Camping on Antelope Island

In May Jason decided to do a test run with Jacob in his tent. May was too rainy to do it outside, so we pitched the tent in the family room. Overall it went pretty well and signaled that we could go camping and expect to sleep for most of the night.

On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend we went camping out on Antelope Island. When we arrived at the park there was a sign that said, "Biting gnats are out." They meant it! When we got out of the car they were all over. But we forged on, got out our tent, etc. and got set up. After setting up we went down to the "beach" and then drove out to see the buffalo. They are so big and amazing!!


Dinner that night was interesting. The meal was fine, but the gnats were all over. We were one of the first to set up camp and we watched the campers at the next sight over, pull up, open their camper door, the teenage daughter stepped out and immediately began screaming and flailing her arms as she encountered the gnats for the first time. It was so funny! We took turns fanning each other to keep them away while we ate. Finally Jason had us put our shirts up over our heads to keep them out of our ears and off our necks. It helped quite a bit and we were a sight to behold. I wasn't cold in this picture, just trying to keep them off of me!
That night the wind kicked up a little bit which got rid of the gnats and we enjoyed our smores by the camp fire.

That night went pretty well for sleeping too. Jacob slept until about 4 a.m. and the began trading sleeping spots--first cuddling with me and then moving over to Jason's bag. Not too bad for our first camping experience as a family.