Yes, spending time with family is always worth it.
Yes, getting so much fresh air you can hardly stand it anymore is worth it.
Yes, getting to eat all sorts of yummy food that just tastes better outdoors by a campfire is worth it.
Yes, seeing your children covered with dirt from head to toe and never happier is absolutely worth it!
But...
Sleeping in a tent with 3 crying kiddos and everyone freezing to death is not worth it.
Dealing with an 8-month-old's night-terrors while freezing to death at a campground is not worth it.
Not getting any sleep worth mentioning for 2 nights - because everyone is freezing - is not worth it.
Spending 2 days packing and 3 days unpacking & cleaning just to camp for 2 days is just not worth it.
So really... is it worth it??
At this point, I want to say "NO" it is absolutely not worth it! (In fact, I want to shout it from the roof-top for all to hear!)
But...
Will I take my littles camping again?
Yes, I absolutely will.
Will I regret it?
Yes, I probably will.
Will I continue to subject myself to the torture... Yes, I will.
Every year. Because we camp... Once a year.
And by the time next year's camping trip rolls around, I will have forgotten, once again, exactly why I hate to camp with littles!
And because ultimately... it is worth it.
This is the stuff memories are made of.
Will my kiddos remember the packing and unpacking, the sleepless nights and the sheer exhaustion?
No... they will only remember the campfire and the family. The food, the fun & the dirt that is so... SO worth it!
Missing: one active 2 year-old.
I mean, really... does anyone actually have pictures of their kids at 2?!
(Now please excuse me while I go join my kiddos in napping away this camping-trip exhaustion!)
