The house that Jenn built..

We've been camping probably 50 times since Sal and I started dating 10 years ago, and I've always done the standard, "yep uh-huh, looks easy enough" when he is explaining how to do the 'stuff', but really I'm hearing circus music when he's talking (much like he does when I ask him to put the garbage out) but I digress.

This weekend, I decided I was going to learn. Or trial by fire sorta speak. Trial by fire, lantern, tent, stove etc etc. So I went camping on Thursday with just the girls. No Sal, no back up just me and a match - so I thought..

First the tent. The tent is new so I had a trial run on Wednesday night, I knew how to do it with two people but one person and two screaming children running around the campsite saying I wanna go to the paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkk is a different story. Found a relatively flat camping spot, but with the two banshee's running around, I failed to notice the big a$$ roots. Oh well..

But here's the house that Jenny built.



Now I look in the sky to see big old black clouds. Not great for a girl who hears circus music when her hubby talks about how to chop wood and start a fire. Look for the matches. They are always in the lantern. Always. Have been for 10 years. But nope, no matches. Darnit. I start to cry. I'm a crier in crazy situations.. I'm tired from putting the tent up and dealing with two screaming children saying PAAAAAAAAARRRKKKK. I think while the girls are saying, it's ok mommy.. Turner Valley is 15 minutes away, they have a quick mart, they'll have matches. Then the skies fall out and its raining like mad. Run the girls to the van. Drive in the dark, hydroplanning and blinding rain to TV.

Get my matches.

Try to chop wood. Yikes this is hard.

But I chop wood. Just a little. It was tough.

I try to start a fire, and remember its wet so I don't have a clue.

I give up.

We go home. We're that lucky that you can be camping in the mountains in 45 minutes and back in the same time.

I'm so angry with myself. Its fire. The basic element. And I failed. Darnit.

But it's gross and still raining so really I'm not all that sad we're in a dry house.

Friday will be better.

We get back to the campsite at 2 on Friday. Sal has given me this cool fire starter thing made of egg cartons, dryer lint and wax from old candles and leaves it the van for me to use.

I use it. It starts and Jenny created FIRE!



Two down. Now I need to figure out the last two things. Lantern and Coleman stove. I'll wait until Sal comes.

But I conquered my fears. I conquered it.

Here's the lantern Jenny lit and because it's really not that exciting I have no picture of the stove, but take my word for it.



Camping was great. Bella learned how to ride a bike. She's getting so big. Emily figured out the little bike.








Back to reality. Next up Victoria with mom and the girls. Should be fun.

Life is good!