the 11year old cute boy's annual BIRTHDAYcampout.

after a LOT of work gathering all that was needed, loading, collecting rideless children equipped with bags sleeping bags and bikes/scooters/skateboards, and then setting up our campsite in full party mode, i took my dirty swollen aching feet down to the water. i took this picture to remember the feeling of bliss the sand was to me at that moment.

AQUApark:

then there was campfire cooking of hot dogs & smores...and the plethora of junk food. gLow in the dArk necklaces and bracelets a plenty (even a glow in the dark kickball and football). and family there to enjoy the festivities. and of course for the boy there were cupcakes, candles, singing voices, and presents.

evening happenings:

after most of the familia went on there merry way, and after Nanna stepped on a skewer!!! (totally punctured her foot..which was great {sarcastic}while camping hense creating this gross swollen foot she was hobbling around on...poor thing), the boys bolted themselves to the kickball field (right next to our campsite) for a game of glow in the dark kickball. of course they needed my car lights to assist them in seeing what they were doing even still. the games and such went on well into the night.
until alas, they remembered their TENT. and the possible fun that could be had inside telling stories and such. only they were totally grouchy, exhausted beings.
and their will to stay awake despite their grouchiness, was stronger than their desire to subside to peaceful dreamland.

so after a period of horsing around in the tent, they decided to "sneak out" to the kickball field for more fun and games. did i mention it was 3:30AM? of course my own tent was planted quite closely to theirs, and only nylon walls divided us, so i watched (and listened to) it all happen.

and about 4:30ish they come to their senses and go to bed.

7:30AM (their choice, NOTmine):

AIRSOFTguns on the PAINTball field:

favorite quote of the morning"this is freakin' awesome!"

and then the RAIN. oh my the rain.

in the rain, we packed up camp, took down the tents (this was the biggest task of the entire trip!), loaded the truck & my car with camping gear, food, backpacks of 8 people, bikes scooters and skateboards of 4 people, cleaned out the firepit, loaded other parent's trucks, jumped nanna's truck (cause her battery died), and delivered 5 children to their homes. then in that very same rain, we unloaded all of the above. alas, we showered and plopped our tired prunie selves into bed.