The Tale of the Trees.....

So it all began with a move to California.... the plotting the planning where to go what to see for we shall not pass this way again..... the family came to decide that sequoia was the place to be.... Sam not the one to plan or want to wander... Heather with wanderlust nomadic blood coursing through her veins 2 mischievous boys and the twins ready for anything... began to dream..... Then it happened the deployments the compromises ...... but before I begin the tale to be told I have to start with a race last summer Sam says.... " I'm going again let's go camping quick before I leave" with re arranging and last minute plans we decide to embark on a 9 hour journey to the redwoods because of all the things to see Sam says " I have to see the trees" so about 6 hours into the trip on the very windy highway one...Sam starts asking questions about the trees... a long conversation with "random Sam" comes to unfold and come to find out Sam wanted to see the sequoia's... not the redwoods...... we never made it to red woods but we did stop in the dark at Samuel P Taylor forest and we camped under the redwoods it was breath taking and wonderful..... we also caught some of Point Reyes national park...... so off to Iraq he went and we waited and waited and finally went to the sequoias 2 years in the making......... the waiting the excitement to see the trees... and so this brings us back to the tale at hand.......

THE TREES !!!!!!!

we decided to go memorial day weekend..... Sam almost didn't make it home..... that is another story.... so happy to have him along.. we had heard it was a 2 hour drive..... Myth number one busted it is really 4.......to the gate..... we made or reservations a loony thing you have to do her in CA because everything is always full... the company in charge messed it all up and 300 people had to be relocated to Kings canyon NP which in "above" sequoia they are 2 parks side by side..... Kings canyon is the farthest away...so after an all day drive...with a Heather packed car (bulging t the seams).. H cried out "I 'm squished !" to which a surprising mimic and cute little voice little 17 month old S mimicked " I squi"....... we arrived at the park at last...

Now we and by we I mean I spent all day packing... then the next morning we woke everyone up at 5 am to leave by 6 am... (6;30)... 3 times in one day while I was packing I asked my tech savvy husband to check his weather widget for the forecast he assured me with all certainty each and every time that it would be mid 70's possibly hitting 80....... well I packed our 4 kids accordingly because he assured me that this would be the case...... at 5 AM he wakes me and says " we could have a problem...scattered showers are predicted... but we should be fine" so into an already stuffed car I squeeze barley.......4 pairs of wellies aka rain boots and 4 rain coats....... 

now 3 days earlier in talking at H's t-ball game about the coming camping trip one of his teammates mom said they stopped camping because they always got rained out on memorial day weekend....... this is where I believe the first hex..aka jinx...aka...impending destiny first began......

so we arrive at the park 4 hours later all excited can't wait to camp explore etc...... to see that the temp outside is 40....it is misting and at the entrance to the park.....we see our campsite is 76 miles away on a winding park road through the mountains........ so we greet the ranger at the gate warmly...Sam is charming...... and we discover that it will take us 2 1/2 hours to get there because not only is it raining it is actually....... brace yourselves here SNOWING !!!!!! yes folks snow in CA....... ok so Houston we now have a problem....... 

we begin the drive through the park... T is car sick... H is squished and has to go  to the bathroom the twins are leading a revolt against the car seats they have now been in for 5 hours....and my mom aka Nan is still in shock over the snow..... all I have is shorts a few long pants sweatshirts and rain coats.......... and wow it is now 12:30 lunch time...........

so moving through the park we see fog.....rain...sleet...snow..... fog.....snow.....rain... and finally reach our campsite..which has someone else in it... a very cheerful ranger moves us to a new site with a great spot near the raging river a fallen tree and lots of rocks T & H are so excited they are beside themselves......... the twins are out of said seats but in the car because it is 32 degrees and raining/snowing/sleeting outside....

and so begins the tale of the trees....... after the move the lack of stove fuel ( Sam's other job...he forgot about)....the rain the cold we all decide tomorrow is another day......

Now mom...aka me ...knows what rain + Tent + little boys = mom sleeping in a puddle.....again my powers of clairvoyant seeing are amazing......... I decide to make a preemptive strike...."don't touch the sides of the tent" talk....... with nods repeat after me "don't touch the sides of the tent" talk I felt optimistic.......again let's review our math...

Rain + Tent + excited little boys= mom sleeping in a puddle

( I wonder if this could count as an equation for my econ class)

so later after changing 4 squirmy wiggly kids in a car that is packed to the gills....... I finally trod off to the tent in the cold dark wet night praying everyone remembered the "don't touch the side of the tent" talk...

alas despite my best efforts I sleep in a puddle...... T woke up 4 times just to tell me that the sound was the river..... in case I forgot... H woke up 5 times oddly 5 minutes after T finally went back to sleep to ask me why the floor was wet... he had to go potty..... where was S sleeping.. and could he go fishing... and could he have the marshmallows for breakfast since he couldn't have them that night....

and oddly S and P woke up 3 times a piece after the other 2 had fallen asleep to wiggle fuss and smack me in the face....... meanwhile Sam is sleeping soundly on the side of the tent with no puddle ...soundly sleeping how did I know this... because despite the raging conversation in the night with the 4 kids he was snoring through it all.......

and at 5 am H woke up to inform me it was morning... in case I missed that fact...and could he eat marshmallows for breakfast..since we didn't have a fire the night before (  this was just in case in my sleep deprived state I would completely loose my mind and allow him to have marshmallows for breakfast)...... then for good measure he awoke everyone else to tell them and ask 3 more times if I would let him have marshmallows for breakfast......

Day 200... ok Day 2 .... it is still raining..... fog has settled in........ we all dress in a car... eat quickly.. and drive off through the canyon to Grants grove to see the  Trees... the point of the trip...... we arrive at the grove it is 33 degrees.. foggy... snowing...... and 4 kids are dying to run...... S keeps losing her rain boots which by the way she adores with all her heart she hugs them and carries them everywhere...... P decides he hates hats... T & H want to know why they can't climb the trees and Sam is trying to paparazzi the Chinese tourist wearing robes and chanting near the trees........... did I mention the snow and fog....

lunch out..... 1 hour drive back...... our campsite ... fog rain/sleet....... and H still want to eat marshmallows for a meal...........

more changing in the car more rain... more "don't touch the side of the tent " talk...... more can I have marshmallows for dinner talk....... we manage to get a fire going... well Sam does..... the car becomes a kitchen...... the twins rip apart the packing and toss about clothes toys... stuff... etc.. with glee and delight......

Day  465....... rain.... snow...fog... trees...... 4 kids... don't touch the tent........marshmallows for breakfast mom? more fog rain trees...... 2 Junior ranger badges earned... 9000 smores later

so needless to say it was an adventure of an unusual nature... but we all made it we went home a day early.... we all survived it all fit in the car... we washed and dried and cleaned for 2 days..... afterwards.. and all the kids remember is having fun playing and seeing trees.... so this is all that really matters that they have a great memory of hanging out in the woods with us..... I know in a few years I will forget I slept in a puddle and froze my fingers :)

so we all loved seeing the trees they are beautiful I wish it had been sunny and  we could have seen more... the parks are gorgeous despite the fog and rain.... the rangers told us one week earlier it had been nearly 100 degrees and sunny..... again the rain jinx from the t-ball mom :)

but overall it was a grand adventure..... Sam says he is good for another year... but it is early in the season and I have a feeling more smore's are in my future.......