Why I don't have a picture

We had promised the boys that the second we moved in we would take them camping. So this past weekend Scott and I foolishly ignored the weather forecast, packed up the van and headed down to Tinney Flats for an over nighter.

As we drove South I kept looking back at the menacing black clouds following us pretending that they weren't there. While driving up the canyon, Scott wacked his forehead with his hand and declared that he had forgotten to pack the propane.

Strike 1

That is not good news considering that our entire breakfast of bacon, sausage, hashbrowns and pancakes had to be cooked on our campchef stove. Have I mentioned that our entire goal when we camp is to consume as much junk food as we possibly can cram down our throats and not feel the least bit guilty about it? It's true. That is why we camp. We decide that we will just have to make a quick trip to the store in Nephi to pick up some propane after we set up camp.

We continue on to our campsite trying to ignore the rain that is making its way down the windshield. The black storm clouds had caught up with us and decided to take the lead. Once we arrive we find that mother nature had left us a fire pit full of water and a table and bench that are sopping wet as well. After about a 2 minute deliberation Scott and I decide to continue on around Mt. Nebo loop and head on over to Ponderosa campground to see if by some miraculous chance the rain didn't make it over there.

We arrive at Ponderosa and find a relatively dry campsite. But keeping an eye on the sky Scott hurries and starts a fire so we can cook our tinfoil dinners. Another camping tradition of the Kimballs. While Scott is busy with the fire, I find that Chase has leaked through his clothes and needs a change. I rifle through his bag and find a diaper. It then occurs to me that I forgot to pack the wipes.

Strike Two.

I find some old wipes in the glove compartment that are about as dry as a paper towel, but I use them anyways. I then open the back of the van and pull out the pack n play to set up for Chasey. It was at the bottom of the van so I had to move the sleeping bags to get to it. I start counting bags.

"Scott, how many sleeping bags did you pack?" 4. "How many people do we have?" 6.

Strike Three.

As Scott puts the tinfoil dinners on the fire another thought occurred to me. I forgot to pack the ketchup. Wait! How can you eat tinfoil dinners and hashbrowns without ketchup. That is just unheard of and wrong. Wait a minute! I forgot the hashbrowns too!

Strike Four and Five.

The tinfoil dinners are cooking away and mother nature decides to make another appearance. It starts to sprinkle a little bit. Then a little bit more. And a little bit more. We throw the pack n play back in the van and Chasey and I sit in the front seat and watch the rest of the family enjoy the rain. Have I told you how much I love to camp?

Then it starts to pour. And pour and pour. Now everyone gets into the van and we watch our tinfoil dinners desperately try and cook in a fire that is being smothered. Mother Nature must have her way.

After about 15 minutes of downpour Scott dashes out of the van grabs one dinner and races back. He opens it up and miracle of all miracles it was cooked! So for the next ten minutes Scott races out grabs one from the fire, opens it up then gives it to me to cut up and pass back to the boys. We all eat tinfoil dinners, minus the ketchup in our van while the rain is pouring.

I see the humor in this predicament and decide to take a picture of the 3 boys sitting in the back of the van with tinfoil dinners on their laps. I grab my camera bag, pull out my camera, turn it on and see those 3 terrible words.

No memory card.

Strike 6.

Bennett couldn't have said it better. "This is like the worse camping trip ever." I couldn't agree more.

We went home.