The Grant Family: Elizabeth's First Camping Trip

This past weekend, Elizabeth and I enjoyed what I hope to be the first of many camping trips and other outdoor excursions together.

Friday night we drove the 7 miles to Olmsted County's Chesterwoods Park. She was excited all week, and the buzz didn't stop until 11:00 that night. We got there, unpacked a bit, and had roasted sweet corn courtesy of the Gupta family we were camping with in adjacent sites. You can see Adam enjoyed it as well.

After the customary smores for dessert, it was time to get settled in. Inside the tent, Elizabeth walked in circles as she explored the tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, headlamps, etc. The first major test of Elizabeth's compatibility with camping was if she could safely stay out of the fire and all of its attendant dangers. After round 1, so far so good. The second major test now began inside the tent: Could Elizabeth actually get to sleep and sleep well enough to warrant another camping trip? I am happy to report that Elizabeth got to sleep and slept through the night. In the morning, I opened my eyes to find her perpendicular to me, lying on her stomach and looking at me with a big smile. Immediately she said "Good morning Daddy!" Yes, Elizabeth was pumped to be a camper.

Saturday morning found the group at the lake fishing and stopping at the playground before lunch. After the kids napped, Sam and Adam rejoined us for time at the beach and supper. All the while, Elizabeth had fun playing with Angie and Ash's two kids, Milan and Amani. Sunday morning would ultimately bring Sam the opportunity to save both Amani, who is not quite 2, and Adam from the lake. Amani simply lost his balance on the dock, and Adam flipped his beach toy while attempting to lunge out. While both were in about 2 feet of water, neither were in it more than a second or two. Clearly these back-to-back encounters reinforce the necessity to supervise children around water.

Overall, Elizabeth had a great time with her first camping experience, and is eager to go again. And I can't wait to take her.