At last! We took our first family camping trip, about 4 weeks ago, the week before Thanksgiving! Something we have talked and talked about doing since, well, since B and I thought about going camping the weekend of our wedding, since our honeymoon wasn't going to be until a week later... but we scratched that idea, and it's never materialized yet! Until now! Some friends planned a weekend camping trip for several families, and we decided to take the plunge...at the very last minute. So what does that mean? It means it was basically a 'trial run' for us, i.e. we got to see all the things we will need for future camping trips...like more sleeping bags, another tent, warm socks, you know- some of those 'not so important' things, right? Regardless of not being totally prepared for the campout, we had a fantastic time and we definitely made do, especially with the weather being beautiful for us. One of the things that made it totally worth it for me was when we were sitting in our tent, grabbing a few things we needed before heading to the campfire for dinner, and M looked at me with the most eager, excited eyes and said, "Mama!! Isn't it just wonderful that we're doing this?!? We're actually camping, outside, in a tent, as a family! I am ecstatic!!" Okay, that was all I had to see and hear to know it would be the first of more camping trips. We truly did have a great time, especially with the other four families there.... potluck dinner by the campfire, celebrating Papa's bday along with one of the other little girls who was celebrating her bday, eating s'mores, playing guitar and singing a few praise songs together, praying the rosary together with all five families around the campfire, and -I've saved the best moment for last- all 6 of us, snuggling up side by side together in the comfort of our 2 person tent (uh...did I mention we still need to get a few more things before we go on our next camping trip?!) It was a fun adventure for the fam, and we are all looking forward to planning another trip, hopefully sooner than later!
Playing before dinner- bubbles!
The kids all loungin' around and chillin' together!
The Mighty Men...with some of the babies!
Birthday Boy, Bren and his Bday buddy, Elise!
Eager little ones, waiting for a piece of bday cake!
Mmmmm!
Papa and his lil' buddy
S'mores.
The Camping Irwin Crew!
Hey, this Camping thing's a blast!
Enjoying a couple of hot wassail- mmmm!
Me and my girl, sittin' by the campfire!
Wow, Michelle, that is a lot of babies for one campground! Did anyone sleep that night? Isaac was so fussy at night the last time we camped, I vowed to wait until he's 3 to go overnight in a tent again. (Matt has taken J and A a few times and we just join them for the daylight hours. :) Looks like you had a great time! It's a lot of work, but worth it.
ReplyDeleteCarrie