How A Family Camping Tradition Was Born

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by Mark Stephens on Wed Feb 2, 2011 - (3) Comments

Traditions have funky beginnings. One spur of the moment New Year's Eve camping trip a few years ago I horsed around with a flashlight and a 30 second exposure on my camera. After, oh, a few margaritas, everybody wanted in on the action.  By everybody, I mean my wife, and our friends Wil and Wendy. It was late, the kids were passed out in the tents, and obviously inebriated idle hands - as they say - are the Devil's workshop.

It took us about 100 tries to figure out how to write letters backwards, the same size, and acceptably lined up. You'd be surprised at the marital strife this stuff inflicts. "You're going too high with that H." "Well, your A looks like it's sneezing." "Who's making their zeros like Dr. Suess?" "My handwriting is exactly why I don't write you love letters." "I can't believe I even married you."

That New Year's, we crafted the lengthy nine-character wish to the world, "Happy 2009" in about an hour and a half of bickering. Ohstopyourlaughing.

A whole year rolled by. "We need to plan the New Year's trip, Mark," Wendy told me. I needed no more reminder than that.  I got a little chill and a funny grin and said, "yeah." A man of pithy replies, huh?

A tradition was born.

This 2011 wish is for you, directed by my wife and pulled off with the help of 12 adults and - ha ha! - only 10 frames to get this one. We're getting better at this.

Comments   

 
Sara Lin
0 # Sara Lin 2011-02-02 09:14
This is flipping amazing. I am dumbfounded and jealous I didn't think of this first...I'm going to show this to Dave because he will LOVE it!
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c.l.p.
0 # c.l.p. 2011-02-02 09:40
what's up with the red streaks?
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Wil
+1 # Wil 2011-02-02 10:33
The red streaks are from us throwing our lights to simulate "fireworks."
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