women. bears. food. fun

So I have to blog our latest family camp-out. With all it's ups and downs and in betweens :) What did I learn from this excursion?
1- Camping is just not as fun without my husband.
2- Our camper has a queen sized bed. That is not the same as sleeping with Danny on a California King.
3- There is never too much food, unless Sariah hits Costco beforehand... then there is plenty :)
4- Black bears are pests. hungry. Not scared of people. Look dumb and not interested but can be VERY DANGEROUS!!!
5- I don't like to get dirty.
6- I can get Danny to do almost anything if a massage is used as bait.
7- My husband can do freestyle vertically and underwater.
8- Danny knows how to come out of the water like harry Potter when he uses the gillyweed.
9- My boys are champs when it comes to sleeping in campers!
10- I don't appreciate dogs going to the bathoom in my camper.
11- Nights are cold. night before day break is even colder.
12- You can get through 4 books in 2 nights if you don't get any sleep.
12- Sariah's potatoe soup is just as good as I remember it being.
13- Scones even without yeast are yummy.
14- Sisters love each other...even when we detest each other ;)
15- The party breaks up when every baby is throwing up.......

So... here is the story of the 9 day campout

We showed up Friday night...LATE! because the Wilkins rule is that you have to be HOURS later than planned. We were supposed to be the first ones to arrive so that we could save a spot but, things happened. And instead of leaving at my planned 10-11am we left at Danny's planned 6pm. We got a spot and went to bed. The next day was full of us setting up camp, then taking it all down because it was not right, then others left and we changed again, and then the ranger said two of our campers were in a off limits spot so we moved again... Basically we worked all day. That night we went looking for animals with the spot light. We saw deer, lots of eyes, and the cutest little mouse! When we got home, Tyden and Erin were freaking out because a bear had been in camp and had gone through our food tent and ate some stuff. There was a gash across the entire side of tent, he left a gaping hole and made off with our pop corn! :0 we were all standing around talking about it when McKay yells "BEAR" We turn around and the biggest black bear I ever saw was standing up less than 20 ft. from us licking our grill clean. He just stood there staring at us like what did I do? me and someone else walked towards him yelling. She (turns out) takes off... well, plods off. Less than 10 minutes later another bear a med. size male (her 2 yr. old or something) comes meandering through camp... we run him off. So we spend the next hour putting all our food away and anything else that smells in our vehicles. We even tied a huge garbage bag of diapers etc.... in the tree next to my camper. We then went to sleep... Bear woke us up. We went to sleep. Bear woke us up. We went to sleep. Bear woke us up. Basically, Danny and I tried to sleep but the bear would not leave us alone. They were big pests... The bear was even scratching herself on the bottom of our beds since it overhangs off the sides. Then she was butting her head against the camper and Hyrum yelled "uh oh" apparently he was not asleep like we had supposed. Ugh, I hate not getting sleep. Especially when you get woken up NOT GENTLY, but like you are having a heart attack, panic attack, and getting physically attacked at the same time. It was like the movies... Danny spent 45min. at a time walking around camp scaring them away.

The next day we cleaned up, tried to organize stuff, I got in a fight with a sister :) we ate, and then the boys left us. I was sad. very sad. I missed Danny immediately.

After that, each day was a little better as we got used to the bear. And as the rangers got involved trying to catch them. I heard from someone that black bears are easy to scare and you can just yell at them and they will run away. I thought this was true as every time I ran at them yelling, they ran away. So maybe it is true to a point. It was not until later that I heard that is true, unless they decide to attack, and then they are impossible to stop unless you can kill them. They are ferocious attackers.... I am sorta glad I didn't know that until later. I also learned later of a woman out by us that was attacked by a black bear, she is still in the hospital, barely alive. Three more bears were trapped by camp lemiah where the YW always camp. But I learned something that was important for me to know. I have heard of parents that were frozen in fear as bad things happened to their children. In no way can I judge them, because I know how it feels to be frozen in fear. I have been there. I was there while the bear was bumping against the camper. But the second I heard Hyrum and I heard the bear on that side by him, I was up and out of that camper yelling. I know something for certain about myself. If something or someone tried to cause harm to someone I loved or tried to attack my children I would demolish them! Have you ever seen Indiana Jones with the stones??? If you have, you should recall the ritual that happens underground with the crazy indie people. When they put a sacrifice in the cage and the crazy priest guy pulls out his heart just using his hands. Everyone is chanting.... got that in your head? That would be me. I would pull out the attackers heart! Sorry for the gore. But that is in warning to anyone ever wanting to hurt my family. A better example would be Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality :) lol

We finally caught one of the bears in a trap the rangers set out. It go caught in the middle of the night and we all snuck up on the trap scared to death :) It was so funny. A bunch of us women huddled up creeping up on the trap. Trying to peek a look in the holes to see the bear. Prepared to scream and run if it decided to roar and shake the trap :)

Our husbands pulled up Friday sometime and we played games. Saturday we spent the day at Willow creek lake, cliff jumping and swimming. We had so much fun! The guys were bigger wimps jumping off the cliff than any of the women and kids! Danny finally did it after I bribed him with the best massage of his life. It was hilarious! He landed in the water like his body was karate chopping it. bahahaha! He came straight out of the water like he was doing the freestyle vertically and his body came out past his hips... he shot straight up! :) I love my man. Even if he is scared of water and heights :) I am proud of him for trying. And he went twice! whew! We would have stayed on our camp out longer but we missed our men and all of our babies were sick, and throwing up. It was just a little too much. So home we went, and I was so happy to get in a hot shower and bath... aaaah joy.

Now I am trying to recover from the campout since it gave me a horrid cough and cold. I think it was the lack of sleep for a week. I am working out at the gym, and trying to get back to my routine.

I also learned that I am a routine person. It was really hard for me to be off of my schedule. I have been telling everyone that I can't mess with my boys routine, but the reality is that I love OUR routine, our schedule... and it's hard for all of us to be off of it.

Well that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed the story. be careful, sleep tight, and don't let the bears bite.