We wrapped up our summer with a mini vacation to the Okanagan again. Just like last summer my family rented out the Girl Guides Camp and we all hit the road to go up there. This year we actually got the camp for longer, but because my sister and Jason both had to work we only stayed 3 nights. I am hoping we get a nice long week again next summer so that we can go for the whole week.
This time around was very different, I’d just had my surgery the week before, and Evie is on the move constantly! Thankfully that is what family is for, and I was so thankful for all my family who pitched in to help with Evie. I was so tired still, and not feeling well from the surgery but I wanted to go and be with everyone. I needed to get away. Evie loved every minute of it. She was so happy to be around all of her relatives, especially her cousins. Things have gone full circle because the cousins who I watched when they were babies when I was a teenager, are now the teenagers watching my baby.
Our family has a great system where each family group gets a day to cook. Breakfast is fend for yourself sort of idea but you set everything out. There is cereal, toast, eggs, you name it we have it for breakfast options! Then the lunch and dinner meals are planned out so each day it’s known what needs to be made. My Mom, sister, and I worked together for our shift (Jason was staying with his parents since he had to work but he came and visited regularly because the camp isn’t too far from his parent’s home). I think we got spoiled, because my Mom works as a cook and knows how to keep things organized. We had most things prepped for lunch and dinner before breakfast was over. 
Having our meals prepped meant we got to spend a good chunk of time down at the beach on our food day. It was so nice getting to just relax down by the water. Evie happily chucked rocks into the lake, or chased and popped bubbles. We didn’t have too hot of weather so we really did get to enjoy being outside.
The one evening we even got to have a camp fire. The fire ban was no more, so it was time for some s’mores. This was also the night that I ended up calling Jason to come pick me up and take me to the hospital. Silly allergic reaction to the bandages! Nothing like have s’mores made over the camp fire. My Mom is the master marshmallow roaster, she gets them golden every time. I just don’t have the patience or skills.
I was incredible thankful for Evie being much better about sleeping this summer. Last summer at family camp, getting her to bed was a battle. We’d try holding her, rocking her, car rides, putting her in the stroller. It was just a bad situation at night time. We ended up figuring out that putting her in the stroller with the sound machine cranked was the only way we could get her to sleep.
Not this time. We had the packnplay again, we went through her bedtime routine as usual and into the packnplay she went. No problems! We did bring a fan to keep the room nice and cool, and we had her sound machine too. I also blacked out the windows to the room with some garbage bags. I think all of this made a huge difference, plus she has grown up a bit since last summer.
I packed some homemade play dough for Evie to play with for the first time. I used some recipes from Mama.Papa.Bubba. It was her first time ever playing with it, and it sure seemed like she enjoyed it. She figured it out really fast, that it wasn’t for eating but was fun to squish. She was also walking the little gingerbread shaped play dough men around on the table.
The highlight of the trip for me though was seeing Evie out on the boat, and on the tube again this summer. We took her out on the tube last summer, and I held her in my lap the whole time. I couldn’t go this time round, but my Mom and cousin took her. Evie sat happily in the middle of the tube, and my Uncle went at the perfect speed. She was looking around and taking it all in the whole time. She is definitely a brave little girl!
I am definitely looking forward to next summer already, and more trips like this. Family is so important, and trips like this are great. Sure we might drive each other crazy, but all of that can get hashed out over a game of Wizard or Monopoly Deal.
Did any of you have family trips this summer? Where did you go, and how was it?
Wow, Evie is definitely brave!! What a great little woman you are raising!
Which part of the Okanagan is the Girl Guides camp in? We went to Summerland and Portland this summer – so in love with the Okanagan though, wish I could spend more time there!!