I'm So Getsited!: I think John Denver wrote a song about this

We've returned from Donkey Camp '08 with great memories, new-found confidences, high hopes and plans for next year, and um, saddle sores. Vitamin M never worked so hard on my aching muscles and bones and I've never marveled so much at the vitality of young children.

Our camping trip was centered around a work-party summoned to assist the US Forest Service in restoring an old cabin (circa 1910) that needed its roof replaced. This involved driving to base camp about 4 miles up a road that was rocky, bumpy, rutted and rooted. From there, it was an additional two and half hour ride by mule up to the cabin.

The 4 mile road into base camp took over an hour to travel. With two small children. Facing each other (not a window). After traveling 9 hours in a truck that Mr. Wonderful had benevolently rigged to accommodate two car seats and a DVD system. Removing either kid required more engineering aptitude than astronauts need to attach to the International Space Station.

But the kids did great and Sam even cheered "More Bumpy Road!" and "Tow Truck!" every time Mr. Wonderful pitched into a hole. I think Max learned some new vocabulary from his daddy, and also a frustrated manifesto about the political nature of forest mis-management. That's always nice to share in preschool.

Upon arrival at Camp, we removed the cramped astronauts and let them run loose while we stretched our legs and surveyed the potential death traps. Um, I mean surroundings.

Max peered over this cliff and declared that it was "a consequence" if you went down it. Couldn't have said it better myself. I would post a picture of the drop off but I didn't want to get too close, lest my little shadows follow along.

Some people claim that spending time in the Wilderness brings them closer to their Creator, more in touch with a higher power. I believe that's true. I've never prayed so hard in my life.

'Queen car really enjoyed the trip to the woods. Sam could have cared less about the acres of dirt smeared and caked across his face, knees and elbows, but it really bothered him if Lightening McQueen got dirty. He wanted to wash him constantly with the water that had been trucked in and was needed for cooking, personal hygiene, and hydrating tired and weary cowboys. Water that would take nearly three hours of precious work-time and human resource to replace if depleted. Water that was not okay to be used as a carwash. It turns out that toddlers aren't really hip to the more advanced concepts of resource management when it comes to water and dirt.

Dirt was pretty much the theme of the trip. Dirt in the forms of dust, mud, soil, and rock that found its way to adhere to every piece of skin and clothing in our possession. I don't think the boys have ever been so happy. They wallowed and snuggled in the dirt and were delighted by the scarcity of water that allowed their soiled faces and hands to remain grimed until meal time.