First thing yesterday morning, we loaded up the kids and got on the road to the lake! Everyone was really looking forward to getting out there on the first possible weekend!
It was the most satisfying game of tetris this season, getting so much into our vehicle, but it was completely successful! Everything and everyone fit in place, and off we went!!
New water bottles are part of our summer ritual over here! The kids love getting their new camp water bottle! Look how happy they all are!
They each got a mini magnadoodle keychain (thanks, Amazon) and we were off!
It felt like we were finally back home 💜
Our site felt a little worse for wear. The golf cart cover had come off over winter. And there were more things left out than I remembered. But, ah well. We got to it! The first move was the getting the bump out bumped out, lol! Too bad it upset our new friend :/
It took a few tries but we got the inside of the camper expanded! I emptied as much out of the camper as I could, plugged in the fridge, and it was time to unload the van!
Let’s do a quick run through here. We had two or three large bins/boxes of miscellaneous stuff – condiments, pantry food, toiletries, meds, bug spray, bags, lighters, paper dishes, fresh sand toys, and everything else. We had beach umbrellas. A lock box. A TON of linens, including sheets and blankets for six beds. We brought a few kitchen appliances. A case of coke. A shoe rack. Some lifejackets. A full badminton set. Six golf cart batteries. A cooler. A wheelchair and a Batec. Oh, and an entire 10′ kayak and 8′ paddle.
Laugh at our bus if you want to, but we have no regrets!
So, without getting too far into it, a lot of things flopped hard, and it was not the smooth, productive day we had hoped for. But! Laela was a complete and utter rockstar!!!!! She worked her butt off! She swept the whole camper out, took all the tubs and boxes out of the bunks, swept them out, opened up mattresses, put on sheets, pillowcases, and made set everything up for everyone 💜 She KILLED it!!!
In a small space, this is quite the accomplishment! And of ALL the children, she had the right to be the most exhausted. But she worked the hardest, hands down!
Meanwhile, I got the kitchen set up, all the toiletries and medical stuff put away, and our bed set up. Doesn’t it look cozy??
As the day didn’t go the way we had hoped, I don’t have anything in the way of fun pictures of everyone on the beach :/ But I can show you I was briefly there, at least. No ice left! I imagine docks will be in very soon!
We left early. It was really too bad. There will be significantly more work to do next weekend that really needed doing this weekend, but it just wasn’t working. The bump out isn’t quite right, and the fridge doesn’t open all the way. Maybe the ground shifted? I’m not sure. We have to figure that out. And the golf cart, with all new batteries and cables, will not start. Thats the biggest one. We NEED that to work for Brady to get around, and it just absolutely will not. So, we left it plugged in, and will have to try to figure it out next weekend. If we had time to do all the tests yesterday, we could’ve at least known what we needed to bring next time to fix it. But 🤷🏼♀️ we can only do so much. So that’ll have to be sorted out next time.
On the drive home, we wanted to reward the ONE child who worked. Miss Laela Hazel. She chose a McFlurry. Confetti cookie dough. Behold 🙌 the progression of her tasting it.
She was one happy camper!! She earned every spoonful of that treat!
We got home and unloaded the few things that came home – empty tubs and hampers, the wheelchair and Batec, and a few duplicate items. Nothing crazy. They had an easy supper and everyone went to bed on time.
And then I celebrated mothers day, lol! Because it just wasn’t a smooth one with the kids, which is unfortunate, but happens. Brady made me salmon and potatoes, and we ate in our bed, with zero interruptions. It was nice and peaceful.
I have no regrets. I’m glad we went, and did all we could. I wish it was smoother, but I’m still glad we went. And I’m glad I have such nice pictures from when we left. And I’m SO glad Laela got the opportunity to shine the way she did 💜 I think she needed to see and feel how that goes – to do SO well even when others bail or decide not to work. I was SO stinking proud of her. I still am.
Everyone is off to school, and today, there is no Frozen ❄️ And I’m good with that. Onto the next!