Camping #4 Not Fun

This week, James, Matthew, and I embarked on the 4th of our 11 campouts together. This time we traveled to Starved Rock State Park for some kayaking fun. It was the first time we had planned to camp for 2 nights instead of 1 and we learned a lot. A lot. We decided it would be our last 2-night campout.

It was hot. Tons of mosquitoes and flies. So hot. No shade. We were camped along the Illinois River, but in a little lagoon that was shallow, fetid, and stinky. Families of Canadian Geese had cute little goslings, but they hissed and honked a lot. Even at night. Raccoons ate all of our food the first night. I didn't have the right air pump to inflate my kayak so I had to rent a kayak. And the one I rented was only available at 11am, so we were kayaking in the heat of the day all grouchy and "hangry". The heat made us all irritable. James kept picking on Matthew over and over again. 

The first night, the boys wouldn't come out of the car except to use the bathroom.  Too many mosquitos. We were completely swamped. The second night, Matthew begged for the A/C at bedtime. I agreed to 10 minutes of it, thinking it wouldn't make any difference. But, oh, what a joyous difference it made!! Moods instantly brightened, kids snuggled down into their beds and instantly fell asleep. 

A couple cool things happened on this trip, though. We got to see several water snakes. Matthew initially FREAKED out at the prospect of sharing the water with snakes, but once he saw a couple baby ones, he was alright. The other cool thing was finding our 20th geocache. That means we can now create our own cache for others to find... that's one of Matthew's goals for this year. 

James got to burn several workbooks leftover from his school year. 

We listened to audiobooks on this trip and finished "The BFG" and "My Side of the Mountain." 

There was no wading/swimming allowed in the part of the river that we were staying at (terrible planning on my part). The boys were too hot and grouchy to want to do much of anything else. We toured the Starved Rock Visitor's Center and took the little hike up to Starved Rock itself, but mostly lounged around listening to audiobooks and wishing it were cooler. 

I'm actually relieved that we're sticking to 1-night campouts for now. If we ever return to Starved Rock, we won't be staying at this campground.

Checking out the full moon. 

James was delighted to burn some math and reading workbooks on this trip. 

Goofing off in our "car tent".

James is trying to play it cool.

I finally got him to crack a smile. 

Kayaking on the Illinois River. Those guys are really good on their kid-size kayaks!

"Hiking" to Starved Rock itself. Pretty neat view. Sandstone bluffs are cool.

The boardwalk over the sandstone all around Starved Rock's perimeter.

Matthew's 20th geocache find! This was a cute one hidden in a birdhouse (see it behind him?) We might use a birdhouse to hide ours. Or an old tree stump. Or the cavity of a rock. Or a lamp post. Or a cluster of trees. So many options!