First time family camping

Katniss turned around to look at her kids. Joy was staring out the window glumly. Lupe, however, was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. They were going camping. Thanks Peeta, she thought.

He'd planned the whole thing without telling them. Katniss didn't mind going camping at all. Maybe it would even be fun. Maybe.

Lupe had been ecstatic, bouncing off the walls and talking about the bear he would tackle when they found one. Katniss had to laugh, but quickly reassured him that she was sure he could tackle any bear.

Now Joy… she was a different story. She'd begged them to let her stay home, not to take her. Peeta had literally carried her to the care upside down and screaming, "No! I won't go! You can't make me!"

They had made her.

Now they all sat in the car, silent.

Peeta was driving very quietly. He looked disappointed. Katniss knew he'd been expecting a better reaction from all of them. "So…" he mumbled. "Who wants to sing a camp song?" he asked.

Lupe exploded into happiness pieces, while Joy groaned rather loudly. Katniss stared at Peeta in surprise. A camp song? Really Peeta, Really? She thought.

But she sang along anyways.

"A yellow bird," sang Peeta.

They all repeated him.

A yellow bird

With a Yellow bill

Was sittin' on

My window sill

A yellow bird with a yellow bill, was sittin' on my window sill

I led him in

On crumbs and bread

And then I smashed

His yellow bird head

I led him in on crumbs and bread, and then I smashed his yellow bird head

I put him in

The oven to bake

And then I had

Some yellow bird cake

I put him in the oven to bake, and then I had some yellow bird cake

I washed him down

With coconuts

And then I puked

Up yellow bird guts

I washed him down with coconuts, and then I puked up yellow bird guts

The moral is

Don't be a nerd

And stay away

From yellow birds

The moral is don't be a nerd, and stay away from yellow birds

(For those of you who don't recognize the song, in between each space, somebody will repeat)

Katniss wasn't particularly fond of the song, but by the time they were done the entire family, even Joy, was singing along. When they were finished they all laughed.

Lupe said, "Again again!" throughout the rest of the car ride there (Two hours)

Thanks again Peeta.

Upon arrival it was around noon. Joy and Lupe jumped out and began chasing each other almost instantly. The camp site was decently sized, and perfect for a small tent.

They unpacked their tiny new house and laid out sleeping bags.

"So what now Peeta?" Katniss asked, praying they weren't going to sleep.

Peeta considered. "Um… how about we… go on a hike?" he asked happily. Katniss rolled her eyes, but hearing Lupe cheering (as always) they all agreed and strolled into the forest.

Katniss and Peeta could have gone for hours, and they both knew it. But once they had walked about half a mile, Joy began whining about how far they'd walked and how tired she was. So they finished the mile and turned back.

Katniss enjoyed it, but constantly turned around, untrusting of this new forest. She felt like she was back in the Hunger Games. She'd gotten the feeling only meters into the hike. She knew Peeta was feeling exactly the same way, but he was clearly trying not to show it.

The minute they came into the opening, she wanted to get down and kiss the ground, but she knew that would raise suspicion in her children, so she didn't. Because the truth was, neither of their kids knew the story of Peeta and Katniss in the Hunger Games. And neither of them ever would.

Hopefully.

When they got back, it was around five. Great, Katniss thought, it took our kids three hours to do a one mile hike.

She ignored the thought and asked Peeta what was next. Since they were all hungry, he suggested dinner, and began trying to cook something called beef on the grill. It didn't take long for them to decide Peeta was not one to grill when the beef caught on fire. They all laughed and ate the tender meet burned.

That night, they were sitting out when Lupe announced that he had caught a bug. He opened his hands to reveal one of the biggest spiders Katniss had ever seen. "Sweetie, why don't you go put it back," she said evenly to Lupe.

"Okay mommy!" he said happily, and as he put it down he promptly stepped on it. Ugh.

Within minutes he caught yet another bug, but this one brought a grin to Katniss's face. It was a firefly, and lightning bug, a winged wonder.

They got a jar and began catching many of the little creatures, until they had a perfect nightlight for the tent.

Waking up, they cooked s'mores (which Katniss LOVED and had never tried before) and headed out.

"So what did you guys think?" Peeta asked?

"That was totally amazing, Dad!" Lupe said. Then he frowned. "But I didn't get to wrestle with a bear." They all laughed.

"What about you Joy-Joy?" Peeta asked.

"It was pretty alright dad," she admitted.

"And you?" he said, turning to Katniss.

"Well," she said, " we didn't see any yellow birds, so I suppose it was all okay." They all laughed some more.

"As for me," Peeta told them, " I think It was the best camping trip ever."

And they drove home, singing the yellow bird song.