May 3, 2009

Father/Son campout

It was time for the annual Priesthood commemoration campout and so we "Men" went out for a bonding experience. This was Gavin's first time sleeping out in a tent and Chaz's second that I know of. We loaded the truck up Friday after I got home from work and headed east towards M.K. Brown Scout Campgrounds, about 1.5 hours east/southeast of Borger...near the Oklahoma border. We arrived about 7ish to the campgrounds and set up camp, the boys were so excited that they almost forget to help set up. Once we got our game plan together we quickly unloaded and set up the tent and chairs and inflated the air mattress and unrolled the sleeping bags. Once all set up we walked down to the area where they were holding the fireside talking about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood and had snacks. I thought it was a great fireside...the boys loved the snacks...priorities I guess. Once all was done we headed back to the camp where we sat around a big campfire and roasted marshmallows...Gavin didn't like his crispy and Chaz just wanted to be near the fire. Gotta love my boys. About 11 or so they both informed it was bedtime and so we got all settled and gave Codi a quick call goodnight...had to have a cell phone in case of an emergency of course. It took a bit to calm down and get ready for sleep, but also I was asked to snuggle each one so they could fall asleep like the way I used to do it when they were babies/toddlers. Once everyone was asleep the storms rolled in around 0200 and didn't let up until 0500. The boys slept through most of it, but not me...I had to be on comfort/snuggle alert. Funny thing happened...Chaz is so much like his mom, but nicer...he woke me up to tell me I was snoring...Codi usually kicks me until I roll over or stop. During the night we got to listen to all the sounds of the animals and some that Chaz made up and Gavin tried as well. Chaz kept swearing there was a bear, but it was someone snoring in the other tents in the distance. The next morning we got up and started to roll up all of our stuff and leave it in the tent and headed to breakfast...both boys with their newly acquired walking sticks. Had a nice warm breakfast with Tang...Chaz loved it and Gavin had to get his watered down. Once breakfast was all done we drove back to the campsite and did our final roll up and took down the tent and headed off to go fishing. The boys loved this a lot...I would cast their lines out and they got to watch the fish steal the worms off their hooks. Chaz and Gavin both could have caught 4 fish each had they understood what it meant to set the hook when I showed them and told them. I think they just liked see the bobber get drug under water and pop back up. We finally loaded up and head home...Gavin passed out within five minutes of the trip and Chaz hung on for dear life...the boy hates to miss anything. Got home and unloaded and set the tent and chairs up so they could dry off. I know I had a lot of fun bonding with my boys and I am sure they did too...a memory to last a life time for sure.