Stay and play camp

 

Last weekend we went on our first summer adventure. And adventure it was!
We had so much fun at Winding Trails last year we signed up for our favorite program again, Play and Stay.

Play and Stay is basicly BYOB. (Bring your own bag) They provide all the food and we have access to the entire park.
(Which includes a beach, sailing, canoe, basketball, tennis, archery, play grounds and miles of trails.)

In just over an hour we arrived ready to spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach. At the gate the attendant called the office to verify our arrival only to deflate our high spirits.

“Play and Stay has been cancelled.“ He informed me.

”Cancelled?“ I repeated.

The kids were silent, but the dissapointment was loud and clear.

I went to the Park office where I learned there weren’t enough families signed up to run this session.

( I clearly missed that phone call.)

I wasn’t about to turn around and go home. My car was loaded for fun!

I decided we would stay for the day.

Once we were in our bathing suits, and our tummies full, we found a spot on the over crowded beach.

I sat in my beach chair with cell phone in hand creating plan B with Sam. (Who was going to join us after work)

About 1 hour into our swim the clouds rolled in and I found myself wet with rain!

Jarom commented on our unfortunate luck as we sat in the rain watching everyone around us pick up and scatter like cocroaches.

Relutuntaly we picked up our belongings and started for the car.

My creative Mommy skills were slow to kick in. I had no idea what to do next.

By the time I made the trek to the evacuated parking lot- the rain stopped!

The exchange of looks from the kids was priceless as they looked to the sky and back to the beach.

After realizing the beach was staying open they ditched me, and the load I was juggeling, without looking back.

They recognized the advantage of swimming with a little rain. Everyone’s gone!

They continued swimming, with approval from the life guards, with sly smiles as if they were getting away with something.

Eventually I made my way back with all the beach comforts and set up camp again.

3o min. later threats of thunder called us out, leaving the beach closed till further notice.

Now we were wet puppies gathering up our belongings with long faces...again.

Just as I wrapped the last bag around my neck and heaved the loaded chair on my back and began tugging at my stuffed cooler- our luck changed, again!

”The beach is open“ announced the life guard.

I froze in my tracks, exchanged looks with the kids as their eyes popped open and postures perked up.

Back to the beach they ran.

I stood for a moment and considered holding my load a bit longer to see if the foercast would continue to tease me.

Finally, I let it all drop with awkward grace and untangled the bags and towels that were strewn around me. Then I sat down to laugh at this game we were playing with the heavens.

This game of give and take went on a few more times as we were called out of the water only to rush in again when the threat of thunder had passed and it was safe to return.

By now I had the drill down. I left everything as it was.

The beach and the Life Guards were at our disposal. We took advantage of the loot left behind from rain phobic friends and played till the sun went down.

Dad showed up just as we changed into dry clothes and took us out for pizza then we snuggled safely in a Hotel as the rain continued through the night.

The following morning we were back at the beach with sunny skies.

We returned home late that evening waterlogged and happy despite our series of unfortunate events!

Hobi’s don’t quit.