Camping with 4 Kids

Yes I said we went camping with all four of our beautiful children.


Adam's Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jann (& there 6 out of 7 children) and Our Great Friends & Like Family Ennis and Pricilla Anderson (& there 3 out of 4 children & there kids) invited us to the annual Capital Reef camping trip.

We left early Friday morning (We tried for 7, left at 8 which by the time we got air in the tires and gas in the van it was 9.) and arrived at 1:00 in Capital Reef. We enjoyed setting up our camp site. We had two tents, one for mom, dad, Jess, & Sophie, and the other for Hailey and Curtis. Curtis spent most of the first day sleeping. He had helped Adam with the paper route that morning and after we set up the tents and rested for a moment he fell asleep. We woke him at 10:00 to go potty and eat a little something. He went right back to sleep and slept a total of almost 16 hours. Friday night was visiting with The Anderson and Parry families. Saturday was a fun day. We started with a good breakfast so that we could spend the day hiking. Uncle Jeff wanted to do a day hike. It was a 6 1/4 mile hike. I did not know how intense it would be, so we took all four kids. I hiked most of the way with Sophie in her front pack. Adam held, carried & dragged Jessica. We took turns trying to keep Hailey and Curtis up with most of the group. We spent much of the hike at the back of the pack. It started out on a dirt path with lots of caves.

Curtis, Hailey & Julie Ann climbing on the rocks.

Jessica holding up the rock.

After a mile or so we hit the river. Yeah that is what the kids were looking forward to. It also keep the kids going. For a mile or so I tried to keep my feet dry. I stumbled a few times, got a tiny bit wet. The kids had water shoes on so they were good. I finally stopped and got my water shoes on and it made the rest of the hike easier. While walking through the water we encountered 3 pretty good sized water falls. (about 5-8 feet tall) We had a description that told us how to hike around and down the sides. But this did require handing down children and helping most of the adults.

Cassia, Hailey, & Jeff at the bottom of a waterfall.
Adam & Jess walking the river.

Hailey enjoyed spending most of the time soaked head to toe in the water. Jessica preferred to walk, although we preferred to carry her (a lot faster). Curtis liked the water at first, but towards the end he got tired and cold. At our last stop he sat in the middle of the river letting the water push at his back (darn it I didn't get a picture). He did this for like ten minutes. Then decided he was too cold. The last 2 miles of the hike were hard for him. I did great until the last water fall. I handed Sophie off handed down the blanket and everything. Then thought that I would let Jeff help me down. But I lost my footing and went down the waterfall, yes face first and getting myself completely wet. To make things funnier, I was laughing so hard I couldn't stand up. Jann thought I had Sophie and that I was drowning her. When she finally realized that someone else had her she was laughing so hard she could not help me up. I was quite the site. Now hiking was hard. My jeans made it hard to move. I could not lift my feet high enough. I traded Adam children. (I think he got the easy end of things.) I hiked a half a mile (maybe, not even that if you want to know the truth.) and tripped on a rock. I fell, taking Jessica to the water with me. I hit my knee and evidently most of my leg (the evidence being the bruises on my leg and knee) on the way down. So Lisa helped carry Jessica out the rest of the way. The hike was supposed to last 4 hours, we turned it into a 6 hour hike. But what a blast we had.

After getting back to camp having lunch and resting a bit, they decided to back to a place called the Watering Hole. (another waterfall with a pool at the bottom to play in) I can't believe they had the energy to go. I stayed back with the two babes and rested. We had such a good time with family. (thanks guys for inviting us) Sunday we packed and came home. It took me three days to recover and yet it was so worth it. What a fun weekend at Capital Reef.

Olivia found a lizard she carried around for awhile.

Curtis spent most of the time after the hike playing game boy.

There was so many caterpillars.

Jessica was my only child not afraid to pick them up.

She picked (squished) them up, held them to her face.

She would even let them climb on her.