Happy campers

Prior to having our 5- and 3-year-old, my husband and I used to camp all the time. After the babies came along, he'd bring it up every so often -- and bummer mom would veto it.

I wanted to wait until no one was nursing or bottle-feeding and wanted kids who could walk on their own and not poop themselves. Well, most of the time. 

This summer, we decided it was time. Daddy, who is an eagle scout and who is the best camper in the world, dug out all of our old camping gear. 

Daddy hard at work

Meanwhile, the kids and I talked camping. They pretended to camp. We got "camp coloring books", which was how I hoped to entertain them during what is an awful lot of down time when you're camping. We packed our "camping" clothes. We talked about bug spray.

We headed to "Scony", or Wisconsin, as others call it, to Kettle Moraine North, a wonderful state park. It was so great to go back after so many years. One of my husband's best friends from college came up with his daughter for awhile, and mercifully helped my husband pitch the 10-man tent. I didn't know how we were going to do that tent and watch the kids at the same time.

Despite mosquitos, despite a morning rainstorm that left us hiding under a picnic shelter for three hours, despite a quickie trip to Wal-Mart for last-minute pants for me and C-girl, it was a fantastic trip.

Swimming!

Hiking!

The kids entertained themselves better than I could have dreamed, playing in the "woods", an airy patch of tall pines behind our campsite, or played in the tent for hours, including when I went for an hour run one morning. They colored. They burned marshmellows. They threw kindling into the fire. M-man didn't understand why he couldn't chop wood, too, like Daddy was. Sometimes that kid does not know he is only 5 years old.

They're still asking me to play "Forest Monster Mommy", which as it sounds, consists of me pretending to be a forest monster in the woods. That was my ace if they were bored and nothing else was working. ROARRRRR!

We hated to come home after so much fun. 

End-of-summer sunrise, Lake Michigan by Lincoln Park. Stunning.

Week 5, 50K ultra training:

Monday: Camping! Rest day.

Tuesday: 4.5-mile run while camping. Gentle rolling hills, partially on trail. Forgot bug spray, yikes.

Wednesday: 8.1 urban miles. Back in the city.

Thursday: 5.3 miles

Friday: Group Centergy class.

Saturday: 18.3 miles on the Prairie Path in the western burbs with a friend I don't see often -- fun! By the time I finished this run, my hips felt like they were trapped in a steel girdle. Sooooo stiff.

Sunday: 5.6 stiff, stiff miles.

Total: 41.8 miles. First time I have cracked 40 miles in a long time...