Lake Casitas Vacation

For the record, I believe camping is not a vacation for anyone but the kids. Camping is doing every chore you normally do at home, just without the convenience of actually using that home or the modern conveniences enclosed in that home, i.e. a shower, sink, stove, refridgerator, etc. In a nutshell, camping was a lot more fun when the adults in my life made the preparations and not me.

However, Karen and I went to the Lake Casitas campground a few months ago to find a better site to camp in than the ones from the last two years which were small and the roads on them were like going 4-wheeling in a minivan. Additionally, the water and toilets available were shared by several campsites and by the end of the weekend, there was still water, but the toilets were both overflowing badly.

So, Karen and her husband were going to rent a trailer so we looked at ones with water and electrical hookups and after a recommendation by another camper who happened to be there when we were scouting, we found a beautiful campsite! It was surrounded by shade trees, was flat for setting up tents, had a playground visible from the site, had water and electrical hookups and was walking distance to the water park! We were sold and booked it right away.

As it turned out, renting a trailer was going to be too expensive but we kept the site anyway. Soooo glad we did! The shade was wonderful and the electrical hookups afforded us the ability to set up fans during the heat of the day. Fabulous! And the littler kids were able to play on the playground and have fun while we prepared dinner. Cut down the boredom factor considerably! We also brought bicycles with us and were able to ride around the campgrounds on nice roads. Oh and the TOILETS!! They were actual flushing toilets and because the campground accomodated mostly RV's (which have their own toilets), we didn't have to wait to use them! Having our own water hookup in the campground let us hook up a hose and the kids could spray if they wanted. It was great.

On Monday, we went to the Lake Casitas water park, which was not crowded due to the weekend being over and we enjoyed playing in the "lazy river" and the water falls.

The first night there, we made a cake in the dutch oven for Bill's birthday. Lemon cake with cream cheese frosting. It came out a little flat and it was dubbed "the roller-coaster cake" due to its unusual shape, but it was still good.

The next morning, Rick and Peter were up before dawn to go fishing. Notice I didn't say "catching". Nope...not one. We did, however come home with some nice bait purchased with the fishing license. Fat lot of good that bait is.

We also had some visitors during the night:

Raccoon paw prints. Aren't they cute? Sure glad they weren't able to get into the coolers so I didn't wake up to half-eaten raw pork chops downed with diet soda.

At least they wiped their paws when they were done...



Then it was off to the water park. Oh yeah, I could get used to lounging in a river, floating in an inner tube, then getting out and laying under the cabana while my children tire themselves out in the water falls. Ahhh...

Rick and Caroline enjoy the lazy river

Peter and Connor hung out a lot together

Caroline and Cody shared well

Bill thoroughly relaxed

The kids were wiped out

Even on the way back to camp

Then evening came and it was time for s'mores. Yes, those decadent little treats that are only consumed whilst camping under the stars. I can imagine that the marshmallow factories see an increase in sales during the summmer and during Thanksgiving. Well, we helped them out this year.

First Rick showed Peter how to build a fire

Then he showed Caroline how to chop wood

Then it was time to make s'mores!

All too soon it was over and we were packing to head home. An immediate shower was on the agenda for today as well as an early bedtime so I can enjoy my own bed. Air mattresses were fine when I was 14, but not so much anymore.


And you'll notice that I'm not in any photos. I can reason that it was because I was the one taking pictures, but you wouldn't believe that. Or I could say that it's because I'm employing artistic license as a blog owner and only want to show the photos of my beautiful kids, but you wouldn't believe that either. I can say that I'm vain and refuse to show photos of me without makeup, no shower for a few days, and in a bathing suit. THAT you would believe.