Keeping Memories Close: Camping

As I've posted before, Travis tries to take Sage camping a few times a year. It's really fun for the both of them, and if he knows he will have a rare weekend off and it's been a while since they've been, he will try to take her. Last Friday was her day. She was so excited, and because he'd MENTIONED that he'd try, that pretty much meant that it was happening. I picked her up from school, and she was ready to go home and pack. I jokingly mentioned that Travis should take Jaggar, but neither of us were too sure that he was ready. Travis said he'd take him the next time that they went for sure. I was pretty tired. He'd worked long hours all week, and...I'm tired. Growing a human being takes a toll on you. Not complaining, just stating.

Anyway, I took the kids to eat while Travis got a few last minute things at the store. When we got home, Travis still wasn't there yet, so I gave them baths. Sage packed her things, and Travis got home to unload his truck and get their tent, grill and other "camping things." Just as they were about to walk out, Jaggar and I were laying on the couch and Jaggar got up to throw his arms around Sage. He said, "I go camp! I go!" Travis stood there, and I could see he was debating. "Ahhh....do you think he'd do okay?" he asked. I said, "I don't know. I know he would in the day time...it's sleeping that concerns me." Jaggar was still saying, "I wanna camp! I go camp!" Travis said, "Get his things. I'll take him." I said, "Are you sure?" It was so funny because Jaggar didn't have a clue what he was about to do, but he grabbed an unopened bag of goldfish crackers out of the pantry and said that he was ready. Apparently we are born with the knowledge that camping means junk food. I grabbed what Jaggar needed, and they were in the truck. I was slightly worried because...Cheaha is...you know...a mountain. I was telling Jaggar goodbye while he was in his seat and he said, "Shut the door." He was not looking back. Sage said, "Will you be lonely, Mommy?" Travis laughed. Truthfully, I haven't had the opportunity to be lonely in YEARS. I was shocked it was even happening. It was truly a gift from Travis to ALL of us. :) I have a TON of pictures that Travis took, so here's the first batch. I am pleased to say that Jaggar did wonderfully.

Of course, he has a rock in his hand.

Their tent. Travis always sleeps outside of the tent...for safety reasons, I guess...to guard. But he said Jaggar kept saying, "Are you gonna come in here? Are you gonna come in here?" It took him a while to go to sleep, but Sage went to sleep immediately. Travis said when he looked in there that Jaggar was completely off of the mattress and in the corner like on the ground.

They have a thing with rocks.

Pretty girl

Sage and that vest. I have stopped the fight over it. If you don't know, that was mine from Express from...oh 4 or 5 years ago. I haven't worn it since then, but she thinks it's the greatest thing ever. I know she thinks it makes her look like one of her dance teachers, Ms Jessica, who is 21 and layers everything like that for class. I find Sage in this on a daily basis when she gets home from school, and apparently, she packed it in her bag.

Campfire smoke

Jaggar

This is blurry, but I thought that they were cute in their tent. Except for the first few pics when it was dark, these are all the next day. They didn't leave until almost 6pm, so I'm sure Travis was setting everything up that night instead of taking a ton of pictures. He made up for it the next day. I have SO many.

What are they doing?

Oh just...

Filling up the bucket with rocks

He worked hard.

I don't know if he thinks that he's going to put that one in there. Probably. I'm sure that he gave it a good try.

I can just hear her, "Daddy, take a picture of me like this."

Back to the bucket

This is a perfect example of why I don't camp. Sage was about to grab that stick, and Travis spotted that spider. I'm really glad that they went, but what I don't understand is...why do you have to PAY to sleep on the ground? It's expensive to go out there! If I'm going to pay to sleep somewhere, it better be nicer than my house.

I guess money can't buy this. I wonder what Jaggar thought about all of the bugs. He is like me in that he HATES them. Every piece of lint is a "bug" or "spider" to him.

While they were there, Sage had a project from school to gather leaves and make a picture out of them (I'll have to post that finished product). Here is her leaf collection.