A-OK At The KOA.

We are taking our annual family vacation this summer in style. Oh yeah. We are going to the Grand Canyon for a week. And we will be camping the whole time. Does this worry you as much as it worries me? 'Cause I'm worried. At least I was. We took a nice one nighter trip to a KOA Kampground to try it out. Why? Because KOA is a cheap night's stay. There are also many of them around the GC. They have swimming pools. They have play grounds. Oh, they also have showers!

I'm in!

So on Friday we got all our gear packed up and into the mini wimpy van. Then we headed to a local KOA. Here's Mr. KOA Bear greeting us!

There was a really cool tree that would have made any photographer happy. The problem is, my kids don't understand the need for sitting down and looking nice so I can get a nice picture with the tree frame!
They just wanted to climb. And try to get to the bird nest. Luckily for the birds, it was way too high.

They also made some friends. And then climbed some more. Then tried to get the bird nest again...

But they wouldn't stand still and together for me to take a nice picture! "Where is your mother, and why aren't you listening to her?"

On the other side of the grass we have the tent. And the boy who wouldn't go up in the tree while I took pictures. And the man who put the tent up. In the wind. Ferocious wind.

Oh! KOA isn't in the mountains. No sir! It's next to the freeway. And a train track. Where trains go by in the middle of the night! And an alfalfa farm. Where Mr. Farmer likes to get up before the crack of dawn to bail his hay on Saturday morning.

It is also close to the highway. Don't worry, it's up there. With lots of cars! In the middle of the night.

And our tent was right next to the road. We thought it was a dead end. Apparently lots of people like to drive dead end roads in the middle of the night. Weird!

Did I mention the ferocious wind? It was windy and the kids really wanted to swim. And get this...I brought my suit so I could go in with them. If you know anything about me, you know I will get a swim suit and then NEVER wear it. Plus, I have this fear of water...

But I was ready. Until the wind started. But the kids wanted to go in. Look at their faces. Freezing!!! C'mon! Get in there. Don't get out!

I know it's cold. But if you just get in, you'll be fine!

They hung on for dear life. The freezing water nipping at all their extremities! And you see the little girl on the side? She was purple from shivering so hard. That's her ma and pa in the water. They were playing married games in the water. We were glad they stayed on the other side.

Sam couldn't hack it. He went shivering to dad, who also wasn't dumb enough to get in the water.

Ruthie made a friend after the married couple and their daughter left. She asked Ruthie what state she was from as her big brother came up to them. Ruthie said, "The United States of America". The brother laughed a "that is so cute" laugh. Then the girl said they were from Nevada. They played for quite a while and had fun!

When the kids were too cold to go on, we put them in the hot showers (Yay showers!) and into jammies. Then we went back to the tent for evening entertainment. The wind was so cold and, well, windy, that we stayed in for quite a while and tried to watch Scooby Doo on Daniel's phone. I know, we're weird.

When the wind died down just a bit, we bought ice cream for $2 a bowl. The kids split a bowl of Superman while my superman and I split a bowl of chocolate.

Wow!! They stayed put. And I got a cute picture. I just didn't get the other kid in it. Where are you, Isaac??

We left for the KOA by 4 on Friday and were home at 10 am on Saturday.

We've made a list of everything we'll need to make a week long camping adventure at KOAs more enjoyable. We are putting in our order for no wind. We are getting smaller air mattresses/cushions for the kids to sleep on. We are taking my laptop for night time down time. We are taking phone numbers of local Hotels.

Just in case.