We had an unusually laid-back start to our trip today. While I performed my morning toilette, Kim and Skylar went to Wal-Mart to purchase mantles for our propane camp light and the four-legged rendering of Barbie: The Magic of Pegasus's Brietta, whom the Bean had earned by working hard on her math counting all the money she had thieved from my office. Then all three of us piled into the four-new-tire-clad New Silver for a stop at the Bagel Place, where we fortified ourselves with bread products and, in the grown-ups' case, big lattés.

From there it was on to Yuma. Skylar watched movies on the portable DVD player with the headphones on while Kim and I sampled various CDs to see which ones seemed likely to have staying power for her. In Yuma we made our first visit to the town's Barnes & Noble, which is considerably more attractive than the traditional way stations of Carl's Jr. or Cracker Barrel. The rest of the drive was mellow: more CDs in the front seats, more DVDs in the back.

After a brief bathroom-and-blood-sugar break at a McDonald's outside El Cajon, we headed to our campground at South Carlsbad State Beach, where we set up the tents in record time thanks to Kim's efficiency and Bean's greater self-sufficiency.

Then we ate dinner at the Chipotle on El Camino Real in Encinitas, procured ice, milk, water and cookies at the neighboring Von's, and came back to the campground for the day's high point.

Guess what? Skylar has new "feety" PJs after a considerable dry spell. Kim found some in her size, finally -- they're enormous -- just in time for our trip. It's not that cold here in October, but she likes being warm. First I took pictures of them snuggling delightedly in the tent.

Then I lay next to Bean in the tent while Kim performed her evening toilette, trying in vain to capture the two of us with our eyes open. Finally, Kim returned to the tent and we enjoyed one of our favorite pursuits: the making of a "famwich." In this instance, Kim and Skylar were holding their hands up toward the top of the tent, making shadow play comedy skits while I used my extended arms to photograph us as a unit.

There are many things that make me happy. But I don't think any of them can top the feeling of getting all cozy in the tent with my girls. I'm still bounding through the evening on springs of domestic bliss.