Tenderfoot Campground on Summit Lake

This will be a short but sweet.
We arrived Thursday afternoon. It rained, but wasn't too cold. The creek running along the backside of the campgrounds was overflowing its banks and completely washed out 2 sites. We waited for our friend Adam and his kids to show up later. Kids played, we sat by the fire watching the daylight never really go away. Of course at night I slept on and off between wiggling out if my mummy sack to re-paci the babies, readjust Adeline when she scooted too far down into her sleeping bag, and mike's middle of the night bathroom breaks. Only to be up and at them at 4am thanks to the snaggle-toothed Ben. I threw pants and a jacket on over my jammies and Ben and I took a walk around the campground. I paid extra attention because we were in bear country, but all I saw were bunnies. Still crazy early in the morning and very bright out, I set out to make some coffee and read a new to me parenting book, 'scream-free parenting'. Not that I 'scream' but still it was good and I needed something to do.
This day was the exact opposite from our first day. It was HOT! 60 doesn't sound hot, but the sun is crazy close out here and you'll swear up a storm if you don't watch yourself. The babies were hating it, everything. They refused to nap, refused to play in the pack in play and only wanted to be worn. Mike and Adam ended up on kid duty all day about. Walking to the creek, playing in the lake, and walking up a mountain. I finally gave up trying to get the babies to sleep so we decided to go hike Devil's Creek Trail. We show up and there's a well worn hiker, his huge pack, walking sticks, and gnarly dog well equipped with bear bells. He tells us that there's a huge grizzly up there and to watch out. Great. We set out knowing we wouldn't make it far with three kids, two babies, and super sunshine. We saw columbines, bluebells, and tons of other crazy cool ferns and flowers. Then we came across it, bear scat right on the path. I'm freaking out. We're overtaken by a German who's hiking to Cooper Landing, we're talking an all day hike. Crazy. We turn back, and the speed at which we started has slowed drastically with occasional children stopping altogether and just flat out sitting on the trail. Back at camp we assess our sunburnt faces, and I suspect I've brushed up against some cow parsnip because my arm burns. We make dinner, and I start to put the babies to bed. Not happening. Seriously not happening. 3 hours worth of trying; bottles, changes, cuddles, soothing, blankets, hushes, and finally I gave up and we wore the babies as we had 'kid free' time around the fire. To top it off, Adeline got a cough, a nasty honking type if cough and Ben cut his second tooth.
Oh I forgot to add that we didn't bring enough water, and the water at the campground was from a pump and said it needed to be boiled. It was yellow, and still tasted awful. Thankfully the creek was fast moving so we filled up there. I'll never forsake water, good clean drinkable water again.
Never again I told myself. Three times we've camped and it's not getting any easier and I'm struggling to have fun. Maybe it'll get better? Like a light switch will flick on with the babies and they'll just relax, sleep, and be in the great outdoors.

Quartz Creek Camping

Tent camping with kids is hard!
The campground we were going to was full up, thanks to the awesome salmon fishing.
We forgot soap for our dished and we needed a canopy to go over our table since it was raining.
The second and third campgrounds we tried were full as well.
We make it to the Quartz Creek campground and the have one lonely site left, right by the road. But what other option do we have? The babies were long overdue for a meal and bed by now.
We work to put the tent up white wrangling babies who are tired and hungry and eating rocks. Then Adeline decides she's going to get out her training potty (taken for middle of the night emergencies) and poop. No she was not sheltered and yes everyone could see her, pooping, in the middle of our camp site.
Tent is up, food gets made, babies go down for bed, but it's ridiculously bright out since its almost the summer solstice, so they're screaming, a lot.
We're being eaten alive by mosquitoes the size of bats.
Bedtime
Unfortunately the site next to us had the loudest talkers on the face of the planet, and they lasted until 3 or so in the morning. Then Adeline had an accident (she's been staying dry at night and didn't think to bring pull ups)
And I'd only brought one pair of pjs for a two night stay. Soiled sleeping bag, soiled pjs, Adi shared my bag for the rest of the night. Then miraculously slept in! Only to be woken up because she peed again, in her clothes, on our air mattress in my sleeping bag. :(
Day two starts with a trip into town for pull ups. It was beautiful and sunny. We played by the lake, Kenai Lake. We sat on the warm rocks, and enjoyed the awesome beauty around us. It was a great day. Then night came, again. This time all three children were awake at 2 something. We decided after failed attempts to get everyone back to sleep that we needed to carseat them and drive everyone to sleep. By now it was 3:15am. And still light out, dawn type of light.
It worked. Mike and I took turns driving so we could sleep as well.
When we got back to the site we ate breakfast and packed up.
Dirty
Tired
And ready to try it again
Because I think we might be just a little bit crazy

Campbell Creek Trail

Our house is half a mile from the Campbell Creek Trail. Anchorage is criss-crossed by trails and greenways. If you have a bike you could literally get anywhere you want to via the tails. One day we'll have bikes. One with a double chariot stroller bike attachment and one with a mini bike for Adi attached to the back. For right now we'll take our short mile or two family walks.
Yesterday was hot. 70 degrees is scorching out here. I swear we're closer to the sun and it blazes. The warm weather brings out all of the yahoos though.
The summers here are awesome. Its only dark for about half an hour around 1am. So much sun! The babies have black out curtains but the rest of us learn to cope by burying our faces in pillows. It's also strange not having air conditioning. We just open the windows and turn on the one fan in the house.
It's honestly amazing out here.

Mind your Ma

I seriously dislike how movies and television shows depict families from the past with well behaved children. All of these kids minded their Ma and Pa. There were no temper tantrums. It's hard to believe that. But it's planted that seed. That seed that I'm doing something wrong, when really I'm pretty sure everything that's happening is just normal. Adeline is going through a phase of sorts. Case in point: yesterday we walked along Ship Creek in downtown and watched the fisherpeople. She did alright until she wanted the 'interesting sticks' that someone had set up along the bank to hold fishing poles. At this point in the river the bank had a steep drop off into the water. Adi ventured too close for comfort several times, even after talking / telling her not to. Finally moved her away from the edge only for her to have a freak out much to the disappointment of the quiet fisherpeople. Then she decided that her 'interesting sticks' should be wielded as a weapon and swatted me during her fit. Oh no. I'm utterly flabbergasted at the behavior of my child. I'm embarrassed. I'm disappointed. And I'm frustrated. Not just with Adeline but also with myself. I know that I shouldn't be upset at me. But like I said earlier, I've had that seed of doubt sown so far deep inside of my psyche that if my child misbehaves its completely my fault. Not the fact that she's tired, and 3 years old, and bored, or whatever normal thing is going on.
I've been taking part in a Soul Detox. Working on getting rid of these 'toxic thoughts'. But boy is it tough. Some have rooted so deep.
I am a good mother
I am raising my children right
My children's phases are normal for their continual growth and development
I am strong