camping, rain edition

We arrived home from camping last night.  
A day early.

Because, 
it was wet.  Really, really wet. We tried to stick it out, but puddles/lakes in tents, flat air mattresses, soggy foam pads, wet pillows, wet clothes, wet blankets, with no chance of sunshine to dry them out....it was just a little too much.

But oh goodness was it gorgeous.
So, here's my list of the top five awesome things about camping in the rain:

1. No flies. The last time Kent was able to go on this yearly family camping trip with us, there were terrible biting flies that got in your face and were super annoying. Kent almost went beserk.
This year? No flies!

 2. Kids in raincoats.  Our extended family has nearly 90 members now, and we've got hoards of darling littles.  All these kiddos running around in raincoats and rubber boots? Super cute.  And the rain didn't stop them for a minute. They were having the time of their lives, running back and forth, using sticks for guns/swords/bows and arrows, stomping in puddles. They loved it. As they always do.
We camp for the kids, really.
Also, the wet ground didn't get muddy thanks to the pine needles, and it wasn't dusty. The kids stayed way cleaner than usual.  So, that was awesome.

 3. Family closeness. 

Oh yeah. We spent a lot of time huddled together around the snack tote underneath the kitchen tent.  It was dry, plus there was food.  

4. Camping food. We've always said that everything tastes better when you're camping anyway, but when you're camping in the rain?  That hot bowl of broccoli cheddar soup is amazing.  

5. These: 

It was seriously so beautiful. We were very sad to have to leave.  I could have stayed up there for weeks.
If I'd been a teeny bit drier, that is.