The Camping Challenge...

Last Friday we headed out to go camping for 4 nights.  I wanted to camp in Eastern Washington because the nights don't get so cold in the summer and that can make tent camping much more enjoyable.  I wanted to stay away from crowded KOA's and get farther away from town.  I also wanted to be close enough to say hi to some family who live in Northern Idaho.  So, I checked out the areas and settled on a Washington State park called the 9 Mile Rec Area just north of Spokane.  This place seemed to be perfect from the pictures.

Early morning, looking at the swimming area.

This is a true and accurate account of the events over those 5 days.
Starting out on Friday morning we encountered I-5 road construction which ate an hour off our time.  Going over the pass of  Hwy. 90 our mini van started to slip gears under the weight and heat.  We had her packed full and heavy.  We spent more time letting it rest and cool down.
We arrived into the Spokane area and wandered around for another hour driving back and fourth along a stretch of road trying to find the camp ground.  The signage was horrible.  Maybe they are trying to keep it a secret.  We finally got directions from a sheriff deputy God sent to help us.  We've been on the road 10 hours now and we finally find our spot.
Setting up was quick and dinner was cooked and ready before night fall.  We had our camp fire and smores and called in a night about 10pm.  Sleeping is always rough the first night.  All the sounds we are not use to keep us awake.  Oh, and the residential neighbor who had chickens had Roosters who liked to dual their Cock-a-doodle-doos out at 4:30am.

The chicken pen was right on the other side of our van.

The next day was a scorcher (for us) with the high reaching 96 degrees.  The boys played in the swim area in the morning and after lunch we headed out to find the other part of the Rec area that had access to the river and a suspension bridge to walk across. 

Everything was beautiful to look at and we wanted to see it all but the sun beat down on us like a sledge hammer.  It zapped our energy and enthusiasm.  We had brought our bikes and couldn't even use them.

We enjoyed the beautiful scenery as long as we could - about 45 minutes and loaded up and went back to camp.  We rested around camp and played some more in the swim area before dinner.

The kids were exhausted that night and went to bed quickly.
This is where the trip gets challenging...
We wake up to little one throwing up all over his sleeping bag, clothes and stuffed animal.  I jump up and open the tent and get him out.  Josh starts in on getting the sleeping bag out and washing down the air mattress.  All I could do was call up to heaven and say "Dear God, help."
Thankfully we were right next to the showers and bathrooms.  I took him in and showered him down.  Put new clothes on him, fixed up a puke bowl.  Sat him down and handed him the bowl.  I fixed up the tent so I could be right next to him the rest of night.  It was a long night of dry heaving every 30 minutes between sleep.  The sleeping bag was a goner.  We would have to buy a new one.
The next day, Sunday, we were scheduled to visit down town Spokane and have dinner with our family in the area.  We did the best we could with exhausted kids.

 

After this we headed over to the indoor IMAX theater and game area.  The boys were not excited about watching a movie but we insisted we needed the air conditioning and rest.  The movie ended up being great and we all enjoyed it.  We had all wanted to go on the gondolas over Spokane Falls but when we got up to the ticket booth the sign said "Temperature inside gondolas - 105"  I asked the man in the booth if he was serious.  He was very serious.  I said "no way" to that ride and we were all sad.

105 degrees in these little boxes and the ride lasts 25 minutes. 

The day ended with a nice visit with family over dinner at Red Robbin.  Little one fell asleep at the table by 7pm and slept all the way back to camp and through the night until 7am the next day.
Unfortunately, the oldest got sick right before bed.  Thankfully not in the tent. 
I had sick bowls and bags fixed for every person sleeping that night.  Praise God, no one had to use them.
Remember our mini van problems?  Josh decided to get it checked out at the Ford dealer bright and early Monday morning.  The kids and I hung around camp, I made pancakes and had lots of left overs.  We went to the swim area, sat in the shade and played solitaire. 
The rest of the day was spent trying to stay out of the sun.  We constantly moved around the site and into the shade the whole afternoon.  Little one spent a lot of time over the 4 days hammering a large nail into the ground over and over.  I love the things they find to do when TV is not an option.

Some rest for me in the shade of a tree.

 It's Monday night, our last night, our last campfire and little one gets sick again around 8pm.  We are so thankful it's not in the middle of the night.  With an uneventful night we managed to sleep pretty well.
Packing up was bitter sweet.  We had wanted so much more for this trip but the heat spoiled much of it.  By 9:30am we were on the road headed home.
Until...11:30 when...

Oh yes, a flat tire.  Josh does an amazing job at getting the spare doughnut on in record time for never doing it before.  Everyone is calm and rolling with the punches.

 We are thankful we are safe.  Thankful for this good spot to pull over and thankful for the nice man who stopped by to give us some information about where the nearest tire place was.  Another messenger sent from God.

Waiting for Papa to get the spare on.

Our car limped to a small town about 8 miles back and since we were in need of new tires we bought 4 new ones from the Les Schwab dealer and had lunch while we waited.
Our trip on a budget of $300.00 ended up costing close to a $1000.00 after tires, the Ford service and a new sleeping bag and stuffed animal.
In the end, Josh and I laughed pretty hard.  We were thrown a lot of curve balls but I hope we set a good example to the boys about how to deal with challenges and still keep on going with a good attitude.

"See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." Isaiah 48:10

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage.  Do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the LORD your God, is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9