Camping July 2012

Camping plays a key role in the story of how Mr. Cherry and I started dating. I went to college with his brother and sister-in-law. Throughout our four years of college, we camped together several times. When we graduated and ended up living in the same area, we continued our camping adventures. One summer I suggested that we invite Mr. Cherry along. (I may have had ulterior motives.) Instead of his brother calling to invite him, they gave me his number. When I called, Mr. Cherry agreed to come along despite the fact that he never really liked camping. (He may have had ulterior motives.) Over the next few years, Mr. Cherry and I camped many more times and he grew to love it. So, in staying true to our roots, we continue to camp as a family. And while camping isn't quite as relaxing as it was in the days before kids, it is still a family activity that we all enjoy.

Every summer we try to go camping with our friends the Bs. Last month we met up at another state park. Between the two families we have 5 kids under 5, which always makes for an adventure. While it was hot and buggy, we both enjoyed ourselves. There were hiking excursions, shared meals, and night time campfires. This time we opted out of the tent and rented a camper cabin for our family. 

F-F-F-all Camping

We have been planning one last camping trip of the summer for a few weeks now. After loading up we headed out Saturday morning. Destination? Unknown. That is the beauty of camping a little later in the year. Reservations are usually not necessary.

On the road . . . please ignore the antenna.

A little way into our trip we had our state park chosen and van headed accordingly. After a stop for lunch and drive through the campground we settled in at our site and set up camp. Next up was a hike around the lake a mere stone's throw from our site. That night we enjoyed a dinner of hamburgers cooked over the fire in addition to the left over pizza we had from lunch. As soon as night fell, we jumped into our sleeping bags and hunkered down for the night. (According to a woman I spoke with in the restrooms, it was already 46 degrees out.) 

Peachy settled down on her sleeping mat in her very own sleeping bag fairly well. Then, it was time for us to settle in as well. Only, I couldn't seem to get warm. Peachy must have been having a tough time of it as well, as she kept scooting around on her mat. Soon, I had her in the sleeping bag with me. After smashing my nose in with her head several times she fell back to sleep. Me? Not so much. Then Mr. Cherry and I heard the distinct sound of critters outside the tent. Mr. Cherry, being the man, went to investigate. The raccoons were getting into the garbage we had tied to the tree. (We know better than leaving garbage out overnight and learned our lesson yet again.) 

Peachy blissfully slept through Mr. Cherry getting out of the tent and securing the garbage in the van only to awaken when Mr. Cherry opened his sleeping bag. She was ready to call it a night although the night was still young. She did eventually settle down and we all slept until we heard the pitter-patter of rain on our tent in the morning. Thankfully it was only a quick shower and Mr. Cherry was able to go out and start a rip-roaring fire to warm us all up. After a hearty breakfast from the cast iron dutch oven, it was off for a long hike. Peachy settled right in to Mr. Cherry's shoulders and napped for close to the first hour. (Good for Peachy, not so comfy for Mr. Cherry.) 

Upon returning to the site, we decided to pack up and head home to enjoy the luxury of our own beds and the modern convenience of gas heat. We finished out the day with one more hike around yet another lake and started the trek home. While it may not seem like it, we really did have fun and enjoyed the trip. It is always good to get out in nature and play around and always good to get back home and enjoy the blessings we have in our everyday lives.

Camping with a Baby

Call us crazy. Call us adventurous. Call us admirable. Call us what you will. We took our four month old tent camping and lived to tell about it. (I would go as far as to say, enjoyed it.)

We have been camping with babies before, they just weren't ours and we therefore did not have full responsibility for them. Sure we did our share of holding and listening to crying, but at the end of the day we went to our tent and they went to theirs. Not this time, though.

Little Peachy is a lover of the outdoors which for the most part helped us out. Unfortunately she was so infatuated with her surroundings that she forgot all about the need for sleep. This did not bode well for her overall mood, but a few cat naps got her through until the major meltdown on the way home. The poor little thing cried and cried and cried until 20 minutes from home when sleep won out.

M and I enjoyed the great outdoors as well. There is nothing better than stripping life down to the bare necessity of just plain surviving. For some reason we find cooking over a campfire and having to heat water to do the dishes relaxing and fun.

We even managed to sneak in a few hikes. All in all, a wonderful weekend.

And I didn't even have to resort to the Gilmore Girls season of dvds that I had brought along just in case I ended up spending an inordinate amount of time in the van! (And your thought dvd players in vans were for children.)