Life and Times of The Johnston family: Camping at Antelope Island!

So Friday I did my best to pack us up for our first, only our family, camping trip since Devin came along(we've been camping with Tony's family since he was born) and it took me all morning to think of and get everything together, but it came back to me pretty well. ;) Tony got off work early but had some things he had to do on his way home, so he didn't get home until around 4ish. He loaded up the Pilot, we stopped by Smith's on our way out for a few things we had forgotten to pick up the night before, then about 6 we were on our way out to the Island(that's only like 15 minutes away). We found our campsite and got to setting up. It got dark and cold fast so we got a fire going made our yummy smores and by 8:30 were in the tent, just as the rain started coming down. Elizabeth fell asleep amazingly fast, in a matter of minutes! Devin took a little longer but both kids were asleep by around 9ish! It rained most of the night. We slept pretty well, I tossed a bit which is how I know it rained most the night. Devin woke up at 5:20, he had trouble staying in his sleeping bag so he got cold, as it was frigid!! Elizabeth slept snug in her sleeping bag until about 7:30, then we got dressed and Tony got a little fire going and we attempted breakfast, but it was so cold the kiddos couldn't get their frozen hands around their muffins, so we ended up putting them in the car with the heater on to eat, and we joined them after getting things in order for the day and putting out the fire. Our first stop was at the visitor's center where we wandered for a bit learning about the island and the animals and such. We wandered the gift shop where Elizabeth fell in love with a stuffed big horn sheep, so we told her if she was good for everything we had planned that day we would come back and get it for her. Then we went and found drinking water and filled up our jug, and then we were off to the historic ranch. Elizabeth was excited to go to a farm! We wandered the old historic building showing Elizabeth all the old fashioned tools and farming equipment, which she was quite fascinated by, especially old versions of things we have now like old washing machines and sewing machines and stoves and such. It was a lot of fun and educational too! It did sprinkle a bit but the weather wasn't too terrible as we wandered the historic buildings, after we'd looked at the last building, one of the men who work there took us into the forest area and showed us an owl who also has come to call the ranch home, it was pretty cool! Then the kids had their fun trying to lasso some pretend cattle, when the same man told us the kids could each pick a picture to take home when they were done. Elizabeth picked a picture of the owl, and Devin picked a picture of an old truck they have there. After seeing all there was to see at the ranch we loaded back into the car and headed back to the other side of the island for lunch, Devin fell asleep while we worked our way there so we drove around for a bit. Then just as he was waking up Elizabeth fell asleep so we drove and saw every part of that island! Finally about 12:30 both kids were awake so we went to the new Buffalo Grill for lunch. Tony got their authentic buffalo burger and I just got a regular old cheeseburger, and Elizabeth devoured a corn dog...Devin had his fruit/veggie puree pouch and milk and a couple fries. It was really good! Then after a trip to the potty, we drove to the trail head of the hike we had decided would be our best option of tackling as Elizabeth was really looking forward to going on a hike...and hike we did! It felt more like mountain/rock climbing at times, we had to walk inches past a snake at one point(luckily I in the rear was the only one to notice it as we passed, and luckily it was just as afraid of us as I was of it! I pointed it out to Tony a safe distance away), the views were amazing and beautiful but there was no one set trail, so it was always a game of which path should we take, and on the way back the trail was mountain on one side and rocky cliff on the other. I don't know who was more terrified Elizabeth(of falling to her doom) or me (or Elizabeth falling to her doom)! We took it slow and steady and made it through just fine but it took a while for my heart palpitations to stop. After that we went back to the visitors center for my magnet(I have a big magnet board that someday I'm going to put "oh the places we'll go" on it and all the magnets of places we've gone!) and since Elizabeth was indeed very good we got her big horn sheep for her, and Devin wanted a cowboy horse stuffed animal. At this point it was only 3:20, and we had done absolutely everything there was to do, short of going to the beach and playing in the water which it was WAY too cold for. We contemplated and seriously considered just going home, but Elizabeth's camping enthusiasm kept us strong and we ended up just going back to camp and letting the kids play around the campsite. For dinner we had hot dogs cooked over the fire...we forgot ketchup though :/ they were still good. Then we got some toys out for the kids to play with until it was time to get ready for bed. The kids were in bed and asleep before the sun had gone down! We totally wore them out!! Sunday morning Tony and I awoke before the kids(this is the ultimate goal when camping so yay!), we were chatting when we heard what we thought were kids playing on the old wooden picnic table and enclosure, so Tony took a peek out the window by Elizabeth, and he definitely DID NOT see kids! What he did see was a huge buffalo using the wooden enclosure to scratch his molting fur off! It was like 10 feet away!! To say we were a bit frightened would be a severe understatement! We just hoped and prayed the kids(mostly Devin) wouldn't wake up loudly and startle the buffalo into taking out our tent and us in the process! Luckily it and another one that followed behind it eventually moved on before the kids woke. Shortly after though Tony noticed more buffalo heading slowly heading our way, so we picked up the kids and their clothes and took them to the safety of the car to get dressed. Thankfully we had no more close encounters with the buffalo. We had more muffins for breakfast, the kids played around the campsite for a bit then in the car while we took down camp. We we all set to go just before 11am but when we went to start the car the battery was dead...luckily a friendly camp neighbor gave us a jump and we were on our way home! When we got home we bathed Devin, had lunch, put him down for his nap, bathed Elizabeth. Showered ourselves, unpacked the car, met with one of our home teachers, visited with my parents came down had dinner, watched Lilo and Stitch for movie night with popcorn and put the kids to bed! And that was our weekend and first camping trip of the season! Enjoy the pictures!

Setting up the tent