Camp Chadwick 2015

Somewhere along the lines, I decided to be the official event planner for the family. We'd get together, and people would complain about being bored. So, I started trying to make things more fun, plan more activities, that kind of thing. I loved times with cousins growing up and the traditions we had when we'd get together. I've wanted to make new traditions with my kids and nieces and nephews. I wanted these annual get-togethers to be something everyone looked forward to every year. 

And each year, it seemed like I would put in all this effort, and then people still wouldn't be completely satisfied. That's life, right, especially in a big family. But I'm a people-pleaser, and it wasn't okay that I kept missing the mark. It stressed me out so much that Chelsea decided that I needed a break, so she planned last year's gig. And it totally stressed her out and now I have someone who can empathize with my cause. We decided last year that we would form a committee, so that the responsibility wouldn't rest on just one person. We all had a job, and we were all invested. That committee was me, Chelsea, Taryn, and my mom. We invited Emily too, but she didn't end up coming. 

We booked our site and our week last fall after researching numerous possible locations before deciding on a site near Bear Lake. There would be at least two days at the lake, and we would be renting jet-skis.  Then, in December, we got invited to go to Europe--over the same week that this camping trip had been planned. I spent many hours trying to find a new place (the original site was booked for the week we planned to reschedule). I frantically searched and searched, finally finding a site that looked like it would be a good replacement. The problem was that it was twice as much. But it promised shade, and it was the best I could do. I put it to the committee. They agreed that it was our best bet, so I booked it. But I felt so guilty over making everyone move for me. (I don't think they were nearly as bothered in real life as they were in my head. In fact, I never heard anyone complain about the cost or the date change. But I was still nervous about it.)

Since our new campground was at Paris Springs, I decided to do a play off the whole Paris thing. I wanted to make a passport for each kid, and then give them a "stamp" in their passport for completing/participating in an activity.

 

Things were going well, we had lots of activities planned, and lots of hands willing to invest in the week. And while I was frantically finishing up things, I called Chelsea for an update. She informed me that Thomas was getting deployed for a year, and he was leaving that Tuesday after the trip. They'd given him less than 2 weeks to get ready to leave, and she was (justifiably) upset. She didn't care about the trip anymore. And that's when I decided to let it go. What happened would happen. Plans would be adjusted, and we'd (meaning me) would just go with it and make the most of things. So, I finished my last bit of preparations, and began the week. (Okay, enough back story).

We all meant to get there right when the campsite was available, but like I said, plans changed. I knew Chelsea and Taryn (who was helping Chelsea pack since Thomas had things to do to get ready to leave for a year) wouldn't get there by 1, so I just did my best to get out the door and not stress about arrival time. We stopped for lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings in Logan, where my brother Cal works as a manager. Brian was going to work for a few more hours before driving up with Cal later that night. After lunch, the kids and I drove through a drizzle through Logan Canyon and up to Paris, Idaho for the campsite at Paris Springs Campground. By the time we arrived in camp, it had stopped raining. 

My parents and grandparents were already there, mostly set up. I decided the first thing to do was set up our tent, so my mom helped me get to work on that. I got all our beds and luggage arranged in the tent. Chelsea was supposed to make dinner that night, but we weren't sure how that was going to work out with everything else. I was getting ready to make my dinner when she and Taryn pulled into camp. I helped Taryn set up Taryn's and Chelsea's tents while Chelsea got started on her dinner. Chelsea helped put up the rest of hers. We all had a good laugh about setting up our tents without our husbands (all were working). Brian had asked if I was going to wait for him to set up the tent. To which I responded, "Of course not! I've been setting up tents long before I met you!"  We had a "Chadwick Girl Power" moment, laughing about being up there roughing it without our men instead of being bummed out about it. 

After dinner (or maybe right before dinner), Mom and Dad got the kids started on their first activity. My dad just couldn't wait any longer! He'd made stilts for the older kids and hobby horses for the three littles. The activity was to decorate them.  I gave each kid their passport, and camp was officially underway!

 My Aunt Ramona ended up coming to Idaho from Iowa for a visit this week, so when she found out we were camping, she decided she wanted to come too. Since this was clearly a Chadwick thing, she found a spot in our campground that was away from us so that she could see us, but still do her own thing with her kids while we did our own thing with us. That way, Grandma and Grandpa could still come camping with us. That meant I got to see Zandra, my favorite cousin! Yay!

 The next day was supposed to be a lake day, but because of the weather and Thomas not being able to be there, we decided to move the lake day to Wednesday instead. So, the kids got coloring bags, new crayons, and new coloring books, and we put there pictures on display in an art show (again, going with the whole Paris theme). Mom and Grandma were the first visitors to the art exhibit:

 Unfortunately, due to all the sun, a lot of the crayons got melted, but what do you do? I loved how much Michael worked on his pictures. I got an activity book for him where you copy a picture using a grid. I originally bought it for my nephew Jack, but he didn't end up coming so Michael got it instead.

 Matthew and Heather practiced on the stilts every spare minute. They got pretty good, which was amazing considering the uneven ground:

 And Dad took advantage of Grandkid snuggles.

 And Grandpa read.

 Those first two days were so cold. We were glad we didn't go to the lake! We played games, ate junk, laughed, talked, and had a relaxing time. Thomas arrived just after dinner, and Chelsea's spirits soared. I had been so cold the first night that I didn't sleep well, so when it was time for bed, I confess that I wimpily cried to Brian about being so cold. We got extra sleeping bags from my mom, so we slept great that second night (and all the nights after).

The next day (Wednesday), we had our first lake day. It's comical trying to get large groups going anywhere, but we finally made it to the North Beach State Park, found a spot to hang for the day, and got the boat launched. My Grandpa helped launch it (it is his boat, afterall), and when they got the boat down to where we set up, there wasn't a dock, and apparently Grandpa didn't want to go for a swim. So Ethan gave him a piggy back ride to shore. (The advantage of moving the lake day to Wednesday was that Ethan and Cal got to be at the lake at the same time, which originally wasn't going to happen).  

 Rachel loved the lake. Actually, everyone loved the lake. We couldn't believe that we grew up within 3 hours of Bear Lake and had never been before. The beach was so nice, and the water was so shallow for so far into the lake. It was so perfect for all our littles.

 We took turns going out on the boat

 and playing in the water

 We also rented a jet ski for the day, and it was fun taking turns going for rides. And Cal and Chelsea were the only ones to go flying off.

 So much fun!

But all too soon, it was time to go home. This is how Rachel felt about that:

 And boy did she sleep that night! She slept in until almost 8:30, which is huge for her.

The next day, we were back at the lake.  Chelsea made a sweet sand castle

 The kids played in the water some more: 

 We went on more boat rides:

 Rented a jet ski again:

 The men practiced their machoness:

 And Ethan did a little water ballet:

 Aaron did what little boys do best:

 And Rachel couldn't get enough of the sand and water.

 And Grandma and Grandpa had a relaxing day watching everyone play.

 I honed my professional castle photography skills:

 Mom cuddled the babies:

 And then we headed back to camp, where we all wanted to just do this:

 Some didn't even wait til we got to camp to fall asleep:

 It was hard doing two lake days in a row, but it wasn't a part of the original plan, just so you know. It turned out okay anyway. In a perfect world, we would have put a day in between.

Since Thomas and Chelsea had to leave that night, we tried to squeeze in the mandatory activities before they left. So, plans changed and we did our traditional pinata that night:

 Poor thing never saw it coming. Chelsea's kids have gone pro since last year.

 The next morning, July 31,  we had a lazy morning. We were all a little worn out from two lake days.

 And then Ethan left. And Grandma and Grandpa left too. That left us, Taryn (and David who surprised us by coming up after work on Friday), and Mom & Dad.  We had things on the plans, but decided, "Eh, let's just hang out." It was a most welcome end to our crazy July. I felt bad asking my dad to make his famous Dutch oven dinner for just us, so we decided to head into Paris for dinner:

We considered touring the tabernacle there. Brian and I looked at the completion date--somewhere in the 1890s--and thought, "Wow, that's such a new building." Oh Europe, how you've changed our perspective on what is old!

That night, we discovered a little baby owl in camp, and I tried to get a picture of the little feather ball: 

We had a quiet night by the fire

and then we headed into my parents' trailer to play games. We were just getting set up when Michael came crying to the camper. He'd thrown up all over himself. So, plans once again changed. My mom gave him a shower, I found fresh clothes, and Brian and David cleaned up the bedding in the tent. Michael and I slept in the camper, in case he threw up again. Thankfully, he didn't. 

The next morning, we packed up and then headed out. By then, it was noon. As we were leaving, David noticed a nail in our front  passenger tire. We decided we better get it fixed. We stopped in Garden City for fresh raspberry shakes and to put air in that tire, and then we headed into the Canyon to Logan. Rachel crashed on the drive. 

We went to Les Schwabb to fix our tire. They had found a screw in our back passenger tire as well. They kindly fixed our tire for free, and then we were back on our way, stopping at Cal's apartment to retrieve Brian's laptop and then grabbing lunch/dinner, on our way out of Logan.

We made it back to our house around 5 p.m. We started laundry, baths, and putting things away. We were so tired of having luggage lying around, so we had everything unpacked by the time we went to bed that night. We were ready to be home after our amazingly crazy, wonderful July. 

Oh, and you'll be happy to know that the only negative comments I heard about the trip involved changes that we had to make because of the weather. In fact, at one point, we drove past the site we originally booked. I pointed it out to everyone, and they all agreed that our site was WAY better.  Everyone said that they wouldn't mind coming back to that very spot every year. Brian paid me the highest compliment when he sincerely said, "That was my favorite trip with your family." Looks like we may have a tradition of camping at Bear Lake. Despite all the worry and the last minute adjusting, I'm calling it a success. Guess the committee idea worked!