What a Saturday!

What a blast we had this Saturday (June 19)! It was one of the first Saturdays that Becca didn’t have to do her marathon work routine of AM Tan World and PM American Eagle. So we took advantage of our day. Everyone met at our house at 9AM. (Thank goodness for 2 early risers and one who doesn’t want to miss out on anything!) We loaded up in our new camping truck to get in the mood. Didn’t really need that help……Planned our agenda of camper dealerships and we were off and running! First stop – Schapps. We were a little unorganized and everyone was running everywhere and calling out “come see I found a wow” until our little organizer gathered us and got us a little more organized. We saw some awesome, beautiful, huge campers quite outside our price range (one was $325,000 motor home) but what have you got left in life if you can’t dream? Right?We also saw some in our price range that were very nice. We were kind of concentrating on 5th wheels, the purpose of our outing, but couldn’t stay out of the travel trailers.Then off to Northview Campers, Spader’s and Goos. We got a little more organized (thanks Becca) towards the end and also a little tired. So we didn’t go in as many at the last few as the first. No prices at Northview, so we decided they didn’t want our business if they didn’t put the prices in the units. At Goos, we just went inside the units in their big building. Becca had never been out there, and we too her through the one we really liked with the separate “kids” room. We went through all the rest and the last one we went into was a 30 foot Puma. Now this brand is the one we liked before, 2010 model was sold, and we are waiting for 2011 models to come. But this model we went through today was amazing. Great bunk bedroom on the opposite side of the camper than usually and a bedroom with queen bed on the other side. The queen bed is also part of another slide out and there is a door to outside in this room also. But what amazed us all was the outdoor kitchen, a part of the outside of the camper that opens up. Can you believe that we snapped pictures at every other camper place but Goos? Yeah, I can’t believe it either. So I don’t have pictures to show you. This is one, however, from the brochure we picked up. But, alas, this camper is more money than we had budgeted for the camper. So all the way home we talked about the advantages of camper #2 (the one we fell in love with today) and camper #1 (the one we fell in love with before and are waiting for units to come in). We had a wonderful impromptu lunch of camping food, per request of the 3 kids – hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cut up cheese. Talked about doing s’more, but were just too full. The 3 kids decided to continue their wonderful freedom on a Saturday and head over to Dan & Mary’s pool for swimming. After they left, Bernie and I started talking seriously about the campers. He had not paid as much attention to this last one as he was thinking we were waiting for the other one to come in, so we decided to head back to Goos and get an outside mat we really wanted to take the place of the Astroturf we have had for years. We thought we would use this pretense and take another gander at the travel trailer. Well, we found the mat first and then strolled on over. Bernie and I dug a little deeper and found the storage areas, outside shower, all the things important to us. Lee came on over and we did some serious talking. He explained that another unit, just like this one, with changes that we wanted on it, was on it’s way from the factory and would be there on Monday. Bernie and I talked about our little extra money my Mom had given us and that it would be the difference in the budget and decided we could swing it, if we both gave up our cash. Lee talked about the differences in #2 from #1 and how we were getting much more camper for little extra money (outside kitchen, rearranged bunk unit, slide out for bedroom). Bernie and I both looked scared, but we sat down and finalized the deal. That is a lot of 30 foot camper to tow with our little truck, but Lee says we won’t have any problems. Worked out having Lee attach a ladder to the back so Bernie can get on the roof and a cover for the bathroom vent like we love on our Terry and the deal was sealed with a down payment. Our new camper will arrive Monday, Lee will get the ladder ordered and attached and we can come and get the camper. We will set up an appointment after we get back from Lake Poinsett next weekend and pick it up. The kids were shocked when we texted them that we had sealed the deal and got lots of excited calls and texts from them. They are one of the main reasons we are getting another camper. They still want to camp with us and we are going to enjoy that while we can! This will give us so much room when we are out there! Josh had a bachelor party to go to, but Becca and Steph came over and we spent another Ideker evening around the kitchen table hashing over the day and our purchase. Oh, if that table could talk, the tales it could tell!! What an amazing Saturday!