Idyllwild Park Camping- Because We Are Not Afraid Of Nature (Or Dirty Children)

After our adventures camping in Leo Carrillo, we were ready to try camping again. It is true, Víctor was pleading to go back home at the end of that camping trip, but in general the experience was positive for us (I can’t say the same about all my friends).

This time, we decided to go for 2 nights. We looked for another place to go that was close to LA that seemed fun and closer to nature and we found Idyllwild.

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Call me ignorant or whatever you want but I had NO idea such a place existed southwest from Palm Springs. After an hour and a half of driving we were still at the bottom of the mountain surrounded by scorching heat and desert. I started freaking out about having to camp in horrible high temperatures with two sweaty children (I am not the kind of person that feels comfortable in extreme weather, hence, West LA is my home town), but just then we started going up and up the mountain. It was a steep mountain; in 30 minutes we were a mile in the air, at the camp, surrounded by tall trees in a perfect 75 degrees Fahrenheit kind of weather. Lovely.

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The nice thing about Idyllwild camping is that it is close enough to the town that if you happen to need a coffee at 6 o’clock in the morning and your husband is still sleeping in the tent with the kids, you are able to sneak off and take a 10 minute drive to get your fix. Now, if you don’t want to have anything to do with urban life, you can just stay at the camp and enjoy the silence. In this camping trip we felt more removed from the city and we took many (short) hikes with the kids. If you decide to give Idyllwild a try, I would recommend reserving a campsite near the bathroom. Some sites were far away from them and it could be a problem, especially when you have kids with urgent needs.

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As soon as we got there we unpacked our stuff, built our tents and set out for adventures. The kids were in heaven. You could tell from the beginning that they were really enjoying themselves. The beauty of camping is that it forces you to be with each other, to connect with your children and significant other. No computers, TV shows or any entertainment that is not each other or rocks to throw at your sibling.

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I saw Víctor gain some independence. In one of our outings he decided to go ahead and walk back to camp by himself without waiting for us. For most kids his age that might not be a big deal but for Víctor, with his cautious and gentle nature, that was a big step to self-assurance.

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After two days camping the kids were filthy. I sometimes think they start transforming into dirt so we went to take showers. YES! Idyllwild camping has warm, hot, rejuvenating showers. Don’t forget to bring quarters to be able to enjoy them. I would also recommend bringing some kind of table cloth. The tables were not very clean. Also, don’t forget the marshmallows, because even if your kids don’t eat them (my kids wouldn’t even try them), it is a lot of fun cooking them. Fire + Sugar= perfect combination.

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This trip was highly successful and convinced me to do this more often. We just need one more camping trip before the end of the summer and one of my summer goals will be completed.

To make camp site reservations go to this website.

George

VMGjugando

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Why is the World More Beautiful Today – Interracial Love

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I don’t get emotional about many things. In fact, my husband believes I am a heartless, stubborn, unsympathetic Latina. He bases this judgment solely on the fact that I don’t watch the end of stupid romantic movies. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good romantic comedy, but when the end comes and a wedding is happening and the guy runs to get back the one he loves, it can get pretty corny, plus, we all know they will be divorced in 3 years anyway.

So, I was running errands a couple of weeks ago and saw a couple. A beautiful, very dark woman, maybe from India, around 8 months pregnant, laughing and holding hands with her partner, a really, extremely, white dude. They were shopping for baby stuff and looked so happy and at ease. It was a beautiful scene. It moved me. It moves me when people can express their feelings freely. When you are allowed to love whomever you choose with no judgment of others. When people live their lives outside of old conventions, with communities that are supportive and nurturing.

I know nothing about this couple and their personal history and struggles, but I know that this particular day they looked very happy and in love.

Of course, I see this all the time in LA now. Latinos with African Americans, Whites with Asians, etc, etc. I know it is common and normal (at least in LA) to see this. Interracial couples are everywhere but it wasn’t a long time ago when this was not normal, when people were judged by society and forbidden to love.

There is a long way to go but let’s not forget today that we have walked a long way already and we should be proud of that. #lovewins
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Why Is The World More Beautiful Today – Gay Marriage

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My friends, Chris and Miguel, have been fostering a 5 year-old girl for almost a year. Víctor loves D and always wants to play with her so we get together a lot. This weekend we were driving to their house and Víctor started rumbling about cute stuff, which he does a lot lately, and in the middle of this he mentioned D and asked me if her ‘dads’ were going out with us too.

We have never talked about gay parenting, nor family composition, gender, or anything like that. This has not been a conscious decision. He has never asked and I really don’t care. It is a non-issue for me. So, I was happily surprised when he said ‘dads’ like he says any word, without weight, and never wondering why a mommy is not in the picture

One of the arguments I have heard against gay marriage is the difficulty of explaining it to kids. Well, it seems to me that kids do not need much of an explanation and I am proud to see my children growing as free of this social construct as you can nowadays.

I understand gay rights have had tremendous legal success lately but true progress will only come when this success is also reflected in the small routines of life.

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After this dramatic speech, I have to ask, am I the only one that thinks the Facebook filter everybody placed in their profile pictures to celebrate gay marriage was plain ugly?

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