Lesson Learned

Without trying to be a huge Debby Downer, we learned a big lesson this weekend.  And that is we need to really think through our family outings while we have little kids.  I don't want to say the weekend was a disaster.  So I won't.  But you know what I'm thinking.

Jeremy's softball team had a tournament in Duluth, so we thought it would be fun to make a long weekend of it.  We spent Thursday night camping with Gary and Lori, two nights in a hotel, and then headed over to Grand Rapids to see spend a night with Amanda and Dan and check out their new house.

There were some fun parts... the kids loved swimming in the hotel pool, Cooper loved the campfire and sleeping in the bunk bed in the camper, the softball team WON the tournament and played five really great games, the rocks, ships, and seagulls at Canal Park were fun to experience, I got to go out for drinks with Amanda and Dan, and we finally got to see Amanda and Dan's house (it's super cute, and I'm really proud of her and Dan's hard work to fix it up!!).

Then there were some not-so-fun parts... which I'll spare you.  But for the purposes of remembering this crazy weekend...

Dear Angela and Jeremy,
Don't.  Just don't.  When you get the crazy idea that you'll just 'go with the flow' and try camping with a newborn...  just don't.  Why?  Did you really think she'd like it?!?  Did you think it would be fun for her???!?!?  When you think it would be fun to go on a mini-vacation four hours from home, just don't forget how much your baby hates her carseat and how much you hate to hear her crying for loooong spells of time.  When you think, "Oh, she'll sleep fine."  Or, "She needs to get used to sleeping away from home..."  Give yourself a kick in the head.  She won't sleep fine.  She can learn to sleep away from home when she's older.  When you think packing won't take long, just don't.  It takes FOREVER; you'll never remember everything, and you'll spend hours... literally hours... packing and unpacking.  When you think your son will be happy and excited to be on an adventure, don't forget how many times he said, "Go home.  I go home, Mommy."  Just don't.  Just don't forget that this time in your life with small kids will only last a little while.  Enjoy some time making memories closer to home.  You'll be less stressed, and the kids will be happier.   You have your whole lives to camp, visit hotels, and take road trips.  Just don't.

Love,
Your relaxed and happy-to-be-home selves, the night after arriving home from four days living out of a trunk and a suitcase

I only had a chance to take a few photos... but there were some keepers :)

On the shores of Lake Superior.  She tasted a few rocks.

Who took these rocks out of the lake?!?!?

An attempt at a family pic - June 2013

Grandma and Grandpa at Canal Park with the grandkids.  Cooper was thrilled to be in this photo.

First time in a high chair at a restaurant! Loving the sippy cup, as usual!

Trying not to smile :)

Loving splashing!

Fun with the softball girls

Cooper LOVED all the attention in the pool

One, Two, Three, Four, Five... JUMP!  Cooper got really brave with the lifejacket and water wings.

Duluth, we love you, but you'll still be there in a few years when we're better equipped to handle you ;)