Sponteneity is not my Strong Suit

I should start and end with that statement.  I was nothing but nerves getting ready for this trip and executing it.  A forty foot RV pulling a Bayliner for the first time is not my idea of a relaxing vacation.  The funny thing is, I do nothing to get us where we need to go, but I still stress the entire way.  For reals.  However, I must admit that this was probably one of the best family trips we had taken for two reasons: it reminded me of my youth.  Every summer we spent a week here with a large group of family and friends.  Second, we were all together, even Little and Uncle-Nino were able to join us for the full five days!

 Lake Nacimiento, up near Paso Robles is huge!  This trip we brought our boat as did the boys.  We were able to get a spot right on a bluff so the boats were kept there every day and we were able to walk down to our day camp.  The camp sites are first come first serve--so I was a little nervous about that too.  Back in the day my family camped in tents.  We didn't have to navigate the big rv thru the camp site looking for spots.  Come to think about if, I didn't have to navigate it this time either.  Thank God for Ernie!

Grandma and Grandpa made a day trip.  I think they had fun and thought it was worth it.  Hanging out in a cove, blaring the Beatles and Lene Bean singing, "All You Need is Love" is pretty fantastic!  That picture of me on the tube?  That was me showing the kids I know how to have fun too.  I'm not always just stressed out and worried about what-ifs.  I think my fun face needs a little work.  Just saying. 

For the record, camping is a lot of work.  I was the lone adult female with kids and guys.  I realize I have it waaaay easier than my mom did.  Can you say air conditioner and microwave?  But it is not the kind of trip where there is nothing but exploring to do.  Kids have to be fed. Right?  But it is alo the kind of trip they will always remember. Long, lazy days on the lake.  Inner tubing. Floating on rafts. Building forts in the sand.  Camp fires and dirt galore. 

I can't forget to mention how much ALL of our kids enjoyed the boat.  Another worry factor was the fact Nessa had never been boating.  I need not have worried at all.  She LOVED it!  I was almost in tears one afternoon just overwhelmed by the joy on all their faces as we played in the water and cruised the lake.  It hit me at some point, my word for the year fearless was being played out in the lives of my children therefore I was joining with them in the adventure. 

Adventure after adventure it was.  I am so glad three male minds conferred in our back yard and decided to just go for it. . .worried woman and all.  It just so happened to be the week the people I grew up with were going with their families.  There are a lot of them that have continued the trek annually, and it was nice touching base with them for a campfire one night.  Who knows, maybe next time we will plan in conjunction with them.  Or not. I realized my focus on my family is evident when we are out together like this.  My kids enjoy playing together and exploring together and they like being with us.  We had a blast.  No one was ready to leave (almost no one). . .and I know that they are all at ages now that this memory will last.  We will have to do it again.  They will ask to do it again.  And I'm totally okay with it and will start praying about the anxiety now--so God has a whole year to work it out of me.