Just a Camp and a Float

 

Life is short and the kids grow fast.  So we decided to make a weekend trip of camping and floating the river.  The kids love to camp and had never been on a float trip, so this was an exciting weekend.

I made a list and packed everything except refrigerated items on Friday.  This really saved us time Saturday morning, allowing us to hit the road by 8:30 am.  We had food, water, sleeping bags, the tent, chairs, and all the little things that might be needed on the trip.  The kids did great on the 3 hour trip and before we knew it we were unloading and setting up camp. 

We stayed at the Illinois River Yacht Club and Family Campground in Watts, Oklahoma.  Our tent was set up right on the bank of the river where the kids could go swim and cool off from the heat of the day.  It’s a beautiful place and the people are friendly.  

After setting up the tent and eating a quick bite for lunch we set off on our river raft adventure.  We decided to take the shorter trip since we weren’t sure how the kids would do.  They said the short trip would take about an hour give or take some, depending on how often you stop.  We stopped about 3 times to swim and play in the water and ended up making the trip last about 3 hours.  The kids loved floating in the deep water with their life jackets on and then playing on the rocky shores.  We saw fish and crawdads and stayed cool in the water.  We had a great time--”forced family fun” as I called it.  

The rest of the day and the next morning were spent swimming in the river, building a “fort” out of sticks and duct tape, sitting around a fire, and playing with glow stick bracelets after dark.  The kids slept on the way home from sheer exhaustion but we would do it all over again in a heartbeat!  

My Take-Aways:

1. Schedule time to spend with your family.  Make it happen.  We are all so busy and sometimes we just need to force ourselves to get away and make memories.
2. Camping and playing in the river is a great way to spend a weekend.  God created such a beautiful landscape (and natural playground).  Let’s not take it for granted.
3. When encountering new adventures, kids might be a little scared.  What a great time to teach them and help them understand our world.  The river can be a dangerous place but with the proper education and respect, kids can learn to be safe.  Our job as parents is to always supervise them and ensure their well-being.