Camping with the W's 7/19~7/22

July 19th to 22nd found us camping at Beaver Flat Campground with out dear friends the 4W’s!

http://www.kananaskiscountrycampgrounds.com/elbow.html

I headed out to the campground with BabyJ on the Thursday to ensure that we were able to secure our two coveted sites of 35 & 36! http://www.kananaskiscountrycampgrounds.com/campgrounds/Beaver.jpg BabyJ and I had a very relaxing time setting up camp, playing with rocks and walking along the Elbow River. She even managed to roast a marshmallow all on her own for the very first time. Needless to say the smores are always a hit and even more delicious when you make them yourself.

Roasting her own marshmellow for the first time!

On Friday morning we headed back into town to pick up BeaverJ and DaddyJ post soccer camp and work. It was a quick turn around and we were back to the campsite lickety-split.

Eating breakfast by the river watching the birds and dragonflies

The afternoon was spent with the kids playing with some lovely other children asking us every two minutes how much longer until BeaverW arrived. You can imagine our relief when the W's arrived at dinner time.

Spending a few hours waiting for BeaverW to arrive playing at the river

Friday Evening with the 4Ws was an excellent abdominal workout as we all laughed until our bellies ached. The Picture that earned them the title of Senor Bozo (like the clown) and El Bozo because how many Bozos does it take to set up the tent if is no wives are helping?

First there was dinner where we were all relieved that DaddyJ was going to get his fix of HOT DOGS which we had been hearing about since Beaver camp in June. I even managed to convince our dear friends to try (and enjoy I dare say) the Maple Baked Beans which brilliantly DaddyW thought to eat with his potato chips. After all as much as I try to push the fruits and vegetables there has to be a little fun…..

Friday Night Menu:
~Hot Dogs
~Maple Baked Beans
~Vegetables and Dip
~Potato Chips
~Baked Bananas with Marshmallows
& Chocolate Chips

While eating dinner and starting the evening fire we started to notice a very amusing parade of men who appeared to be setting up a Cold Beer Store in one of the end campsites in our section. The endless trips from the 6 assorted vehicles (for 7 men) proceeded to become even more amusing as we watched fully inflated air mattresses being portaged down the path. At one point I realized that we were all being rather rude as we stared slack jawed, mouths agape at the sheer volume of things these 7 had brought with them. Keep in mind I’m camping with two small children, it took me two loaded car trips to bring everything and I was put to shame. I think we were just waiting to see them carry in the oak barrel hot tubs and saunas! The Daddies were horrified, I’m not sure if it was more so because of the number of them who were getting away for a boys weekend or lack of apparent “manly camping” sense with fluffy down comforters, air mattresses ect.

For those of you who have completed the St John’s Ambulance first aid this picture will remind you of the picture of “what not to do with an axe”, I believe DaddyJ went to start the truck shortly after witnessing this and MommyW sequester the children out of ear shot less things went wrong while using “A LOG” as the chopping block.

The Beaver Buddies

The highlight of the evening was DaddyJ crushing a metal can with his foot without missing a step in his trip to our camp site to check on the Little J’s. We are all quite certain that if all else fails in life DaddyJ will make an excellent elephant impressionist and none of us will look at a hot dog roasting stick without laughing for many years to come.

Mini Bozo's in training?

Senor Bozo the "Crusher of Cans"

MommyW and I particularly enjoyed my having to use my “MOMMY TIME OUT VOICE” akin to the “BIG VOICE” from the Chicken Little Movie to tell the man playing his guitar sitting in the middle of the road after visiting the “MAN-CAMP” beer store to get off the road. In return for saving them from the sure death of being run over we were instead greeted with a red laser pointer targets on our persons to and fro the outhouses.

Riverside Breakfast Menu ~Saturday morning
~ Choice of Mini Cereals
~ Strawberries
~ Mini Apple of Cherry Danishes
~ Hot Chocolate or Coffee
~ Juices and Water

Again the Bozos attempt to set up the umbrella in the light breeze & bright sun of several adult sunburns and distinct wind burn!

Saturday we did absolutely nothing other than supervise the kids, eat lunch on the river and direct them on how best to build a Beaver Dam, Nap with BabyJ and relax!

All of Saturday’s efforts resulting in the moving of one large log for the purpose of diverting water flow down the lovely rock channeled river bed to the “swimming pool”

Saturday Night Blue Plate Special:
~ Steak
~ Fire Roasted Baked
~ Potatoes
~ Corn on the Cob
~ Smores

Saturday evening was a repeat of Friday night without the antics of the “MAN-CAMP” or people playing guitar in the middle of the road!

Sunday Morning was quite and peaceful as the soccer net stood unused, the horseshoes on the ground and the little campers safely in their tents.

We ate a delightful breakfast of English Muffins with Fried or Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, Sausage or Back Bacon, and hash browns before packing up and heading out to Elbow Falls and Bragg Creek for Ice Cream.

The ¾ of W’s and ¾ of the 4J’s

The 4J’s and 2/4 of the 4W’s

Our very best impression of bumps on a log!

The beauty of Elbow Falls despite dirt bikes, quads, people swimming to close to the falls and other assorted activities which made you realize Darwin’s Law of the survival of the Fittest is still appropriate today!

What an absolutely outstanding weekend. We hope it is the first of many annual 4WJ Camping trips! Even the cars enjoyed their together time!

But Was it all together too much together time for the W's?