A Camping We Will Go

This past weekend we decided to go camping with the kids, my parents, my sisters and their boyfriends. We went to Hickory Run State Park up in the Poconos. We had no idea how the kids would handle this experience, if they would go to sleep at night and not have me drive half way home in the van and back just to get them to sleep, if they would stay away from the campfire and not burst into flames, if they would be quiet enough at night not to bother the other campers and receive dirty looks in the morning, and if they would take showers in the camp bathrooms without sounding like they were being attacked by bears. (the don't like showers, especially showers in unfamiliar places). But they even surpassed expectations by loving it. They were so tired each night that they went to sleep as soon as they were placed in the tent. The bathrooms had a handicapped stall and so there was a bench on it with a detachable nozzle so that I could hose them down without water pouring over their heads with no control. Kendall has been asking all summer to go camping, not even knowing what camping really was, and she finally got her chance to go and is really quite the little camper. They adjusted well, entertained themselves, ate & cooked s'mores, and even went on a 'hike.' We had perfect weather all weekend.

On Saturday we went to Camel Beach, a water park. Kendall loved going down all the slides, have the water pour over her and watch everyone going down the big slides. They both loved the lazy river and Ethan even fell asleep on me as we floated together. Ethan came down with a cold on Saturday which caused him to have some coughing going on, I too was starting to feel rotten and get that campfire feeling in my throat, but we pushed on, took some cough syrup, and the three of us now have scratchy throats and a terrible post nasal drip cough. However, we would have had this camping or not, so we will live.

So will we camp again, sure! I don't think I would make any changes with the exception of not to get sick bc then I could have stayed by the fire longer! I would for sure pack the wagon again next time and I am sure Andy would too. Here are some photos of the weekend.

These next 2 shots are at home the night before we left. Honeygram gave Kendall and Ethan some rain ponchos, a back pack, and a canteen. All of these items had to go on as soon as we got home to prepare us for our weekend. Kendall even decided on her hiking shoes and is holding what she found on her 'hike' around our basement. ( a crocodile, of course, her favorite animal & when asked, what she wants to be when she grows up)

On the way to camp. Ethan with his blankie, binky, and bear

as you can see, he could hardly stand the excitement.

Kendall fast asleep on the first night. We slept head to head to the kids so they slept next to each other. I was afraid one would wake the other up, but Ethan just curled into Kendall and a few times at night I would find him sprawled out with his legs and arms covering Kendall.

Our dirty little man. Some might think that it wouldn't even be necessary to take baths or showers over a weekend, who cares. Well you my friends do not know my son. He is a dirt magnet and often call him pigpen after the Charlie Brown character. This kid loves to get dirty, so put him in the woods, he is going to get into everything, as usual.

Kendall and her aunts. Everywhere they go, she is close behind. She adores them.

Our resident fire starter relaxing by the flames.

Ethan eating his breakfast. He just thought this was great that he could eat on the back of Pop's truck.

My Dad working on the flames. Can you find out what is wrong with this picture?

(Answer: The hand in the flame is not the one with the glove over it)

My Dad's new coffee pot and new cook stove. He desperately needed a new pot, he had an old stove and even through it was his Dad's, it

was in desperate need of being replaced, so my Mom got him one just like the old one for Father's Day this year.

Ethan and his Daddy getting in some cuddle time and eating, of course.

Happy Birthday Aunt Meghan!

We decided to hike to Hawk Falls, which was just long enough for the kids. When we got to the falls, there was people jumping off them, so what does my family do? Join in. Everyone but my Mom and I jumped in. (someone had to watch the kids, and not only that I didn't have my suit with me) The water was freezing, so much so that it took your breath away, but that didn't stop the jumpers from throwing themselves off cliffs and posing under the waterfalls for pictures. Kendall so desperately wanted to go into the water, so we finally said, ok we will let you in, thinking she would get right out bc it was so cold, yeah right. With some coaxing, she would have jumped off the cliffs as well.

Dad jumping in. There is pics of everyone jumping in, but there is no reason to post them all.

Kendall eating her lunch on a cliff like it is any other day.

Pictures in the woods. Kendall thought she was super cool sitting on this stump and having her pic taken, so of course monkey see, monkey do and Ethan was right up on it next.