  Maybe when she's 4?

Hubs:  I was thinking more like six years.  When she's 8.

Well said dear.  Well said.

Downsizing? Puh-Lease!!!

I love home organizing/decorating sites and blogs.  I think I would have been an interior designer if I hadn't gone into special education.  (Now there's a career link!)  However, one of the things that really irks me about home decorating is their definition of a "small space."  I'm sorry but a 1600 square foot house is NOT a small space in my record book.  Maybe if you have 4 or 5 kids but it's not a small space for a family of 2 or 3.  Ever.
The Hubs and I live in a house between 900 and 1000 square feet. With a 2 year old. And a cat. And the 2 year old's stuff.  Oh, and my stuff. The Hubs isn't allowed to have stuff. (Just kidding!)  My whole life I've wanted an old white farmhouse like the one my grandparents used to have.  Similar to this...

(image courtesy of Country Living.com)

But when the Hubs and I started dating I quickly learned that the house he was in was it.  He does not want to move.  And now that I'm here I've grown to love our little house for our little family.  Granted some days it really feels like I live in something this size...

http://photos.rentlinx.com/L800/184665.jpg

Unless it's time to clean and then it feels like this...

biltmore.com

It's incredibly frustrating to hear the benefits of "downsizing" to a 1600 square foot house when I am trying very hard to make our cozy little house a little more homey and make our space feel a little bigger.  I realize we are probably not the norm.  I also realize I am incredibly jealous of those people who live in a "downsized" house of 1600 square feet.  But I have to remember there are people in our country who live in smaller quarters than do we, with a whole lot less.  So here are 10 reasons I love MY small house...

1. Less to clean.

2. Because it was built in the 1940s it is built like a tank.  No pine 2X4s in this place.  More like oak 2X8s.

3. Red oak trim throughout the house.  While it needs some TLC it is still beautiful at nearly 70 years old.

4. We had our wedding reception in the yard when we got married 4 years ago.

 5.  My sweet Jessie dog is buried in the yard.  She was my fur-baby for almost 16 years.

6. This is the only house Babycakes has ever known.  I kind of like the idea of her bringing her husband-to-be for dinner one day to the house she was raised in. (I know my participle is dangling but oh well.)

7.  We have great neighbors!  

8.  We live in a rural area but not so rural that I smell manure on a regular daily basis (Except when the farm up the road is sludging their fields.  That's just foul!).  

9. With 2 acres of land we have room to expand or to keep it as is for Babycakes to play.  My 2 Godchildren love to come over and run in the "field" (aka our yard).

10.  Even though I complain about the outdated kitchen flooring, the old metal kitchen cabinets, the leaking basement and lack of space it's our home.  It has charm and is a wonderful place to raise our daughter.  I'd be a big liar if I didn't say I wish we had more living space.  But I have to remember to take the time to reflect on the things I do love about our house.  Because as the saying goes, "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."