One Thing Missing

If you know me well, you know my love for camping.

To me, really there is nothing like being one with nature, sleeping in sleeping bags that don't really keep you warm, in tents that don't really keep the bugs out, among the sounds of the wild night that aren't terrifying at all. Having to remind yourself over and over again that none of the creatures out there are going to actually try and attack me, while I quietly have a panic attack, trying to remain calm. Having to keep socks on for days on end, because of the fear you have of what filth has somehow made its way in there through your boots or tennis shoes. Having to not really wash your hands, as good as one should, because you don't have enough water to last you for such a simple pleasure. Trying to not eat all the yummy snack food you packed, because you're fighting boredom, or you're trying to deal with the oncoming panic attack of watching your children eat food that had just fallen in the dirt. The constant reminder of things you forgot to pack in your haste/desire to be the perfect camper, as you've studied up on Pinterest for all the best camping hacks.

Man, I love to camp.

But, when your babies and your Sugar love it, you give it a chance, every few years.

My kids were lucky though this past year. They got to camp out twice in the last 6 months.

The last time they did was in our backyard, that is literally the desert. Freaking coyotes kept us up all night with their constant howling. Pitched a tent, sleeping bags, s'mores, headlights, just about everything one needs to camp.

But, there was one thing missing though.

All weekend my babes talked about their memories of the first camping trip we had earlier in the summer - the camping trip to the Grand Canyon. My babes missed the Sanders family real bad. Real. Real bad.  And to be honest, we adults did too.

Desperately.

Natalie encouraged ALL of this!

And did I mention it was my birthday?

Man, I must love my family, and the Sanders crew, to agree to camp on my freaking birthday!

Brian encouraged all of this!

While uploading pictures, I found that I did not force the Sanders family to take a ridiculous number of pictures with my family - as I usually do - and I am bummed out about it! But just know that in every picture, the Sanders crew were right there with us and my kids later talked about it constantly... "Remember when we did this with them...?

Oh and who could forget this camping trip experience either?