Camping - Totally worth It!

This weekend we went camping at Douthat State Park. We went as a campout for the W&L Law Families club. We had 4 other adults and one child camp with us one of the nights. We had A LOT of fun despite all the craziness that happened. Here are some of the highlights with a few pictures:

• Chuck packed the car and roof rack in the rain.
• He set up an awesome tarp roof so we could still "enjoy" dinner and a campfire in the pouring rain.
• The girls loved playing in the puddles and getting soaking wet and muddy.
  
• It rained ALL night long and most of the morning.
  
• Lucy woke up at 5am ready to play. Saying "Outside! Water!" over and over.
  
• The weather took a drastic turn from what was forcasted all week and there was a high wind advisory with 30-40 mph winds.
• We had to take down the great tarp roof Chuck spent forever putting up the night before, so it wouldn't get ripped off the trees.
  
• My pregnant body having to pee at 4am enabled me to see the most gorgeous starry night I have ever seen in my entire life. It was the first time I was grateful to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I would have missed it otherwise. I woke Chuck up and made him get out of the tent to see it too.
• During the windy night, something must have hit our car windshield and we have a big crack on the side.
  
• We found a C&O Railway Museum in Clifton Forge. The girls loved the model trains and the real train we could go inside.
• We ate lunch at Chuck's favorite mexican food place, San Juans. He says it makes him feel like we are in San Diego and not in the mountains of western Virginia. I know lunch at a restaurant while camping is a little hypocritical, but it's his favorite and we were so close we couldn't not go.
  
• Saturday was the first day of the fishing season. We were ready to go with all the die hards. Although we were not waiting at the edge of the lake at 7am when you couldn't start fishing until 9am. (Chuck's first cast got tangled in his motor. We really should try to fish more.)
• Saturday ended up being pretty hectic and tiring, so we didn't fish as much as we would have liked and did not catch anything. Chuck and the girls did go on a few boat rides.
  
• We had a great picnic with 7 families and our kids ran themselves ragged at the playground.
• Lucy fell in the lake. She fell in from the edge of the shore while throwing in sticks. Chuck and I both were just a few feet from her. She fell flat on her face in about shin deep water and was soaked from head to toe. I felt like the worst mother ever. I had to step in the water to pull her out. As I was drying her off and changing her clothes, between sobs she would say, "Oh No! Water!" (picture on the right just minutes before she fell in.)
• I've done 7 loads of laundry in the last 36 hours and our house and car still smells like campfire.

Despite everything, we love going camping! It is such a fun family memory and worth all the effort we go to for just a short trip. The girls absolutely love it and Leland has already asked me when we are going again.