Camping

Almost every year since I was a baby I have gone camping during the summer for a long weekend at the Manistee National Forest Campground.  When I was young, my parents had a large group of friends (I believe it started out as lawyers and secretaries - that sounds bad, but both the attorneys and assistants brought their own families! - who worked together at the Attorney General's office getting away from the office as friends.  They each invited more friends, and in turn it grew! But it was a lot of lawyers. And secretaries.) who went together, and now the tradition is continued by my siblings (2 sisters and a brother), their families, and our collective friends.

There have probably been about 4 or 5 years in my life I didn't make it.  I can't really remember, but time moves so quickly it's quite possible it's more.  It feels like I went every year though.  At minimum, I've gone for 25 years - and that would be if I missed 8.  Which seems like an awful lot.

Last month, we made this annual jaunt and it was was our second year bringing our little girl. Third, if you count our attendance when I was pregnant with her.

Last year was...okay. I had a broken leg (My 3rd time.  I'm clumsy), Cass was crawling, so we had to contain her to keep her from eating copious amounts of dirt, and she slept like absolute shit.  I couldn't even go down to the lake, because the beach is made up of large dunes, and I had that pesky broken leg (walking cast, but still). There was also the issue of the 2 other group camping sites - there are only 3 - being filled to the brim (we are talking well over 100 people) with a family reunion of sorts.  They even used bullhorns to shout rules for games, eating, etc! And that is the least of it.  Seriously.  I won't go into it, but they were totally oblivious to our 25 person group (of course), and any possible unspoken rules for camping in the woods - like, no bullhorns.

This year, however, was great! Cassie can walk, and explore, and doesn't eat dirt.  Well, not much at least. She was really able to enjoy herself, and even though I had a good time separately from her, her joy just added to my fun.  There were almost 30 of us, including 3 babies under 1. It really was a great time.

Cassandra was too timid to go in the lake, but she enjoyed playing by it.  She had so much fun!

There were 10 children under 4 camping with us at one point, so our little only child really enjoyed the interaction.  Especially with her cousins.  She adores them all.  

And she is still talking about the going to see the sunset almost every day  She loved it. 

Saturday night I went to the beach with my sister-in-law and a friend and we looked up at the stars for hours. I haven't done that in so long, and the stars are not so bright where I live anyway.  The night sky is an incomparable wonder.