The Rugrat's First Camping Trip

The Rugrat's first camping trip is what I would consider a success. We left sometime after one in the afternoon on Thursday to make our way to Beaver Dam Lake in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We arrived after dusk around 7:30 or so but had such a difficult time finding our campsite that we didn't actually pull into it until around 8:30.

By that time, it was pretty dark so we set up our tent by the light of flashlights and the lantern. We had a hasty dinner and then chilled out by the fire for a while before heading to bed.

The Rugrat was using her MyCot but we still thought there might be some protest. She didn't make a sound. I put her in her pjs and laid her down on it without even a whimper. She just waited until I could lay down and hold her hand for a bit. Then she passed out completely.

I couldn't believe it and neither could Hubby. I don't know if it was the shock of sleeping in this fabric balloon or what but she didn't complain about going to bed the entire time we were there.


We did have a midnight visitor so some of us didn't get as much sleep as everyone under 30 did. I find it amazing that none of the kids woke up through all that but they didn't.

He however wasn't the only wildlife around. Across from our site was the shower/restroom. To the side of it grew a large patch of clover. There were at least 3, possibly 4 deer who visited it early in the morning and during the night for a snack. That was a lot of fun to watch while sitting around our fire.

Later, on Friday, we went to check out the water.

Around 5 or 6 pm, a horn will sound to let everyone know that they are raising the gates at the dam. If you so desire, you can even go sit and watch as the water steadily rises. This entire 'island' (for lack of a better word) the Chick is standing on gets covered by water as well as most of the rocks in the pictures above.

While the Chick was the first to venture over to it, we followed suit eventually. This is at one of the other access points (there were 3 total in our campground, ours was in the middle).

A walk back to the campsite to get some dinner.

The Rugrat loves anything to do with being outside. She also loves finding treasures to keep with her -- such as the flowers above. She found this walking stick and thought it needed to come along with us. She seems to know how to use one.

But even with a walking stick, it was pretty tiring.


I finally conquered grilled pizza that night over the campfire. It turned out quite well, I think. Mine was the only one that got burned. grrr

Shortly after we finished dinner, my brother and sister-in-law arrived. They came up to hang out with us for a couple of days.

Hubby was close enough to go see his Hogs play in Fayetteville and so he made the trip on Saturday evening while we visited. Shortly after he left, that horn sounded and we went to check out the rising waters.

that evening's fire

On Sunday morning, we had a pancake breakfast and then packed everything up to head home. I don't have any more worries about camping with Rugrat. She had a blast. As did we all.

On the way home, we even discovered a hitchhiker.

And I had planned to leave the walking stick there.