Lights! Motor! Asian?--Feb 2010 Part II. 11/6-Pix, part 2. Page 199.

[DisneyDerek]

Welcome back Derek! Great you had such a nice father-daughter weekend with Erin. I was when I saw you "crying because you have 6 more years left to go to camp with Dylan and Ashlynn" Scarey about the kayak incident - glad you are all okay!

Thanks for the laugh at my expense about 6 more years of YMCA Indian Guides/Princess events.......yeah, Wendy was asking if I wanted to do Cub Scouts with Dylan (which starts at age 6) so I could skip a year and I had to think about it since Cub Scouts involves "real" camping events like backpacking in the Sierras, cooking over a backpack camp stove, eating dried fruit, etc. whereas Indian Guides is more laid back, like pack up the car, head up to the YMCA Winter/Summer campsite, share a cabin/tent with 8 other dads/kids and eat camp food. I was like, "isn't there an option behind Door #3 for overnight stays at the Disneyland Hotel and going to Disneyland?"

 

[glennbo123]

Glad you and Erin made it back safely Derek. At first when I read it I thought you were being sarcastic, but it sounds like it really was a scary experience.

 

[jakeybake]

Hey Jordan,

Mostly a lurker but wanted to come out of hiding to say God Bless and keep up the good fight!

Jay

 

[kmpprg]

Hi Derek, I am so glad that you survived the camping trip-literally! You are a good Daddy! It is nice to spend some one on one time with your children. When mine turned ten I took each of them on a four day trip-just the two of us. They still talk about those trips fondly and it makes me think it was a good decision. It is important for kids to learn to share and compromise, but it is nice to choose the restaurant and activity once in a while.
Happy Mothers Day wishes to Wendy! This is our second busiest weekend of the year at the bbq. We usually sell about 500 racks of ribs and 400 pounds of pork and beef. Needless to say I will be swamped for a few days! Have a good weekend-talk to you Monday!

 

[mousebymarriage]

Jordan, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for all the pain that you have experienced. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[YukiPhnx]

I didn't even notice the Wall-E shirt or that it was reversed in the pic...you must have great eyes

If it's Wall-E, then I'll see it. Wow, tents on the side of the road. That's the first I've seen of it. When my scouts group went camping, we were in the middle of some trees at a camp ground.

Mmmmm, sloppy joes. I love those things. Also discovered on one of my first scout camping trips

 

[Millie12591]

Derek, I loved the pictures of y'alls camping trip!! Such a great job! Erin looks like she was having a good time on the beach...I really miss the beaches in Southern Cali.

Glad to hear you survived, but I'm not happy to hear about your scare! Praise God your both well and not harmed.

 

[DisneyDerek]

Glad you and Erin made it back safely Derek. At first when I read it I thought you were being sarcastic, but it sounds like it really was a scary experience.

Glenn, yeah, it was scary. I'll post the extended story shortly.

Hi Derek, I am so glad that you survived the camping trip-literally! You are a good Daddy! It is nice to spend some one on one time with your children. When mine turned ten I took each of them on a four day trip-just the two of us. They still talk about those trips fondly and it makes me think it was a good decision. It is important for kids to learn to share and compromise, but it is nice to choose the restaurant and activity once in a while.
Happy Mothers Day wishes to Wendy! This is our second busiest weekend of the year at the bbq. We usually sell about 500 racks of ribs and 400 pounds of pork and beef. Needless to say I will be swamped for a few days! Have a good weekend-talk to you Monday!

Kathy, thanks for the advice about continuing the one on one time with the kids. On my long home from Santa Barbara with Erin I was thinking that it would be nice to have more "daddy dates" with her (like going to the moviespopcorn:, going to dinner, etc.) but it's just a matter of scheduling the time so I'm not saddling Wendy with Erin and Dylan and then she needs to schedule her one on one time with Erin as well. I'm looking forward to doing Indian Guides with Dylan since I remember doing it with my dad. Thanks too for the Mom's day wishes for Wendy (and back at ya Happy Mom's Day). Sorry you have to work so hard.

If it's Wall-E, then I'll see it. Wow, tents on the side of the road. That's the first I've seen of it. When my scouts group went camping, we were in the middle of some trees at a camp ground.

Mmmmm, sloppy joes. I love those things. Also discovered on one of my first scout camping trips

Yeah, we were in a group site which was separate from the main camp area, but that didn't stop people from driving their campers, cars, bikes, etc. into our reserved camp area. Basically there was asphalt in the shape of a loop which allowed the girls to ride their bikes among our camp site. We pitched the tents on the beach side of the camp and we were on a bluff, overlooking the ocean and lower camp site. Nice area but the winds were really strong.

Derek, I loved the pictures of y'alls camping trip!! Such a great job! Erin looks like she was having a good time on the beach...I really miss the beaches in Southern Cali.

Glad to hear you survived, but I'm not happy to hear about your scare! Praise God your both well and not harmed.

Thanks for the well wishes about our survival and sorry to rub in our nice weather and beaches....but it was almost a perfect weekend to camp.

 

[DisneyDerek]

Here's the extended play by play for our kayak misadventure during my recent camping trip. Sorry it's long.

Erin & I were on a tandem kayak among the 7 other dads & daughters who were on tandem kayaks along with the 2 kayak guides. Three of the pairs got separated from the group and got caught up in strong currents that took us out to sea about 1.5 miles or more from shore. The wind had picked up after we left shore and as we three were the last to enter the water, we got pushed out past the others who were further along the coast (about a quarter mile from shore).

The harder we paddled, the more we stayed in the same place and whenever we let up, we were pushed further away from shore. Later one of the guides came out to Erin & I and talked me into switching kayaks with him (he had a single with a super narrow keel). I tried getting onto his kayak but because it was super narrow, it kept flipping over whenever I tried to pull myself onboard and sit up. After about 5-6 times of this, I finally got super tired and totally sea sick.

When the guide convinced me to switch boats, he jumped into the water and ditched his paddle. I ditched mine and tried to jump into his kayak but went over the side due to the narrow keel. Soon, the 3 of us were drifting out to sea away from the paddles. The guide held onto both kayaks and after awhile kick swam us back to the paddles.

I was entirely too tired to pull myself onto his kayak after flipping so many times so he put Erin back on the tandem kayak (she had jumped out for some reason), got onto the tandem and started towing me and his kayak to shore (I was hanging onto both kayaks in the water in between). As I was getting dunked with water every time he paddled, I told him to stop, pulled myself onto his kayak and then hung onto the tandem kayak to get towed into shore because I was too sea sick to paddle myself.

After awhile, the more experienced guide came out to meet us, clipped on a tow cable, and towed me (still very sea sick) to shore while the other guide paddled Erin to shore in the tandem kayak.

It was definitely not one of my happiest moments in life...and after I got to land with all the other dads waiting, I kissed the sand and swore never to get on a kayak again. I think the lesson learned is, don't go kayaking unless the water is still, don't get off your kayak into the freezing cold water, don't try to get onto someone else's kayak if you're not familiar with it, hope your guide has a tow cable handy, or simply don't go kayaking at all unless you're somewhat experienced. Note, I have kayaked before on Catalina Island twice but this was some very sudden outbreaks of strong currents (some dads said they saw white caps and they said they couldn't see us when we were out at sea).

 

[KathyRN137]

Oh, Derek!

Glad you two are okay! (I was getting a bit seasick just reading about it.)


Kathy

 

[DisneyDerek]

Oh, Derek!

Glad you two are okay! (I was getting a bit seasick just reading about it.) Kathy

Thanks Kathy, me too after re-reading our eventful trip.

 

[englishrose47]

Derek that is awful !! I would have been petrified !! How did Erin do with all this !!!???

 

[englishrose47]

Jordan here's your daily Rosie

 

[DisneyDerek]

Derek that is awful !! I would have been petrified !! How did Erin do with all this !!!???

Rosie, the funny thing was, the other dads said that Erin was sporting a smile from ear to ear as she was riding the wave in with the guide on the tandem kayak. I'm glad wasn't traumatized by the event since she protested going kayaking in the first place. In hindsight, I should have listened to her (but we had already pre-paid for the kayaking).

 

[eandesmom]

Oh my goodness Derek! How terrifying. I am so glad you are both ok!

 

[DisneyDerek]

Oh my goodness Derek! How terrifying. I am so glad you are both ok!

Thanks, me too.

 

[jenbear123]

Hey Jordo! Just a quick being sent your way! Wowzers, that kayaking story makes me never want to go kayaking. Glad that you all made it back to shore. Too bad about the seasickness thing. I can relate to that after my first cruise at the beginning of April.

 

[englishrose47]

Good morning or early afternoon Peeps !! Jordan here is my daily

I plan to update my TR tonight !! But have to get ready for work now !!!

 

[Native NYer]

Hope you're doing well Jordan

 

[*Seanaci*]

Daily hug for Jordan.

I have a video to upload and share tomorrow...peep jousting.