Makeshift Story: Camping Chronicles (and other Faye-based adventures)

Group shot, Five Islands

Today will, in many respects, end up playing out like most others: Clark is at work, the kids are at school, and I am writing this post before getting up to all the other Monday things that fill the day. We will also however, be saying goodbye to Faye, is hopping a plane later this afternoon for her long journey back to to Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was a relatively whirlwind visit, but we packed it as full of adventure as we could manage -- enough that I kind of feel like we could have used today to recover. But then again, I often feel that way at the end of the weekend these days - I must be getting old!

Selfie queens

The week itself was mostly low-key: Clark and the kids were, of course, gone during the day, and Faye spent her time doing things like working (participating in multiple meetings with people in a country with a 6 hour time difference is challenging, I would imagine!), running errands for all the things you can't easily procure in your West African day-to-day, and going to the dentist. More than once, unfortunately.

Trying on clothes at MEC. I now know that if Faye and Juniper disappear, they're likely off taking selfies!

On Friday, however, we took things to a whole new level. Faye wanted an adventure while she was here, and having vetoed her original idea of kitesurfing (though theoretically fun, it turns out it would have cost about 750$ per person!!!), we decided to go... CAMPING! Camping is one of Clark's favourite activities, but the fact that we've moved around so much (and lived for a long while in tick-heavy Cape Cod) has meant that we've never actually all gone camping together as a family. So... off we went! Our destination was the beautiful Five Islands Campground, and due to the fact that it was Friday (and, may I add, frigidly cold), we had the entire upper loop of the campground to ourselves. It was, on the whole, a successful trip - we had just enough tent space and sleeping bags for everyone (Faye slept with the kids in our 3-person tent, and Clark and I slept in his little cozy two-person tarn), and everyone (except for me), slept relatively well:

Clark and the kids in the tiny tent the next morning

Plus, it being the Five Islands/Economy area, there was a tonne of beautiful hiking and exploring to do during the days. I took a bunch of photos, so I'll let them tell the story.

Off to an emotional start! I realised we had forgotten the camera 10 minutes into the trip, and I decided to turn around to get it. Juniper gave me a super hard time, and then Clark got mad at her, and emotions ran high. Look at that single tear running down her cheek. All was well soon enough.

At the campsite: Both kids were very keen to help set things up

Toting the sleeping bags

Success!

Procuring campfire wood

Having unpacked and eaten lunch, it was time to walk around the otherworldly beach

Playing on the sandstone rocks

Clark turned over a rock under the seaweed, and crabs went scuttling in all directions!

Close-up

This one was raring for a fight. Look at those pincers, ready to attack!

Climbing the cliffs, in search of fossils

Checking out a collection of treasures

Juniper and Faye contemplate life. If I recall, Juniper was mad at me at this particular moment, and stalked off to brood for awhile...

... and ended up drawing for a bit to soothe her soul. We are more alike in temperament than I sometimes care to admit.

Linden, climbing on the slippery seaweed-covered rocks...

... and carving in the sandstone

"Hey kids! Don't walk in the mucky mud part!" I might as well just save my breath.

Goofballs

Back at the campsite, we made supper preparations...

... Linden tended the fire, and Juniper read.

Look! We take selfies sometimes too! I was checking out the Mountain Ash in the glorious afternoon light

Reading a book together while waiting for the pasta to cook

We were treated to an amazing sunset

Much of the time was spent telling Linden to run someplace other than our immediate campsite. He had a LOT of running to do, as he discovered that putting his fleece on like this gave him pterodactyl wings.

Early morning treat: camping hot chocolate!

After packing up the next mornning, we headed to Economy Falls

Eating a sandwich by the water. Now, let me pause here and point out all the layers of clothes. It was a COLD fall day. But before we left, both kids stripped completely naked, to "go swimming".When they actually felt the water temperature, neither was willing to go further than their ankles, but Linden slipped, and doused his whole body. He cried, it was so painfully cold. I have pictures, but alas - they are not suitable for the blog.

Photoshoot with Faye!

... and another, hanging from a horizontal birch

Treacherous climbing condition are no match for rugged children (and the foolhardy grown-ups who follow to get photos)

As it turns out, Clark brought a hammock down with him, for this very purpose. Pretty idyllic, eh?

Linden brought his cars with him, and then RACED back up the steep incline so that he could have time to play with them before everyone else caught up. I feel like part of parenting success is being constantly aware of the ever-changing motivators (and therefore, potentially successful bribe techniques) in a child's life

On the way back out of Economy Falls: the beautiful blueberry fields

We got home from the camping adventure on Saturday evening, and gratefully all had an early night in warm beds. The next day, it was basically one big party -- first, we went across the street to celebrate Zoë's 3rd birthday, and then Zsofi and Will and the girls made the trip in to (belatedly) celebrate Clark's 38th. Faye provided the cake this time around, as she (for some reason) had a gift certificate to Dairy Queen. Ice Cream Cake!