Camping and a Birthday

All EG wanted to do for her birthday was go camping.  She did want to go to the beach where we went last year.  But, by the time I got around to looking for reservations, our favorite sites at our favorite beach were booked.  So, I had a plan B.  And it turned our really great!

Small campground about an hour from the house.  It was on a beautiful lake and our site was lakeside.  It did ended up being one of the coldest weekends of the year but we can tolerate almost anything if we can cuddle up in our warm camper at the end of the day!

Two other family joined us which made it extra special.

View from the camper.

The dock right in "our backyard."

The kids.

Tons of deer.  We about ran 2 over as we entered the park.  Trails to walk and bike and run.

EG's birthday party.

Sweet friends.

Sweet siblings.

Walking over a stream.

Family birthday at home.

It is wonderful when we can celebrate and birthday and go camping all in one.  What a great way to celebrate all kinds of blessings . . . .

Beach, Besties and Bugs

Some time during the late spring, I had this idea to go camping during the beginning of the up coming school year.  Just me and the kids.  To kind of take our show on the road.  Do what we do.  Just some where else.

My goal was to have hubby drop us off at a beach campground about 2 hours away.  Leave us down there for a bunch of days and we would do school and life and then he would come pick us up on his next day off. 

I shared the idea with a couple of my friends and our "school fall camping trip" was born.  Our three families, 15 in all minus husbands, spent a few days at the beach, camping and doing school and life.  It was an experience to say the least.

My friends went down on a Wednesday.  The hubbies helped set up and then went home.  As it turns out, the bugs were super, super bad.  So, when I came down the following day, I had to buy 11 extra bottles of bug spray.  Bad, bad bugs!

It was decided, that to avoid the bug problem, we would have a plan of how our days would go.  And the plan went something like this:  breakfast inside, when the sun came out and the morning heated up which would make the mosquitoes go away, the kids would play.  Then about mid-morning we would go to the beach until early afternoon.  We would come back, eat lunch, do some school and then let the kids play. Dinner would be early to beat the bugs before dusk and then we would head to the beach for sunset.  We would play at the beach again until bath time.  And then we all come back, get cleaned and go to bed.  Or at least hang out in our campers.  The bugs were so bad that we couldn't really be out after sunset.

We went out to eat one night and had ice cream another day.  One day the waves were so big that the kids got to basically surf on their boogie boards.  The boys did a lot of bike riding and exploring.  

It wasn't exactly how I envisioned it.  But, I think it worked out well all the same.  The kids had fun.  We got to see lots of nature.  Crabs, snakes, a racoon that was not the least bit afraid of us.  And bugs.  Lots and lots of bugs.

I am glad we did the trip.  And we learned a lot about camping without husbands.  It was an experience and it definitely was a memory maker.  I think next time it will be in the mountains.  Maybe somewhere cooler and definitely a place not quite so buggy. . .

Camping in Winter

About a month ago we went camping with some other friends of ours.  For months we had been talking about doing it and it finally came together.

The one family had been camping once or twice before and it was not a pleasant experience whatsoever.  Bugs, storms and their tent leaked massively.  The other family had camped a long, long time ago and but had just bought a new travel trailer.  So, between the two families, we knew we wanted the whole experience to be a good one!

The weather cooperated a little bit.  It was overcast the whole time and misted just a little.  But, the ran held off until nighttime.

We went to a park that we have camped before.  There were caverns to explore and trails to walk and ride.  And lots of beautiful scenery.

I believe it was a successful trip.  The other two families said they would definitely do it again.  So, we will have to get another trip on the calendar sooner rather than later . . .

Camping and a Birthday

In November, we went camping for the very first time in over a year.  Even as I type that, I find it hard to believe.  The year before we camped probably a half dozen times.  From the beach to the mountains.  We had not used the camper in over a year because when we had camped in October 2012, we had taken our tent.

I will admit, it was a little more difficult getting ready, but, when we got to the campground it felt so good to there!  We had missed it!  I made it a point to schedule a couple of trips when we got back just so we wouldn't go so long without camping again.

Anyway, when we went camping in November it was on EG's birthday.  So, we had her party at the campground with her very special friends.  I think she enjoyed it!  We camped at one of our favorite campgrounds which just happens to be at the beach.  Gotta love November in the south.  When we arrived it was crazy cold.  A day later the kids were playing in the water at the beach!

EG's birthday party.  And her present from Mommy and Daddy.  A brand new bike so she can keep up with the big kids.

As the boys get older, the dads teach them all kinds of outdoor skills and they have a blast learning things on their own.  When I see them with hatches etc my heart skips a beat, but they love it and they are learning important life skills.

The view from our camp site.  Beautiful!

The girls and boys spent some time fishing.  One of EG's friend's caught a fish and Boop caught an eel.  No one was real sure what to do with the eel.

The beach at our campground.  One of the most beautiful places on earth.  I had hoped to get our family picture here this year, but EG ended up being sick, so while all the kids were playing at the beach, she was in the camper sleeping.  Maybe next year.

The playground at the campsite.  If you look real close you can see the littles with their feet stuck through the holes of the tunnel.

Boop fishing.

We have been camping with all the kids for quite a few years.  Our families continue to grow.  One friend is pregnant with baby number four and another friend is getting ready to adopt.  We love these families!

The kids loved playing at the beach.  On the other side of the dunes it was calmer and many of them got in.

It was a great time had by all.  We just love to camp . . . .