Hey, Uncle Clyde! I was telling Mom some of the funny things that happened to us on our camping trip over the 4th and she made me promise to send some to you. So here ya go....
Jevon and I decided to go camping at beautiful Ginnie Springs, out near where Lauren lives, over the 4th. So we invited Jevon's parents, his brother, and Lauren and Derrick. Caitlyn had never been camping so she was especially anxious to get there.
The kids and I stopped by Wal-mart on the way to pick up a few last minute things. If anyone in the store so much as looked her way she would squeal, "Hey! Yeah-yeah you! I'm going camping, wanna come? " or " Hey! Do you wish you can go camping like me?" I thought this old man in a motorized cart was actually going to take her up on her offer! His wife finally took hold of the carts controls and he and Caitlyn were finally separated.
Anyway, the kids and I went Wednesday to make sure to get a good campsite on the water. Lauren and Derrick helped me set up. Thank God! Jevon came Wednesday night. We were ready for whatever the weekend had to bring until about 9:30 pm when we all realized how extremely tired we were. Little did we know, that's when Ginnie gets crankin'.
We laid down in the tent and all you could hear at first were the frogs and crickets (which Caleb and Derrick had trapped in a bucket for fishing) and water flowing. And then ...CRACK ...POP ...BOOM! Jevon and I were sure we were hit. After a thorough check of ourselves we realized that it was the 4th of July. Duh!! The night went as follows ...CRACK ...BANG ..BOOM ...POP ...and fifty drunk college kids screaming "WHOOOOOOO", randomly, for no apparent reason.
The next morning we had to get up early to meet Chris and Al (Jevon's parents) and as we approached their truck I rolled down my window to greet Chris. Her face scrunched as she saw me and she said, "Eeew, Amber! Are you Ok?"
"Yeah, why?" I said.
"Oh, well you just look um.......tired, sweetheart."
"Oh, thanks!" I had no mirror or make-up at the campsite, and began to regret not packing either. Did I learn nothing at all from Aunt Jennie and Aunt Nanny? I have let you both down! I'm so ashamed.
Caitlyn rolled down her window and asked Chris very seriously, "Where is Pop-pop, Meme?"
"What, Honey?" she asked.
Caitlyn replied louder, "I said where is your Dad?"
Now Chris found this to be all too hilarious, that Caitlyn thought that Al could be her dad. It wasn't until later that the laughing was quieted when Caitlyn asked Al what his mom was cooking on the grill. Yes, Chris was not so amused. (She did laugh after making sure to correct Caitlyn of her grave mistake..hahaha!)
It wasn't long until Scott and his girlfriend, Amber, showed up. I needed to make something clear immediately. I have another friend named Amber and our group of friends refers to her as Big Amber and me as Little Amber. So I needed to make it clear right away that I would not be answering to Big Amber. Scott thought this was hilarious so he continued to call me "B.A." the whole trip. Even screaming it out down the river every time we would float down.
Anyway, Saturday when Shawn and Terry came to hang out, I was introducing everyone with Caitlyn's help. I told Terry there were two of us Ambers when Caitlyn shouts, "Oh, yeah! We have Big Amber and Little Amber!"
Terry asked, "Which one is Little Amber, Caitlyn?"
Caitlyn quickly pointed and it wasn't at me! Everyone but me found it hilarious.
But I need to rewind a bit to Friday night. Because I think that us campers were witness to a new world record that night and into the early hours of the morning. You see it was the 21st birthday of the kid across the street. Before we went to bed he was staggering in the road and singing and falling and laughing, as were many other college kids. But come about 3:30 am the fun was over. It started with a few dry heaves here and there. "Blah.....Bluh!" I woke up and looked at Jevon who was also awake and cringing. This sparked a symphony of barfing across the park. It went something like this ..."Bluh, Bluh ...Bluuuuuuuuhhhh. Bluh, Bluh ...Bluuuuuuuhhhhh!" It was coming from everywhere. It had to be some kind of record. I know for a fact that the kid next door to us puked for over three hours.
When we all crawled out of our tents that morning it was like all of us had a contact hangover. I never knew you could "catch" a hangover. How unfair! Anyway, I decided to go take a shower (for some reason I felt dirty). The birthday boy had just stumbled onto his beach cruiser "pee-wee" bike that he had been riding around the park all weekend. As I drove by in my car he would peddle, fall off, dry heave, get back on and ride in a constant S-shape.
The bathrooms were only about a mile from our tents and I was done with my shower and getting into the car when I saw him run into the men's bathroom. Did I forget to mention Jevon was in there. Hahaha! He ran in and every guy, including Jevon, ran out. It was hilarious.
Later that day I told Jevon I was going to walk to the deli to get some lunch. The kids wanted to come. It was just Caleb and Caitlyn and Caleb's friend Zane. It was a long walk on a dirt road and we were almost there when Caitlyn looked behind us and gasped and screamed, "Don't Look, Mom! They's Cops right behind us! Don't look!" I have to admit that is what I tell her when there is a cop behind us on the highway.
As I slowly turned around I was hoping to see a cop car in the distance. But, no. About five feet behind were two young cops on foot who were smiling from ear to ear at me as I shrank in embarrassment. One of them asked, "Ma'am are you doing something you shouldn't be?"
I responded, "Well, I didn't think we were speeding officer, but I've been wrong before."
He started to laugh and so did I. Then Caitlyn very firmly informed me, "They will take you to jail, Mom." I must have been beet red when they tipped their hats and walked on by still laughing. Caitlyn watched as they walked away, "You're okay, Mom, they're going......oh, Mom! They's goin' where we are goin'." I made sure to walk extra slow the rest of the way. They were gone by the time we made our way to the deli.
That night we watched the fireworks show. It was beautiful! Caitlyn held her ears the whole time and said, "The fire pops are WAY too loud!" We probably only got about six hours of sleep the whole four days we were there, between the record breaking puking, the constant "fire pops" and the random college kid "WWHHHHOOOOOOO's." But I must admit, we had a great time. Who wants to go next year?
Posted by Big Amber
Amber had a special birthday sleep-over for Austin. His three brothers and his one sister, a friend from down the street, and one girl cousin all attended this grand affair. They had a blast! 
Later that evening Jevon came home and decided he would play a trick on the kids and eat some of their cherries. He had eaten quite few when Amber caught him and explained just how the cherries had already been dipped, many, many times. 