This year our ward had to cancel our campout due to a lack of participation. But my brother-in-law’s ward didn’t cancel their campout. In fact, their entire stake went to the same camping area for their annual campout! Actually, I think there were about 4 stakes that all went to the same camping spot! Once we actually arrived it was quite crazy with the number of trucks, suburbans, campers and trailers that were caravanning the single lane, unpaved, windy road to this church sponsored campground (we know it was church sponsored because there were senior missionaries guarding the entrance where everyone checked in).
Well, Michelle “just happened” to be talking to her brother and discovered that their campout was this weekend. That’s when the idea starting brewing in her head and the conspiracy developed. As it turned out, Dad Petersen was going to attend this father and sons campout with Jared (Michelle’s brother) and his boys. So Michelle deduced that Mom would be there with Tosha & Melissa in Logan while all the boys would be camping: Girls Night!
So the next thing I know, we are packing our suburban with all of our camping gear in preparation for a father and sons campout. Yes, that means that I would be taking 4 of my 5 boys camping by myself!!! How hard could that be???
Michelle armed us with plenty of hot dogs for dinner (the stake was providing breakfast for everyone!). And with our tent, sleeping bags and a change of clothes we were ready to go.
RAIN! While we acknowledged that rain was in the forecast I wasn’t expecting 12 solid hours of rain during our 12 hours of campout. It started raining from the moment we arrived at camp around 5:30 pm and didn’t stop raining until about 5:30 am! So we set up the tent in the rain, built a fire in the rain, cooked and ate dinner in the rain, roasted marshmallows and had smores in the rain, found lost boys in the rain, got ready for bed in the rain and the retired for the evening in the rain.
But one thing is for sure, it takes more than cold rain to dampen the spirits of 4 young boys in the wilderness with a live campfire! My boys unloaded half a mountain of rocks into the nearby river (there is something about a splash) while I set up camp. These same boys delighted in igniting wet wood in the fire to watch it burn or smoke (we probably should have been more strict about playing with fire but we figured everything was wet so what’s the harm). And the boys were with their cousins so that is always a treat.
The rain did give us a small reprieve, just about long enough to eat our dinner and roast some marshmallows.
The rain turned to snow around 3:00 am (or so I’m told). Aleky and Michael both woke up in the middle of the night with concerns that I was able to resolve (after which they were tucked by snuggly in their sleeping bags). We had trace snow on our tent and were about 75 feet below the snow line in the morning.
Apparently wet wood doesn't burn very well and it was quite a feat getting the fire started in the morning. 
With so many people to feed in the damp, cold morning, breakfast didn’t turn out quite like we planned. But with a break in the rain we quickly packed up all the wet gear and “packed” the suburban for the return trip home. We are still recovering for the wetness of this trip but it was a good experience. I suspect that the rain and cool weather helped me keep track of my boys because they were never too far away from the fire. Had everything been “ideal” I may have lost a boy or two before the camping was finished. (just sayin’)
We returned to Jared’s house and the boys immediately found the toys and the movie (I think my boys are addicted to video stimulation, any video and they get sucked in). But we had a good visit and then it was time to head home. Kyle had to get back to school work and other obligations.
