That sign, which was posted up at a campsite not too far from ours, pretty much sums up our family bonding experience at Country Jam this year! I had no idea that when I booked this country music filled camping trip for our kids that we were in for such a crazy fun party. It was exhausting and exhilarating all wrapped up into one!
The moment we arrived Wednesday night to the moment we left Monday morning, the party never stopped. From the blaring campsite speakers, to more variations of beer pong than I care to remember, it was truly an experience that I (and am I sure the kids) will never forget. After setting up camp we went to bed to the sounds of bad decisions and inappropriateness all around us. We woke up the next morning to blistering heat, no shade and neighbors! A quick drive around camp told us that we needed to remove our children from the camp area quickly...or else their entire innocence would be lost (if it isn't already just having us for parents.) We found a lake nearby that would provide us shade, water fun and refuge for the next 2 days. Thank God I could delay the talk about what a blow up doll was until at least next year!
Thursday we headed into the venue and were immediately stopped by a camera crew who was filming for the event. They loved our wood paneled wagon (and our highly attractive family..well they didn't say that but I know they were thinking it) and wanted to ask us some questions to be used on the big screen that night. I guarantee they regretted it the moment the cameras started rolling. First, AJ started sticking out his tongue and making zombie noises. Then they asked Cienna who she was most excited to see during the festival. She responded with an enthusiastic "Luke Bryan!" which would have been great if Luke Bryan was performing at the festival. After informing her of her blunder she stated that she meant to say Keith Urban so they decided to give her a second chance. Take two. "So, who are you most excited to see this weekend?" to which she replies "Luke Bryan!!" AGAIN. Needless to say they showed our cute little family on the screen but did not play any audio! We carried on with our heads held high and saw Parmalee and The Band Perry that night. Friday night we really enjoyed Frankie Ballard, Thompson Square and Keith Urban and we stayed right until the end. The kids also enjoyed themselves, made friends with other kids and returned to the campsite exhausted.
AJ would return to the campsite so tired in fact that Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights he fell asleep in the wagon, and we simply dragged him back to the tent and parked it right where his sleeping bag should have been.
Saturday we decided to change it up a bit from the lake. We headed into downtown Grand Junction and did some window shopping in air conditioned stores all day. It was just too damn hot to stick around camp or even see any of the performances during the day. Well that and I did not want to explain to them what that sign "boobs for shots" meant. We returned to find that one of our fellow campers had put a brand new bottle of Fireball in our cooler (apparently we became known as the Fireball couple after dark...sharing is caring!) and to see Kasey Musgraves, Billy Currington and Tim McGraw that evening. My favorite night of music at the festival!
Saturday night turned into Sunday morning very quickly. After 4 solid hours of sleep we were awoken to a 150 degree tent and a headache. MUST....FIND....REFUGE. We found it in an air conditioned movie theater where we took the kids to see "Inside Out" and may or may not have dozed off a few times. But there is no rest for the weary! We had to forge on in the name of country music fans everywhere! Even Cienna showed braveness in the face of adversity. One minute she projectile vomits in the campsite. The next she is wiping herself with a baby wipe and telling us she is ready to go see The Eli Young Band! We have taught you well young Jedi. After also catching the Randy Rodgers Band and Toby Keith we returned to camp, prepared for our departure the next day and got a good night sleep.
Aside from the heat, it was so much fun that we A) vowed to never return without a camper and a generator and B) renewed our campsite for next year! Call us crazy but WE WILL RETURN! Now hows that for your first tent camping experience Cienna and AJ?
