Oh Whatta Night!

This year for Bryan's birthday, he really wanted to go camping.  We went to a little place in the Uintah's that his dad actually used to go...the Uintah's are gorgeous.  I thought that going in August we could avoid snow, but not so much.  It only snowed for only about 30 minutes while we were there, but it was Fa-REEEZ-ing!  BUT, we had so much fun together.  Some of the highlights were laughing hysterically at Bryan trying to direct 3 hyper children put up a tarp.  Memorable :)  We also made our way straight down a rocky cliff (okay maybe not STRAIGHT down, and it was more of a steep rocky slope than a cliff) with 5 kids and 2 dogs, one of which was terrified beyond reason (a child, not a dog).  Very memorable. 

We got about 500 yards from the little lake below (SOOOOOOOO pretty!) and Alex went on a dead run and dove into the water (mind you it was like 50 degrees...the air, not the water).  He loved it!  The whole time we were there which was over an hour, we threw ball after ball into the lake, and he would dive in, swim out to get it and then bring it back.  I don't know who enjoyed it more...Alex, or Bryan watching Alex :)  Shadeau just kept watch from a safe, dry distance :) Roger (Alex's last dad) told us he loved to swim, but we had never gotten to see him in action.  It was awesome!

Notice Alex trying to be patient, staring at the ball in Bryan's hand :)

We cooked tin foil dinners when we got back to camp (yummers!), made something that was supposed to be peach crisp, but it didn't turn out because I cooked it in the wrong kind of pan (bummer!), and had hot cocoa right before bedtime.  Aeden said, "Mom, this is the greatest hot cocoa EVER.  Thank you so much for making it just for me."

This next part will probably be boring to everyone else, so don't feel bad at all about skipping it, but I wanted to document it so that one day, when my memory has failed me, my kids will know I really do understand when it comes to sleepless nights :)  Everyone went to bed, easy-peasy, so I decided to head to bed a little earlier than usual. 

After a half hour, right as I was dozing off, I had the thought we were in the clear because everyone was still sound asleep.  Then, almost simultaneously to settling into a beautiful dream, I hear Aeden hysterically screaming.  Being a mom I of course think the worst (I was sure he was being eaten by a bear), so I got my brave 'beat-up-a-bear' face on and burst out of our tent into the boys' tent.  He was having one of those dreaded night terrors again.  I hate them so so bad.  This was one of the scariest ones I have ever seen with any of my kids.  He was screaming about bad guys and that his legs were on fire...it was awful.  He had the most terrified look in his eyes and no matter what I did, I couldn't get him to wake up.  Finally, I just held him and said a prayer so he could hear.  He slowly started calming down, and settled back into sleep.  Prayer is powerful. 

Once I was sure he was asleep, I headed back to bed.  Again, seconds before beginning what was promising to be the best dream ever, Liah comes over crying.  Our tent had a pool of water...right under her sleeping bag and she was soaking wet.  So, I get her dry, and settle her into my bed, and she falls right asleep.  I snuggle next to her, when no sooner do I hear Belen.  So I get her a bottle, and she falls back asleep.  I lay down.  Seconds later, Asher starts crying.  He had wormed his way out of his covers and was absolutely freezing.  I couldn't get him warm enough, or comfortable.  Then Bella woke up again, so I took both kids out by the fire, started it up again, and hung out there for a while.  When it was clear neither of them were falling asleep, I took them to the van, put them in their carseats, bundled them up and turned on the van to warm them up.  They finally both fell asleep (around 2 or 3).  By this time, I was afraid I wouldn't hear the other kids if they woke up and I was in the van, so I spent the next 3 hours going back and forth from the fire to the van.  I'd start it every so often to let the heater get it toasty and then shut it down so we didn't run out of gas :) 

The quiet by the fire was surreal.  No wind.  No nothing.  Just total, absolute quiet.  And the stars.  So so so many stars.  It was beautiful.  Although I'd be lying if I didn't say I was dead-tired by the time morning finally came, I was so grateful for that experience, and a moment to just be still.

As we were coming into the Salt Lake Valley after a sleepless, cold night, I couldn't help but get a little teary thinking of the pioneers who made the trek across thousands of dusty miles in a wagon to see the same thing I was riding in a comfortable air conditioned van to see.  It was a fun, exciting little trip, but home was a beautiful sight.