I have to preface this post by saying that it was suppose to rain the entire weekend and Andy was trying to talk us out of going because of the rain. No way......it was going to be below 100 degrees there and I don't mind a little rain.
This time we decided to go up to 9512E and find a good free spot up there. We thought we found the perfect spot until Andy started backing up the trailer and it started to get a little crooked and then all I heard was psssssssssss (the sound of a tire going flat). Instant panic.....we don't have a spare full size for the suburban. Not sure if the little one would work with the trailer. UGH....but luckily it was bolt going thru the spare for the trailer. We didn't get into that spot so down the road we drove to our final PERFECT spot. By this time it was starting to get dark and we had nothing unpacked. Andy got our our generator and we had lights. Andy, Emily and Drew left to go get water. (Mental note to self.....BRING WATER so we don't have to go back to get some at the campgrounds.) It was definitely dark by this point and Andy didn't want to leave Lauren and I there in the dark. I assured him we would be okay so he finally left to fetch the water. Lauren and I got everything set up in no time until the generator went off....and the lights. Yes, we have flashlights, lanterns etc but nothing is like real lights. UGH...small problem but definitely workable. After they got back with water we started a campfire and roasted our Friday dinner.....hot dogs! I have to be near starvation for a hot dog but there is something about a campfire hot dog! YUM!
Off to bed we went or so we thought. I woke up at about 2:00am to rain and woke up Andy. I asked HIM to go outside to get our camping chairs that were by the campfire and bring them under the canopies so they wouldn't be wet for morning. He said...they will be okay. I was persistent that he went out to get them. Then to every moms horror.....Andy says Nic....Drew isn't in here. I thought he was kidding because we lock our door and he ALWAYS gets us before he even gets out of his bed. Emily said...mom..dad isn't kidding, he isn't in here. Up I flew, put on my glasses, no shoes and ran outside calling him...SON....SON...where are you. Remember, it is 2:00am, PITCH BLACK in the forest and it is raining. I was so sick and have never had the feeling I did and let me tell you that I don't want to feel that way again. After only a minute or so (by this time I did have tears thinking that my son wondered off and I would never see him again) Andy was calling DREW....DREW.....and he heard a faint squeak of huh? It was Drew in his sleeping bag on the ground outside in the rain! I ran over and scooped him up, cradled him and just cried...."what are you doing out here?" He was clueless and thought I was out of my mind. He feel out the back (we won't go into which OLDER daughter was to button it up) and was on the ground. Who knows how long but he did have dirt, twigs, rocks in his sleeping bag!! I have never in my life been as scared as I was. I can't imagine him not being with our family. Needless to say, he slept next to me the rest of the weekend.
The next morning we got up and had breakfast and enjoyed the rain for awhile. After breakfast we drove up to the rangers station and to the restroom. That is the part I don't like....no toilet. I don't do well squatting. There is so much to see up there...animal tracks, bears, beautiful view and best of all.....the rack! Drew was loving it!
We went over to Woods Canyon Lake for a hike. Oh so beautiful!! Earlier in the summer we saw the baby eaglet and we hoping we might see him again but he flew off but the mom and dad were still there!! I could sit and watch eagles all day long but the kids weren't too entertained by it.
We had a great day on Saturday. Nothing beats just relaxing and watching the kids try to play games. That was so funny...Lauren was a hoot to watch. We love Lauren but being the competitive people we are.....we had to trade off on what team she was on!! LOVE YOU LO! 
Sunday was a great day. The Thompson's were also camping up by us so we went over to see them. They were have a family reunion so they had lots of people there. It was nice to see a familiar face or two! Kirstie has an amazing family and they are all so kind. The kids wondered off into the meadow near by. Later that day, the Webster's came up to stay the night. I was so excited to have someone up with us. We had a great time with them: playing washers, ball, eating, eating, eating, s'mores. So glad they came up! I was so worried about them at night. It was chilly but they seem to do okay. I hope they did at least!Our trip was about over. We packed up and we heading home......about 10 minutes down from the rim and thump thump thump......we got a flat tire on the trailer! UGH!! Remember...our spare popped backing into a site! Of all days. We have NEVER used our spare. We pulled off, unhooked it and decided to head into Payson to get a tire and come back up. Don't forget it is labor day. NOTHING IS OPEN! No tire to be found, so we decided to head back down to the valley and grab one and get back up there to bring Ol' Bessie home. It just wasn't that easy of course. No tire was to be found in Mesa either. I was floored. I was talking to Laurie on the phone and we came up with a plan. Grab any tire we could to get the trailer off the side of the highway and take it into a campground, order a tire in Mesa and take it up later in the week to bring it home. Just as we were talking about it Andy had gotten back in the car for yet another...No sir, we don't have that size but we can order one. I said...Hey....Laurie and I were talking and Andy said....let me tell you my thought first. He thought the same exact thing. Dang...he was smart this time. We grabbed a tire and back up to Payson we went. Left the kids at home to get ready for bed since they has school the next day. Tire was on, we sore it was going to pop because it was not meant for the weight but we only had 2 miles to drive to Sharp Creek. We made it and Ranger Larry was there. (We stayed there over the 4th). He was so kind and let us store it in his driveway for no fee. Off back home we went. I wish we would have thought to do that earlier because we could have gotten that tire at the Walmart in Payson and saved a TON of driving time. Well....later that week, Andy got all new tires and went to pick up the trailer. When the kids got home they were so excited to see Ol' Bessie! Glad to have her home!! Hopefully our next trip won't be so eventful!
