Camping with Christ 2010

This weekend, Chris took John on the first (annual?) Camping with Christ father & son camping weekend. John was so excited to be going on his first camping trip! However, he also expressed anxiety ahead of time, saying he couldn't go because he had a runny nose and then that he wanted to wear a red shirt so that if a bear saw him, the bear would think John was a forest fire and would run away from him. Thankfully, once camping, his fears evaporated.

One cleaned-up foot, one still-filthy foot!

The boys trying to start a fire with flint

John particularly befriended Justin, who is also three years old.

Here some older boys are acting out a spontaneous martyrdom play (a "you know you're Catholic when" moment): "Deny your faith!" "No, I will not deny the faith!"

"We will throw you into the flames!"

John at his first campfire!

FYI, John now drinks chocolate milk. Really drinks it. He asks for it and drinks it daily! I'm beyond pleased.

Justin and John watching "Thomas the Train" in Justin's tent

Roasting s'mores!

At one point, two groups split up, one to go fishing, one to go hiking. John had to step to the restroom for a moment, and when he and Chris came back, everyone was gone! So Daddy found a good fishing spot and John had his first try at it.

We girls at home had a fun weekend, doing luxurious things like drinking chocolate milk and eating buttered popcorn in the den (where food is never allowed!) while watching movies. Mary asked for her daddy every few hours, and then I'd explain again that he'd gone camping, and she'd reply, "I want to go camping." When I put her to bed on the second night, she was crying for Daddy and when I reminded her that he was camping, she said, "I want Daddy come home." But mostly we had a fun time home alone!