I decided to do everything as basic as possible. The kids don't like their hot dogs on a bun and Roy is doing Atkins, so I didn't bother buying buns. And I didn't bother packing condiments for the hot dogs either! I got a bag of chips and some baby carrots and that was our dinner. For breakfast we had doughnuts and chocolate milk. Simple, simple, simple - that was my plan!
The campsite was at Thousand Hills State Park, which is just 10 minutes away. We got there around 4pm and set up camp, bought firewood and attempted to start a fire. It took a while to get it going, but eventually we had good enough of a fire to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows. The kids kept asking "what are we going to do now" and we had to explain that camping doesn't involve much - just sitting around and enjoying nature! We told some "scary" stories and when it finally got dark enough we put the kids to bed and enjoyed a few minutes alone around the campfire before we put it out and put ourselves to bed. And then I had one of the very worse nights of my life.
Roy had pitched the tent on a slope. He didn't have much of a choice and I didn't realize how much of a slope it was until Rae got into her sleeping bag and slid to the bottom of the tent! Roy and Blaise were on the other side of the tent and I don't think it was as sloped over there. But Rae had a really hard time going to sleep until she finally just smooshed herself against the bottom of the tent. I fell asleep okay but Isaac kept waking up because he was sliding too. Ugh. Every time I would wake up it would take me longer and longer to fall asleep because of the slope and the stupid noisy bugs. And then it got pretty cold and I was worried about the kids being cold. I tried putting Isaac into my sleeping bag to keep him warm (and to keep myself warm while I nursed him) but he kept sliding to the bottom of my bag! It was a LONG night. I kept looking out the window waiting for a glimmer of sunlight so I could wake up Roy and go home! Morning finally came and Roy made a nice fire and we sat around it enjoying its warmth. It was perfectly nippy outside and we enjoyed our breakfast around the fire. Then we packed up and headed out. We stopped by the lake and let the kids play in the mud and then got home around 10am. Roy was nice and let me sleep till 1pm! I really needed it! Then he had to go to work and I spent the day doing a ton of laundry and trying to find space in the house for all of our new camping gear.
So we all survived our first camping trip! Next time we camp I want to do more than one night because it's so much work and you have to make it worth the effort! But I'll only do it if we can find a flat spot to pitch our tent! Here are some pictures of our trip:
Isaac is so flippin' adorable in this picture
Rae wanted her doughnut warmed up!
Ugh, there were so many creepy spiders
And caterpillars also creep me out.
15 comments:
How fun! I know some of my kids best memories involve camping. We usually take the grandkids during the summer but the last 2 years it's just been a tent in our backyard. They do love it though! Our last big trip was to Yosemite a couple years ago. I think we are overdue and I'm planning one for next summer with the kids (Chuck doesn't know it yet :)! The memories make the effort worth it!
Ewwww! I hate creepy crawlies & I don't really like camping. I'm totally into the idea of it. But haven't never camped much the thought of all that work & slept deprivation sounds AWFUL! But, admittedly, you make it look fun!
some of my best memories as a kid were camping, I just need to figure out how to make it less stressful for me :) it looks like the kids had lots of fun.
i love that Rae warmed up her donut!
I've updated the panorama shot with an interactive version so you can look around and take in the whole scene.
Loved the post Ashley. Great job keeping it simple and I agree - camping is so much more worth it if it is for multiple nights.
Awesome work with the panorama Roy.
Sleep - that is my issue with camping now too. And it is a big issue. The last two times we have gone camping, I just have NOT slept well, and was somewhat miserable. I hate to be the air mattress or cot type of camper, but I think I'm just gonna have to be in order to be a camper at all. This last time we went, I got a king size sleeping bag so that I can have a baby tucked in with me (for midnight snacks). We had an air mattress but I let Chad use it, because I'm the "camper." I think we need another one (and a tent that doesn't leak.)
Excitingly, that caterpillar appears to be a member of the Lymantriidae family (tussock moths), though I can't figure out which species.
Katie - I kept asking Roy if I should bring the air mattress and he scoffed at the idea. I was hoping he would want it so I could be the "tough" one but still use it :) I'm definitely bringing it next time and getting a bigger sleeping bag. I think that a mom deserves an air mattress - if it means she won't be grumpy the rest of the camping trip! And next I'm going to bring way too many blankets so that I'm not up all night worrying about people being cold.
Roy - excitingly? Yeah, I'm sure everyone will be so excited to hear that :)
But my doctoral thesis was all about tussock moths!
I ran across a brochure for that state park the other day. Got it when I did my first trip, but never ended up staying there...stayed at the one by Adam-Ondi-Ahman and fell in love with it, so that's where I've gone ever since. Definitely easier when it's not just one night. Those one-night stands got quite tiring even by myself and I can't imagine with kids. I started using an air mattress on my road trips and don't think I could go back. James likes to use an Army cot. I so want to go camping again; maybe this winter as anything close to us would be more appropriate for winter camping I guess. James just got called to YM, so I guess he'll start finding out about the camping in the area.
Christie - maybe we'll have to check out that campground (state park?) sometime. What is it called?
picnic tables work in a pinch, especially in the summer when you need air flow
It is so hard for me to rationalize camping when I can go to the mountains and have fishing, hiking, and campfired, but still tuck myself into a nice soft warm bed at night. Also, with the kids being itty-bitty it ain't happening yet. I will wait until they get older. You go girl though! More power to ya!
Audra - if I had somewhere like the mountains I would totally do it like that. I even told Roy that we should just pay for a campsite and then drive the 10 miles home to sleep and then come back in the morning! Or maybe just me and the baby should go home for the night! :)
Crowder State Park
I love setting up camp and then running out to Ahman for the sunset.
Post a Comment