Camping

We decided to go camping this weekend because the weather was nice and we found a state park that is close by (Natchez Trace-an hour and 45 minutes away) and supposed to be really nice. It was in fact really nice: it had a swimming beach, several playgrounds, hiking trails, paddle boats to rent, and on Saturday night they had a hayride and bonfire. However, it wouldn't be a Phillips family camping trip if something crazy didn't happen (last fall Jon and a random guy almost got into a fight, and the one before that we brought the wrong tent-one that was too small for all the people we had, there was a fire ban because it hadn't rained in a while so we couldn't build a fire, it was cold and we forgot to bring the tarp to put over the too small tent to keep the cold air out of the tent, and with us was one of Abby's friends who had never been camping. So you get the picture.  On this trip, several things happened: first, we went on a hike that was 3.5 miles long-according to the map. At the start of the trail we ran into a mom who said she and her kids got lost and had to call her grandmother who was at their site to pick them up. Whatever, we will be fine. While on the trail, about 2 miles in, we run into a father/adult son duo who also said they had gotten lost but were right again (they were going the opposite direction as us, so we didn't follow).  About 20 minutes after we pass them, we realize we are lost. Basically, this trail had close to no signs for directions and the map (which we had gotten at the park office along with all the other people) was completely inaccurate.  Worried about going any further, we decide to just turn around and go back the way we came since that would ensure a way out of this mess.  By this point we had walked almost the entire 3.5 miles and been gone 2 hours. No one to call. The grapes and water bottles we brought were depleted and we had a 7 year old with us. Fantastic.  As we were nearing the end, we ran into yet ANOTHER couple who had gotten lost the day before, went somewhere and printed off an actual CORRECT map off the internet, and showed us the discrepancies.  Basically, at the point where we got lost, it was because the two signs that we did see were not right. Oh, and the trail on the map from the office looks nothing like the actual trail-in fact it was missing almost 1/2 a mile. So what should have been a 3.5, 2 hour hike turned into a 7 mile, 4 hour hike. Great. Well, whatever, right? We made it. And thank goodness it wasn't too hot. Second: We get back to the campsite and Jon drops a HOT fire grate on his the top of his foot.  A golf ball INSTANTLY forms (seriously, you could practically see it growing) on his foot. We put an ice pack on it. Fine, whatever. Third:  That night, our last night there, we are starting to put things together to pack the next morning and Jon realizes he can't find his keys.  Okay, whatever, we will find them in the morning right?  Fourth: As we are going to bed, Jon's phone keeps beeping from incoming emails. Earlier in the day my phone had died so I checked my email on his.  My email gets a hundred emails a day, so his phone is going off every 5 minutes. I can't get it to log out or to stop doing notifications, so I just mute his phone. Without telling him.  Because I know he will say not to (because, God forbid we miss a call from the store and the Sonic empire will come crashing down right?) but by that point I have had it and just mute it.  At 3:30 a.m. Getwell gets robbed.  The alarm company calls the manager but he lost his phone earlier in the evening and doesn't answer.  The alarm company calls Jon whose wife muted his phone so he doesn't answer.  The alarm company calls me, but my phone is dead so I don't answer.  The alarm company calls Marshall, who apparently also muted his phone and he doesn't answer. So, the alarm company calls Ronnie Solberg, the big guy. Ronnie picks up and is the only one who goes to the store to handle the incident. At 4 a.m. in the morning. Great. By 6:00 when Jon wakes up and grabs his phone, he has missed 27 phone calls from the alarm company, Ronnie, and Marshall (who Ronnie managed to finally get a hold of). Even greater. He wakes Jacob and me and we figure we will find his keys while packing. We don't.  Luckily (haha) Jon drives an old truck and some random redneck camping nearby knew how to mess with the ignition to get it to start.  Fantastic. We drive home, stop by mom's to get her extra key, get to our house, see that she has given us some other key, and use a credit card to break in the back door. The End. Here are the pictures.

These are all from the hike. Before we realized we were lost.

 This is the underneath of a huge tree that had fallen over.

This is at the swim beach.  It was really nice, and I usually don't like lake swimming..

 It's like little boys smell each other. When we first got there, it was just Jacob and another boy his age.  By the time we left, there was this group.

 Building in the sand.

 I call this one "The Stud."

 "S+J"  Awwww...

Anyway, we really did have a nice time, despite all the crazy stuff.  :)