Favorite Memory from a 12-year old
When I asked my 12-year old, Samantha, what her favorite camping memory was she didn’t hesitate in her response. She said five things: 1. Last summer 2. Zion’s National Park 3. Virgin River 4. Dad’s keys at the bottom on the river 5. The tow truck.
Zion National Park in Southern Utah is one of the state’s amazing treasures. The red-rock scenery speckled with the spring green foilage is unparalleled. The virgin river that meanders through the these spectacular cliffs is like heaven on earth. Unless something unfortunate happens, in which case you might as well be rafting through a sewer.
So, last year we had rented tubes to float down the river. Hint: Never take a four-year old on one of these. There are a few gentle rapids. Even gentle rapids can overturn your tube if you go in at the wrong angle. Four-year olds don’t like to get dumped out of the tube. Four-year olds stand and cry when Daddy’s car keys sink to the bottom of the river. The rest of us cry when AAA has to break open the car but then can’t find Mommy’s keys in her purse in the car, and has to tow the car to a locksmith to make a new key. Daddy is especially angry with Mommy for leaving her keys at home, and having key problems in general.
At the end of the summer, the family wrote or drew a picture of the most exciting memory of the summer. Guess what was on the now five-year old’s page? Sparkling silver keys sitting at the bottom in the Virgin River. The three other kids wrote similar accounts of the adventure.
Which is exactly what family campouts are about–adventure.
June 12th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
That memory sounds like when I went on the ferry and my fiance locked the keys in the car (twice) and then the slimjim got stuck in the door for the entire ride and just like 3 seconds before we had to get it out.
He did the same thing in the city, (NYC) but was silly enough to leave a door UNLOCKED (which annoyed me yet i was greatful for)
fun times for road trips.
June 12th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
It seems like I am always having key issues.It’s just part of who I am, and so I totally sympathize with other key-challenged people!! Thanks for writing.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:09 am
We usually do quick canoeing trips when we get the chance. It is tradition that the canoe gets tipped at least once. If we make it to the end of the trip without tipping it is an unwritten mandate that we tip it at the end. Last time canoeing a bought a band to hold my sunglasses at the canoe rental place, and when we tipped the one thing lost were my sunglasses. I still want the three dollars back that I spent on that stupid band.
I’m tagging you to write about why you love blogging.
http://www.stepfamilytalk.com/?p=72&preview=true