The Happy Camper

Misha LOVES camping. So Thursday morning, before I even opened my eyes, I heard Misha's voice insisting, "Wake up, Mommy! We have to go camping! Today is going to be a big day!" As soon as Misha saw us loading the car, he crawled into his car seat and buckled himself in - and that's where he sat for the next half hour as we made sure we had everything we needed. Before we left town, we stopped to buy some last-minute skewers. As we pulled into the Hy Vee parking lot, Misha looked around and asked, "Where's camping?" Ah, so much waiting is hard! After a little less than an hour we finally arrived at Poinsett.

Since I am about 9 months pregnant, we decided to rent a cabin - a new experience for us! After what happened during last summer's camping trip, we thought it made sense. This is last year:





And this is this year:



Misha loved the little cabin - he immediately claimed the top bunk and climbed up and down the ladder getting his stuff organized. Then we played on the beach, waded in the freezing cold water, threw rocks, dug in the sand, took a walk, looked for birds, etc.

Even though we were already camping, he was still waiting for something. "Mommy, is it going to be morning FOREVER?" He wanted it to get dark! Everyone knows that's when camping is the best - you make a fire, you eat marshmallows, and you curl up in your sleeping bag. He started singing a song he made up that went: "The sun is going down to the ground, the sun is going down to the ground."

We ate a delicious meal of grilled steak, salmon, shrimp, peppers, cherry tomatos and mushrooms - with s'mores for dessert of course! By the time we went into the cabin (after a desperately needed sponge bath for Misha), Misha was so exhausted that he fell asleep before he could decide which book to read.

The story in pictures:



The top bunk.



Wading and throwing rocks.



Bird watching: We saw seagulls, swallows, red-winged blackbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, and pelicans!



Researching birds in his trusty birdbook from Grandpa. He liked it so much he would barely part with it for a few moments to let his parents look up a bird!



Taking a walk - not good for Daddy's allergies!



Misha and me



Misha in the distance on the shore.



Two pelicans flew in and landed right near the cabin. :) Misha loved to watch them.



Misha was playing in the sand and soot by the fire pit and inadvertently turned himself into a raccoon.



He looks like a lost boy straight out of Peter Pan!



Master of the grill.



Time to roast some marshmallows!



Mmm... S'mores!