Camping with Kids

  

Before C and I were married, we camped a lot. It was the best way to stretch our money into nice long vacations. We took long rambling road trips around the Southeast, staying for a night or two in a different state park, driving into the closest city to sight-see and relaxing at our leisure. We had it down to a science – it didn’t even take long to pack, we had it DOWN.

But then there was engagement, wedding and immediate BABY (Hi Spencer!) and ten years later, we hadn’t camped once, save for an overnight backyard camp three years ago (wherein we sat on the back porch and watched the baseball game through the sliding glass door). It was fun but not really camping except for the uncomfortable night of sleep, I think you’d agree.

So this last weekend we went camping and it was marvelous. We had so much fun, hiked the trails, went to the springs, relaxed at the campsite for a good deal of time. We didn’t think or talk about work, or kid’s baseball politics or anything of any importance. We fell asleep listening to the radio broadcast of baseball games and spent lots of time sitting around with a drink and a snack and just enjoying each other.

  

It was hard to come home, for all of us. Henry cried Saturday night when he realized we’d go home the next day. Spencer complained Monday that he wish we were still camping. C spent all day Monday researching new tents (ours has deteriorated in the attic pretty badly). I … well, I was busy but I would have preferred to be camping.

So what did we learn? We need new equipment. We have some that is like new – the camping stove, for example. Other items, like the tent is in dire need of replacement. Also, home blankets don’t cut it for sleep, even on top of air mattresses. One, especially child-sized ones, need sleeping bags. Othewise 3am is rather a concerning time. We also way overpacked so I need to figure out how to pare down. Thank god we had two cars due to a work obligation because we would not have been able to fit all four of us in the car with all our stuff.

Overall though, a fantastic time. We’re excited to go again!