Beach Camp

Thursday evening I posted on Twitter & Facebook:

"Getting up at 6am to go camping. In a tent. 

Also looking for a good family counselor in the Houston area."

I was kidding, of course, sorta, 'cause ya know stretching out of one's comfort zone for an extended period of time is enough to send even the tightest of families to counseling. Also, I'd been in a bit of a funk for a couple of weeks and I wasn't sure about my mental stability. 

Still, I'm all about being flex.

The girls have been asking to go camping for a good while now, and with soccer and basketball over, this was the time. I considered letting this be a Dad/Daughter Camping Trip.

But, I couldn't do it. I kept thinking how much my Spouse abhors crowds of people, thus, Disney and how he has faked happy at Disney 100+ (literally) of times, so I could put on the happy face for camping.

Plus, it was at the beach.

Wahoo! 

Loaded and ready.

We were prepared to stay one or two nights, depending on the situation and mood-o-meter. Spouse was even prepared to find us a hotel, in part because he's awesome and in part because the turkey wasn't sure if we'd make it through the night! 

Are you believin' that junk!?

Camping supplies, paddle board, books, Slim Jims, Salt & Vinegar Chips. Boom.

We drove the 4 hours down to Padre Island National Seashore where there is camping right on the beach. 

This has to make camping better, right? The beach? Yes! 

This is what our spot looked like when we got there! 

The view.

And, boom. Shelter.

60 miles of this.

 We didn't drive the whole 60 miles. You need a 4-wheel drive.
Also, the bathrooms would only get farther and farther away.

Speaking of bathrooms, I definitely peed off the back of those dunes.
Spouse was proud.

The paddle board never even came off of the car. It was crazy windy!

There actually were decent bathrooms with COLD showers to help us rinse some of the sand off. During the heat of summer, cold showers might be refreshing, but when the temp was 65 and dropping,  it was horrific. The Big Sister washed her hair, though. Nuts.

We got in the tent pretty early. The wind was picking up and girls were spent.
We got out our books and snuggled in.

Sand was everywhere.

It was so hard to get any sleep. The wind was fierce and the tent was flapping so loudly! It was hilarious. Let me tell you what, though: we were warm. We never felt the wind or the cold. That tent was legit.

And, it turns out, I brought my counselor with me. Spouse and I talked and talked and I cried and he is mine. 

Then...

There was darkness no more.
Beautifully painted sky just for us.

 It was a good little 30 hour trip. And it was enough.
We were ready to go home.
It was great.
Also, we're considering a little pop-up camper.
We might just take this little freak-show on the road.

Just keepin' it real.