"Hiture Naking"


We did some glorified camping this weekend at Camp Broadway in “our” 1 room cabin on Eagle Mountain Lake. The kids think its “ours” because we pick the same cabin every time we come. Since our last trip was in September, this one-nighter was highly anticipated by the 2 short people in our house, making their verbal lists several days ahead of all the things they wanted to do and even EAT while we were there.

Last year, we introduced them to nature hiking which received mixed reviews in 2007. Julia loved it, picking up everything from “acorn hats” to bird feathers. Brighton, who was 3 all summer, just had a hard time keeping his Crocs on his feet along the trail. (I know, not the best choice of shoes. My fault completely.) I also think the woods freaked him out a little, towering over him on all sides. However, now that he is all of 4, it seems this is his favorite memory, but here is what he calls it. “Hiture naking”…….every time. I know it’s just a slip of the letters, but it sounds a little racy to me. "Hiture naking".

In attempts to make our first nature hike a little more dramatic, Jeff and Julia began imitating one of their favorite TV hosts Jeff Corwin —sneaking quietly through the woods, searching carefully about for wild creatures, causing my too-old-to-hold-your-hand son to reach for mine. To our amazement, my Jeff spotted a gray fox crouched in the brush just far enough away to feel safe and close enough for us all to see it. It tolerated our intrusion long enough for us all to get a good look and then turned its head baring its rust colored breast to head deeper into the woods. Very cool.

Julia’s simple maps of the campsite have now turned into “treasure maps” and Brighton thinks EVERY map must have a Pirate symbol and an “X” to “mark the spot”. All throughout the walk, Brighton looked for a literal “X” on the ground and Julia just knew someone had been digging for the loot at the least little indention on the trail. Saturday morning we decided to indulge them and bury some treasure which consisted of a small Hot Wheels toy and doll house accessories. After clues that were just short of jumping on it, their search was over. You would have thought it was the lost City of Gold. I adore their gullibility at these ages with responses like, “How did they know there would be a girl and a boy?” Who is “they” in their little minds anyway??

For Brighton, I think more exciting than hunting for buried treasure was what he spotted in the bed of Miss Joan’s truck. (Miss Joan runs the camp.) Orange cones, the kind that have the power to stop traffic. His dream come true- to touch one. Of course she let him have them for our short visit and he played with them the whole time—blocking the road, setting them up around the fire so no one would come too close, putting them in front of the stair to remind us to watch our step, placing them where Jeff was painting so we would remember not to touch. When I went into the cabin to start their “night cap” of hot chocolate, this is what I found:

Ever seen THAT in your whole life? So his next question was, “Can I sleep with the cone?” Even though we try to make these times at the cabin “yes” times, we had to draw the line at a huge dirty orange traffic cone in his bed. The picture I would have like to have gotten was the little guy getting it up on the bunk bed.

So, it was a good first trip to the cabin for 2008. Beautiful weather—should have taken the boat, but in Texas, how can you know? Memories made, treasures found and sleep lost. Oh, and Julia pulled out another tooth. That makes 4.

Grandparent Info (like all the rest of this wasn't): That night we went out and when we picked up the children from Miss Carla, she had lost one of her front teeth! Two in one day! She said our sweet 18 month old friend knocked it out. (Hadn't gotten to tell you that yet, T!) It couldn't have taken much since it was just barely hanging there!



Comments

TJ Wilson said…
Fun stuff. Just found the last THREE posts... I'm a bit behind. Love seeing the dailies of your family & sweet kids!
Anonymous said…
Sounds like a wonderful camping trip. Would love to have been perched on a limb up in the canopy to watch the children in the woods.
Mom
Krista Sanders said…
Mom-- yes, you would be entertained. They really think, at this point, they are miles in to some remote woodlands somewhere far, far away!!
T- sweet to read this stuff you live everyday!!
Alyssa said…
It's amazing to see things through children's eyes--how such little things mean so much. The picture of the traffic cone in the bunk is priceless! And I think the comments about the loot from the treasure hunt are so sweet!
Beth said…
I loved reading about your camping trip--and I agree, who is "they" in their minds (as far as who left the treasure for them)? Very sweet.

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