Yesterday was departure day and…
The photography featured in this post is strictly prohibited from use.
For our last night we pulled together as a team and gathered most everything, separated things into individual piles so things found there way home with the correct owner and just like that, it was morning. I must say this time I realized a few things.
A. I prepare too much food.
B. There is a such thing as too many bags.
C. Teens are still cool without there heads tucked into phone screens.
D. If I come back to this location, which I won’t, request the site that’s at the bottom of the bathroom hill.
E. A three bedroom tent that pops up easy doesn’t make it easy to get back in it’s portable bag with wheels.
F. I am great with empowering speeches but the action that is supposed to follow the speech…what’s that?
G. It is impossible to make four people happy. You can accommodate in every way you imagine but being that we cannot be another, we will miss something.
H. I don’t know how to relax.
I. My full out camping days are over. I may venture on some solo trips but as far as preparing for, maintaining the campsite, setting up and breaking down – no more. It’s too much to be considered a vacation.
I learned a lot this trip and accept it for what it is. I will continue to do the things that once brought me immense joy as an experiment phase before I venture into more thrilling, new adventures.
Rental Tubes and my daughter and her best friend at the start of our 4 hour float
I found it impossible difficult to focus my attention on what it was I wanted to let go of but…I was able to work through other things. For the first time ever I actually saw myself as a worker ant. I am non-stop. When I would recognize my “grouping” of objects, I would verbally tell myself to sit and a few times I would be in a half-sitting position before I’d bounce up (never sitting) to put one last thing where the “kitchen” stuff goes. Yes, at a campsite.
Overall things within myself were hectic. I couldn’t shut down mom mode, I was organizing, preparing for…and, once again, trying force things in my life. My way. Force things to be done my way because it is the logical way BUT here’s the thing, my way isn’t necessarily the right way nor the only way. That is what I took away from this mini-vacay and so it goes, no vacay at all because I was still there trying to anticipate what may happen instead of just allowing things to be. Am I happy this happened? Joyed actually because it gives me a specific place to focus. The exact place I have said all year deserves my attention and that is the present. So I shall continue to just be…well, work to be anyways. I will get there. With persistence, I will arrive.
Revenge of Eve 
Great photos of happy people!! You must have way more stamina than I do, because I’d hate to go camping in the woods! Great job! I can totally relate to bulletin-point H. I can’t relax either, no matter what. My body is tense 100% of the time, and I’ve just come to accept it. Wow, that innertubing looks really fun! I’m so glad you had such a great trip! And you know what my dad’s always saying: any vacation in which no one is maimed, killed, or arrested is a success!! But sarcasm aside, it seems like this was a wonderful trip!! YAY!!
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Your dad is correct!!!
We did enjoy ourselves I am just too self-aware – to a fault. The float was relaxing and peaceful. I truly enjoyed myself although it may not seem like it.
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No, it DOES seem like it!! You seem quite divinely inspired! YAY!! I think this was a great trip all around!!
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Good. I didn’t want to sound overly critical.
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Fabulous pictures!
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Thanks, Ash. I can’t wait to experience Canadas outdoor life 🙂. Hopefully, that will happen within the next three years.
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🙂
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Even if you don’t feel that you had a vacation, I think you got a lot out of the trip.
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I agree. I really did learn a lot of things that I knew but have never acknowledged as they were occurring, ya know?
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Awesome you went even if it wasn’t all you’d hoped! I am glad you had fun!
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Great pictures of your camping experience! I have to admit, I was giggling at your list at the beginning of this post. Why? Because all the times I have gone camping I think of those things at the beginning of the trip and at the end of it. ie…packed too much food, hate breaking shit down, how does the damn ent fit back into the sleeve it was birthed from, etc…
Like you, sitting still while camping I am so much like you. Couldn’t sit still to save myself, I would always find something that needed to be put away, cleaned up, sorted out, etc…
Hey, you took away from this trip some valuable lessons and learned quite a bit about yourself. That’s awesome!!! 😍
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Well, the tent only made its way back home because I offered to pay two men $10 to get it back in it’s bag. 😂 they didn’t accept the money but fit the tent with room to spare. 💜
Yeah, I was able to see things differently and I still have a long way to go but at least I am heading in that direction.
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LMAO!!! Oh, you are so funny! If I were by myself, I would have probably done what you did, but I still find it hilarious!
When I was an avid camper, I had that shit down to a science. My ex-faince’ was no use to me. I simply told him to get out of my way and let me do it. LOL!
Honey, we are all a work in progress… One day at a time, one step at a time. Everyday is a learning experience, and self-love and acceptance are part of that. You’re heading in the right direction and I have faith in every step you take. 💗
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You are a great example. ❤
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Thank you… But, recently I’m having some doubts in that area.
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