Storming the Camp . . .

So, we went camping on Saturday and Sunday of this past 4th of July weekend. Saturday, we meet up with Chris' parents at about 7 p.m. (my shop was open until 5 and he worked until 5:30). We get there in time to have a very nice (steak) dinner that they had just got done cooking on the fire. The couple the in-laws camp with are camping fanatics! They have so much gear! It's awesome! They always make the best food when they camp. They don't mess around with hotdogs and hamburgers, people. It's steak and little bacon-wrapped mushrooms and cobbler. It truly is a feast!
Anyway, the in-laws have their two tents already up so we don't have to put ours up. A very good thing for us, we later find out . . .
In the morning, and I do mean MORNING, I wake up before the sunrise! If you know me, that is just unheard of! I got to see a beautiful sunrise. Took pics and everything


and then I needed to use the restroom. Well, I didn't know where it was and I was the ONLY one awake! So I start walking. And yes, I was camping and could have used a tree, but I really do not have very good aim and it always ends in disaster when I try that. So, I am walking and I am seriously the ONLY person awake in the entire camping area! It was truly bizarre. I found the potty and that was all good. My fellow campers finally get up about an hour or two after I do.
The rest of the day goes pretty well. Parker does REALLY well. He got used to the water pretty quickly (he was acting afraid to go in it) and Lydia played in the sand and a little in the water, too.


I was in the water ALL DAY!! It was awesome! I am a Pisces and I LOVE the water! I don't really like to "swim" but I like to be in the water, if that makes any sense. Well, I kept the kids lathered up in sunscreen, but never reapplied it on myself! Duh! I got burned.
So, we are all sitting around eating dinner and the campsite neighbors come tell us that they just heard on the radio (good thing they were listening to one) that a big storm with 65 mph winds was coming and was supposed to hit our area at about midnight. We start packing up all the loose, smaller items and tying down tarps and rainflies to the tents. Of Course we are going to still sleep in the tents, it's just a storm! We are CAMPERS! We will be fine.
Or so we thought.
Holy Crap, people! Our tent was bending over onto itself from side to side!! I had fallen asleep before the storm hit and awoke to rain falling on my head and the site of the tent just blowing all over the place! I had visions of tornados and such. The storm lasted until 9 in the morning! At about 7, I had taken Parker to the car because there wasn't any more dry spots to safely sleep in except the area Lydia was taking up. About 30 minutes later, Chris comes running to car with Lydia wrapped in a blanket. The tent's poles had finally given way and snapped in half and the tent collapsed in on them! Shortly thereafter, the in-law's tent collapsed as well--it was still salvagable though. The one we had been in, got tossed. The friends with all the great camping stuff? Yeah, their tent was like a rock. It stayed up and they stayed dry once the rainfly got resecured (it had blown off in the beginning of the storm, but then stayed put after resecuring it). And the really amazing thing? The kiddos slept right through it!

Well, I know it was long. But I tend to be long winded, but I just had to share the adventure!

Stay dry and keep on dancing!,
Party Pascha