RE: SoCal PopUp Campers (" SCCampers" )

[Dee4j]

Hi Tom, Caroline & the boys
Welcome to PUT!!!! I don't know if you've noticed we have a rally planned in Oct
our 2nd annual Halloween rally at Vail lakes....Check it out, Hope You  can come...We'd love to have ya :W

[g-whiz]

Hi Moose,
 
Hope it didn't rain on you too much on Saturday. I was camped at site 126 Thurs/Fri nights and happened to walk by your (and I think Griffsmom) site. Boy...you sure make it look like home away from home. I walked by once with my son who was fascinated by your wind toys and commented to young moosette (just in case she remembers). We bought our popup (Coleman Santa Fe) last Nov and this was our 3rd trip out. The first two were campground with no water/elec/sewer hookups (Red Rock near Mojave and Death Valley), so we weren't prepared to take advantage of those too well. I saw your paper that had "popup times" on it and that's how I found this board...thanks for the pointer!
 
Maybe we'll see you around the area...and maybe next time I'll have more of the amenities like you two seemed to have. I tried to stop by and chat a couple times on Friday and both sites were empty...must have been out for a day trip around the area!
 
Just thought I'd say hi...
Tom/Caroline and the boys
 
(Off to Agua Caliente with the boys next weekend...should be fun!)

WELCOME Tom, Caroline and the boys!!!! Keep checking back for rally information and all kinds of tips as well. Dee4j mentioned the October rally, so I am mentioning the Pismo rally in June. I think there are still a few sites left.
 
Pismo info can be found here:
http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=43665
 
And also here:
http://www.sccampers.org/pismo2004/general.html
 
October Rally info can be found here: http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=51228

[OC Campers]

Hi Tom, Caroline and the boys.  Welcome to our happy campin group.  Hope to meet you at a rally.

Randy and I were off camping this weekend with our church.  We had a wonderful time   I think I might try to put a rally together at this campground.  It is the Metro KOA in Chula Vista/National City.  It is located in a valley in the middle of a housing tract but you  can't even tell.  The facilities are very nice, clean restrooms/showers, pool, jacuzzi, and very nice paved sites.  Plenty of shade and grass in some areas.  Lots of things for kids to do at the campground.   We arrived on Thursday and left on Sunday.  The weather was nasty on Saturday.  It rained probably 3 hours.  Boy, am I glad we had our popup.  We stayed dry and nice and toasty.  I felt sorry for the tenters in our group.
 
We did have a sad moment.  On our way down, we pulled into a station to get gas.  Ya know those nice hard metal poles in front of the pumps?  Well a popup doesn't stand much of a chance against one. .  Our poor little Westie has a nice dent and a very large scrape right near the hot water tank
area.  I heard Randy gasp when we pulled in but didn't realize we actually made contact.  When we got home and unhooked, Randy said see what happened at the gas station?  I almost cried. .  Hopefully, a little touchup paint will help a little.
 
Jacqui

[g-whiz]

We did have a sad moment. On our way down, we pulled into a station to get gas. Ya know those nice hard metal poles in front of the pumps? Well a popup doesn't stand much of a chance against one. . Our poor little Westie has a nice dent and a very large scrape right near the hot water tank
area. I heard Randy gasp when we pulled in but didn't realize we actually made contact. When we got home and unhooked, Randy said see what happened at the gas station? I almost cried. . Hopefully, a little touchup paint will help a little.
 
Jacqui

I think we all must have a battle scar or two, Jacqui.  Ours is on the drop down entry door.  We were parked by a curb in our condo complex and doing some cleaning.  The door dropped down just fine and little did we know it was resting on the curb.  The constant stepping in and out left a nice little scrape.  At least that is how I think it happened.  Scott might be able to shed more light the the injury.  Good luck with your repairs.

[OC Campers]

I think we all must have a battle scar or two, Jacqui. Ours is on the drop down entry door. We were parked by a curb in our condo complex and doing some cleaning. The door dropped down just fine and little did we know it was resting on the curb. The constant stepping in and out left a nice little scrape. At least that is how I think it happened. Scott might be able to shed more light the the injury. Good luck with your repairs.

At least it didn't damage the Astro van, I would of never heard the end of it from Scott. :p   And Randy was driving not me.  If I had done the damage, I would of never heard the end of it.
 
Jacqui

[oldmoose]

Tom, Caroline and the boys, my wife does remember you stopping by. Both familes decided a trip to Walmart was in order. Sorry you didn't stop by again as I would have liked to meet you. Check out the Pismo or October rally. I signed up for your site for the October rally.

 
We did get rain, but like the last VLR rally, it stopped just before our potluck.
 
Stick around as we have a lot of fun.
Moose

[griffsmom]

Well, I am about ready to take my mom home in a few minutes, and then I'll return home myself, pack up the camper and be camping until Sunday! Mom is doing well and my sister will stay with her this weekend.
 
 
We are really looking forward to this time to just decompress. Chat at ya Sunday!

Or Monday, as the case may be....
 
We had a great time this weekend, despite the rain. And like Moose said, it cleared just in time for Saturday evening's potluck. The food was great (see Moose's recipe for "When Pigs Fly" in the recipe forum) and it was wonderful to be camping again, especially since we hadn't been since early February.
 
We had a watershed moment this weekend--Jacqui and all you moms, I'm sure you'll appreciate this. There was another family there with small children, a boy who was 4 1/2 and his sister who was 2. Griffin had so much fun actually playing with them (not just hitting them, hugging them and broom-sweeping next to them)! Then after Saturday's potluck, the three kids went into their camper and watched a video together. There was no fighting, no crying, no getting into anything. It was the first time that Dave and I were actually able to sit around the campfire with the grown-ups and not have to constantly be getting up and chasing after our little monkey. It was such a turning point in Griffin's development--(insert a mommy's tears here)--my baby is getting to be such a big boy! It also made me think how cool it will be the next time we camp together to see Griffin and Maffew and the rest of our group's kids play together!

[griffsmom]

Hi Moose,
 
Hope it didn't rain on you too much on Saturday. I was camped at site 126 Thurs/Fri nights and happened to walk by your (and I think Griffsmom) site. Boy...you sure make it look like home away from home. I walked by once with my son who was fascinated by your wind toys and commented to young moosette (just in case she remembers). We bought our popup (Coleman Santa Fe) last Nov and this was our 3rd trip out. The first two were campground with no water/elec/sewer hookups (Red Rock near Mojave and Death Valley), so we weren't prepared to take advantage of those too well. I saw your paper that had "popup times" on it and that's how I found this board...thanks for the pointer!
 
Maybe we'll see you around the area...and maybe next time I'll have more of the amenities like you two seemed to have. I tried to stop by and chat a couple times on Friday and both sites were empty...must have been out for a day trip around the area!
 
Just thought I'd say hi...
Tom/Caroline and the boys
 
(Off to Agua Caliente with the boys next weekend...should be fun!)

Hi Tom, Caroline, and boys, and welcome to PUT and SCCampers! :W
I'm sorry that we missed you!!  Let's see...on Friday, we were riding bikes and swimming and doing the camping activity that you can never leave out...shopping for "amenities" at Wal-Mart!  
 
I hope that you'll continue to visit the boards here and that you'll join us at our upcoming rallies!  We'll be back at  Vail Lake Resort in October (I'm wagonmistress) and there are still plenty of sites, but we sold out last year, so if you think you might want to go, it's better to sign up earlier rather than later.  In any event, we hope to be able to meet you and your family in the near future!

[OC Campers]

Or Monday, as the case may be....
 
We had a great time this weekend, despite the rain. And like Moose said, it cleared just in time for Saturday evening's potluck. The food was great (see Moose's recipe for "When Pigs Fly" in the recipe forum) and it was wonderful to be camping again, especially since we hadn't been since early February.
 
We had a watershed moment this weekend--Jacqui and all you moms, I'm sure you'll appreciate this. There was another family there with small children, a boy who was 4 1/2 and his sister who was 2. Griffin had so much fun actually playing with them (not just hitting them, hugging them and broom-sweeping next to them)! Then after Saturday's potluck, the three kids went into their camper and watched a video together. There was no fighting, no crying, no getting into anything. It was the first time that Dave and I were actually able to sit around the campfire with the grown-ups and not have to constantly be getting up and chasing after our little monkey. It was such a turning point in Griffin's development--(insert a mommy's tears here)--my baby is getting to be such a big boy! It also made me think how cool it will be the next time we camp together to see Griffin and Maffew and the rest of our group's kids play together!

Unfortunately, we haven't experienced this yet.  Matt is still pretty agressive.  I have been working very hard on him lately.  I finally have broken him from telling everyone they are a "stupid head"  Lilo and Stitch doesn't get played at my home anymore.  Now he has started sticking his tongue out at people when he doesn't get his way.  Grrrrr.  He must get this at pre-chool because I know my older 2 do not do this.   I am at my wits end right now.  He is my last child and I can't wait for him to go to full-time school.   I am a stressed out mommy right now.
 
Jacqui

[griffsmom]

Unfortunately, we haven't experienced this yet. Matt is still pretty agressive. I have been working very hard on him lately. I finally have broken him from telling everyone they are a "stupid head" Lilo and Stitch doesn't get played at my home anymore. Now he has started sticking his tongue out at people when he doesn't get his way. Grrrrr. He must get this at pre-chool because I know my older 2 do not do this. I am at my wits end right now. He is my last child and I can't wait for him to go to full-time school. I am a stressed out mommy right now.
 
Jacqui

Aaahhh yes, good 'ol Lilo and Stitch.  Not only "stupid head" but also where Lilo hits (actually pummels!) her friend and with the help of Stitch, takes her bicycle away.  We had to ban that one for awhile too.
 
The way we finally got through to Griffin was to withhold DVD and computer game privileges if he hit anyone.  It took a couple of times to make a believer out of him (and I think it was worse for mommy and daddy than it was for Griffin) but once we instituted that punishment, his behavior changed dramatically and quickly.  Now, I have to deal with the occasional "poopoo head" comment that Griffin most defintiely picked up at pre-school :mad:  but the threat of a bar of soap in the mouth ala "The Christmas Story" has been enough to put an end to it.  Hang in there.  If I remember correctly, Maffew is a couple of months younger than Griffin.  Dave was right; they do eventually grow out of it.
 
This should bring a smile to your face.  I asked Griffin where he wanted to go camping and he said "wif Maffew"  then he added his new friends Spencer and "Symmey" (Sidney) too.  I gave their parents a brochure for PUT so hopefully, they'll check us out here and start to camp with us.  They're a nice family.

[Dee4j]

Hang in there guys...Take it from a mom of the "drama queen"!! it gets better as they get a little older. We've been fighting the 18 thousand trips into the bedroom after Kara is in bed and suppose to go to sleep... ya right
I started a "happy face" chart each night she starts off with 3 happy faces after the first "I need a drink blah blah blah" every trip in gets a happy face crossed out, she needs one left to get a sticker, 5 stickers = small prize (candy etc) they say this system works for any task you're trying to accomplish and after 30 days its habit. It worked with getting Kevin to stop crawling in our bed in the middle of the night (at 3-4yrs) and is working now on keeping his school notebook organized instead of just shoving them in anywhere.

I noticed the biggest change with Kara and camping was after she turned 4  so deep breath. count to 10,  have a Marga 'G' ta ....you're almost there :p
and hey if that don't work beat 'em with a big stick      :eek:

[griffsmom]

Hey Dee, and anyone else who would like to join us,

 
We'll be at San Onofre State Park, San Mateo campground, the weekend of April 30-May 2.  There were 17 sites available when I booked our site.  We'd love to have company if you're up for it!

[OC Campers]

Hey Dee, and anyone else who would like to join us,
 
 
We'll be at San Onofre State Park, San Mateo campground, the weekend of April 30-May 2. There were 17 sites available when I booked our site. We'd love to have company if you're up for it!

We would love to join you but Randy is having surgery (hernia) this Thursday.  I doubt he will be up to it.  We do actually have reservations there the next weekend.  One of these days Giffy andMaffew will get to camp together.
 
I know there is light at the end of the tunnel for the terrible 3's but man there are sure a lot of road blocks and detours:D .  I keep telling myself it can't be this horrible for ever.  Hopefully, I will make it.  Lori, Matt was 3 in February.
 
Jacqui

[griffsmom]

We would love to join you but Randy is having surgery (hernia) this Thursday. I doubt he will be up to it.

Tell Randy we will keep him and his doctors in our prayers.  
 

We do actually have reservations there the next weekend. One of these days Giffy andMaffew will get to camp together.

Worst case scenario, they'll get to put their little devious heads together at Pismo.:yikes:
 
 

I know there is light at the end of the tunnel for the terrible 3's but man there are sure a lot of road blocks and detours:D . I keep telling myself it can't be this horrible for ever. Hopefully, I will make it. Lori, Matt was 3 in February.
 
Jacqui

The threes have been way worse than the twos ever were.  Makes a mom want to :banghead: :swear: :%  
 
 
Here's what I choose to think: maybe by getting this all out of their systems now, they'll be perfect angels in their teens.  (I'm either an optimist or stark raving  :screwy: )
 

[gardenmomof2]

I just wanted to post a short intro and say hi to you all. We are Christy and Guy and the 2 boys Landon and Ryland and the dog Sequoia from mission viejo. We just bought a pop up new to us in oct of last year and have been having a great time with it so far. I think we counted that we have been on about 6 trips with it so far. We love it to say the least. We try to camp with family and friends but have been out as just us lately and I found this tread on the board and it sounds like you all have great fun. I hope to meet some of you soon i will be looking at the upcoming events and checking our schedules.