Rocks Are a Kids Best Friend

There was a lot of beautiful scenery on the way to Diamond Crater State Park, winding hilly roads, trees, and way off you could see the mountains, punctuated by the ever-present background music of four kids. "Are we there yet?" "How far is this place?" "When are we going to get there?" "Is that it?" And us singing along, "NO!" "We don't KNOW!" "Just a few MORE MINUTES!" "NO! Those are COWS!" Luckily it was only about a 15-20 minute drive.

Evidently there are a LOT of folks hoping to strike it rich at the Diamond Crater, because the parking lot was packed! They had a big info center so you could watch a video about the history and see some exhibits with examples of the kinds of rocks that you might find while digging. We did a cursory glance of the diamonds and went to the tool rental. We bought four hand shovels and rented one bucket and one set of screens. On the way out to the fields, we saw that three diamonds were found the day before and the pressure was on! Hmmm, thirty-seven acres, where to start? We let the kids pick a sight and then we got to digging. At least some of us did...

Two hours later, Peach had the bucket filled with potato sized rocks that were so heavy I could hardly pick the thing up and she was not willing to give up one of them. So on the way to the rock washing station, I lightened the load one rock at a time while she wasn't looking. We washed up, went out to the parking lot and unloaded food for a picnic. Up the hill to the picnic tables and I was so tired I didn't think I was going to make it. Unfortunately, no one was as tired as I was, after lunch they were refreshed and ready to get back to digging in a new spot. I'm too OCD for diamond digging. "What if there was a diamond in the old place I was digging and I just hadn't got to it yet? What if the diamonds are all over there? Or over there?" Again...I'm easily overwhelmed. We dug for another hour or so, till Ace pooped and a diaper change was necessary and believe me, once we trekked up that hill to the car again I was not going back!




They sold firewood at the visitor center and we picked up three bundles because we had heard it was supposed to be chilly that night and all the logs and sticks were wet from the night before. We headed back to camp and by 5:00 we were starting the charcoals for dinner. We had a very fine meal of grilled baja chicken, corn on the cob and some ranch style beans. Beans and a campfire, right? Finished up dinner enjoyed our fire for a little with more Smores on vanilla wafers and I was ready to hit the hay. Since I had slept in all my clothes the night before, I decided I would lighten up a little and put on my pajama pants, I dressed the Littles in their long john's. Peach wanted me to sleep next to her, so I took Charlie's place on the air-mattress, put Ace beside me so he could sleep in the crack. (Cause you know..with a big person on each side, he wasn't going to sink in.) It started to get cool, so I had Charlie bring me my sweatshirt and I put it on. Melee' slept in Ace's spot on the air mattress next to the tent wall as his mattress could not be repaired with duct tape. By midnight I had my sweatshirt hood pulled up and the drawstring closed tight enough that only my nose was sticking out and it was running. Charlie was complaining about having to sleep in the crack and we had some big laughs. He said "Your nose is running to keep it warm." and I said "Yeah, but it's making my ear cold." ewww :) At 4:30 Peach woke up and said "MOMMA, I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!" "What?" "I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!" "Can we go outside and squat by a tree?" "NOOOOO!" "Are you sure? It's really cold and it's a long way to the bathroom?" "NO MOMMA I HAVE TO GO THE BATHROOM! REAL BAD!" So we had to shod our feet, and put on jackets and we had to hike the one block gauntlet to the restrooms. Luckily we were able to warm up with the hand dryers for the walk back. "MOMMA, I'M REALLY COLD." "Shhhh, people are sleeping." "BUT I'M SHAKING!" "Shhhhh, I know baby, we're almost there." "LOOK MOMMA, LOOK AT ME SHAKING, CAN YOU HEAR MY TEETH SHAKING?" "Shhhhh, yes, everybody can hear you baby...." Back to bed and just as I drift off to sleep I hear something rustling in the leaves outside our tent. I jab Charlie "What's that!" "I think it's John, JOHN is that you?" "Yes, I'm getting my sweatshirt, I'm really cold." "Come in here and sleep with us."

So that's how we ended at 7:00 in the morning. Five men deep on the king size air mattress and one little girl snug inside her Hello Kitty fleece sleeping bag. Good times.