The Things We Do For Our Kids

We decided since summer break was almost over for most of our kids (it was over for 4 of 8 she started on Tuesday) we would take our yearly vacation. We decided to take them on a camping trip and stay sort of close to home. We were going to go from the 21st of July to the 25th.
We hurried and found the perfect camper trailer. We had talked about it for years, and finally decided this year was the year. I was not excited about taking 2 new babies on a tent camping trip. It was a good decision. It was so much easier to put them to bed, in a bed. And it sleeps all of us, while they are little. And the older kids have their own tents, which they later used.
We got out of the house on the 22nd at about 7. The camper wasnt as easy to find as we had hoped. Registration took longer than expected, and we kind of knew the family that sold us the camper (they moved out of our ward, the same month we moved in, and knew all of our friends. And he is the cousin of the bishop that married us) so we ended up talking to them for hrs. Delaying the preparation process.
We went out to South Willow, set up camp, and went to bed. 6 of 8 screamed for an hr and About 1 in the morning, we woke up to 3 of 8 puking. When we woke up in the morning, none of could stand to even stand next to the poor kid, and there were no showers and he felt miserable. So we decided to come home. We slept in Sunday morning, missed church, so we decided to take the already packed and newly cleaned traier back up and finish our vacation. This time we went to Smith Moorehouse reseviour. It was beautiful there. We just finished dinner when 4 of 8 started crying about wanting to go home. Very unlike her. Then she threw up. We hemmed and hawed about coming home, then decided we better be at home if she was going to be sick. After we broke camp, 5 of 8 started puking. SO glad we packed up. It was getting dark by this time. We got home, after getting sick in the car a few times, 5 of 8 getting it in the bucket, 4 of 8.... not. Got the car cleaned laundry started, and kids in bed.
Monday Trent took all but me, the babies, and 4 of 8, (who started school the next day) to GMA's annual 24th of July party. She lives right by Liberty Park, so she has front row seats for the fireworks.
We planned on going back up to finish camping if the kids were done getting sick, on Friday. Luckily the bug only lasted 18-24 hrs. SO it made its way through the house in a few days. We packed up on Thursday, picked 4 of 8 up from school early and went back up to Smith and Moorehouse. But, it was full, so we went to the otherside and drove Mirror Lake HWY until we found a camp spot. I will just say right now. 6 of 8 is a crappy camper, and 4 of 8 is miserable to sleep next to. 6 of 8, will not go to sleep. then she is grumpy and screams the next day. We had to get in the car and drive to finally get her to take a nap, because we could no longer stand the kid. 4 of 8 sleeps indian style. So you get her all tucked in, then she moves into a sitting Indian style hunched over position, uncovering everyone in her way. Then she gets cold. Then she throws herself around. If you have ever slept in a pop up, you know that everytime anyone moved, everyone feels it. Not too bad, but if you are already awake with a baby, it's annoying. We were up less with 2 babies, than with 4 and 6 of 8. So between all of this. Trent and I didn't sleep well.
Gma and Gmpa came up on Friday morning and GMA stayed with me at the camp with the little kids and GMPA and trent took the older kids fishing. (guess what we are having for dinner tonight) We did wake up this morning with moose in our camp. It was fun, until they came toward us. They are big, and a little scary. And as we were packing up, we ran into the Loertchers.
It was kind of funny because I asked a mom waking down the road if her daughters were twins, and noticed she was wearing a Buddy Walk shirt, too. Apparently her sister is the chapter president for Davis county. I have been out of the UDSF for so long I didn't even know they had a new president. But it's kind of a small world.
We are now home showered and ready for Sunday.