We had a great time camping this weekend with the home school gang.

In an effort to help us get to know each other, our home school team set up a camping trip for us to Big Basin State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains. We headed up on Friday evening (after a crash-burn afternoon of trying to get all my work done) and got there just at dark.

Katie and I built a fire, at some dinner and hunkered down to watch TV on the iPod. Okay – so we weren’t really roughing it – but we don’t have much time to watch TV these days so it was a great chance to catch up on some programming!

The next morning, we met the family next door. A great family who are also in their first year of home schooling, who eat junk food and wanted to mooch our fire. We loved them. They had an endearing baby who ogled everything we ate and charmed the heck out of us.

Another first-year family showed up in the afternoon to share our campsite. Thankfully, they were junk foodies too – I love that our gang totally knew how to camp! – and we munched and talked our way into the evening.

One of the boys was fascinated with the fire and was having a hard time leaving it alone. When he got busted the third time, he turned to the crowd and said, “Fine, if you aren’t going to let me play with the fire, I guess I’ll have to go play with my dad’s hatchet!” I think he meant it innocently enough but he delivered the line perfectly and we roared with laughter! 

Last night we joined the others for the talent show. The kids were total spazzes demonstrating little talent, but a few of the adults brought instruments and made some lovely music. It was fun to be part of something so simple and easy.

We got home today exhausted, cold and happy. We got to hike, explore, hang and munch. Our clothes stink like smoke, there’s way too much crap to put away and we are starving for real food.  But when I put Katie to bed tonight she was so happy.  She had a great time.

Home school is really giving us a chance to do new things with great new people.