Camping with the Birds & the Bears

Well, last weekend we went camping for the first time with 3 kids. Actually it was also Emily's first camping trip. It was a last minute trip that I thought really would not go through. Brandon packed everything so all I had to do was jump in the car. If I had to prepare for camping we would never go. We camped with Lynsey, Chris & Zach, Beth & Ryan, Andrew & Meredith, and Jake & Sarah & their kids. Everyone was so fun and nice. Jake makes great carne asada and Mammoth is beautiful!

As our life seems to go it was an adventure. I was scared to death to sleep in the tent because the word about Mammoth was bears were hungry and in the camps everynight looking for food. Oh great. I knew that we were going to have bear encounters. The first night Ryan and Beth came and it was already dark so they decided to sleep in our tent. I was SO glad. In my mind, I thought that is 4 adults instead of 2 that can protect my 3 children from a hungry bear- all the while thinking why am I not in the holiday inn down the darn road where I usually camp. Well, the first night we got through without anything super scary happening. We had fun fishing and going to the fish hatchery with Beth and Ryan. They were so great to help entertain our children and make it fun for them.

Then came the second night. Andrew & Meredith awoke to a hungry bear at their heads. Meredith tells this best with her hand motions of how she grabbed his face! I would have been so scared if that happened to me - Meredith you are brave. Well, I hear a little while later Meredith say there is a bear in our camp.

Oh great...

At that moment the inner mother bear in me comes out. I grab Ellie close to me . Make sure Emily is tucked in the middle of Brandon and I still and put Matthew securely on my tummy. Then I tell Brandon. Next thing I know Ryan and Brandon are up with a flash light watching the bear. I am FREAKING out- Beth can attest to that. I don't know what really happened but the bear got into our bear box and as the story goes took a bag of candy to a rock by the camp and started chomping down on it. Brandon and Andrew scared the bear away. Needless to say I didn't sleep well the rest of the night.

The story continues.... Brandon is down with Ellie fishing in the morning. All the sudden Beth and Ellie are running up for cameras. There is a mommy and cub bear down at the lake heading to where Ryan, Chris, Brandon, Jake and Andrew are fishing - a stones throw from our camp. I have never felt so angry as when I called Ellie to come to me and she ran towards the direction of the bear. All I remember was yelling at her and holding her arm way too tight. I was a little scared. Below is a picture of Brandon at this time feeding the bear his fish he caught. I don't know how I feel about this!

Anyway I loaded my kids in the van got them coloring and then preceded to pack up all that I could. I don't think the kids got back out of the van after that besides making a quick bathroom stop. Poor Matthew spent a long time in his carseat- I think the longest he has ever been in there besides when we drive. As I was packing up our stuff and watching the mommy bear and baby bear I wasn't so scared. They were beautiful animals. More beautiful from a far though! Emily decided that she doesn't like the 'real' little bear- which makes me laugh.

Lynsey's blog has this same story with even more details of the bear box and bear. Check it out!

Brandon feeding the bears (Thanks Woody for the great shot)

The bears and Brandon's fishing poles

The bears heading to camp

The fish hatchery with Aunt Beth.

My girls 2 hours after we got home- they showered, wanted to put dresses on, and Lauren even did Ellie's hair up in a bun with curls. Just the opposite of camping, huh?!?