Camping, Summer of 2013.

I have a couple summer posts that were never posted. 

We went camping in August? Or was it July? Either way, I started this post and then never published it. Here it is, a little late. ;)

The first, official, family camping trip!

My kids have been asking to go camping for years.

 I have ignored their requests for years. 

How could that be fun? 

It's hard enough to make meals and clean up at home. 

Why would I want to do it in the dirt? 

Plus, I think it's hard enough to keep my kids alive around here let alone next to a river and a fire and woods.

 I didn't grow up camping with my family,  so to me, camping looks like a big job I do not want to be in charge of. 

Mmmmmmm, tinfoil dinners.

But I do like camping without my children, when someone else is in charge of meal planning and food packing and fire building. I have loved going to girls camp with the youth of my church. 

I decided after seeing how much my girls loved girls camp this year, that maybe I could handle camping with my children now. 

My youngest are 6, it's not like I have to change diapers and keep them from falling into the fire pit.

So we finally went this past weekend. 

We only went for one night. We could have easily enjoyed another night.

Every new stage of parenthood has wonderful, new, fun things to offer!

That's good, because every stage of parenthood has hard, no fun things to go through too.

Ever had a banana boat? 

They are yummy. Wrap that it tinfoil and put it in the coals to get all melty.

Fishing in pajamas.

Making whistles out of snake grass.

The clouds kept it cool. 

It didn't get hotter than about 83 degrees most of the time.

It even rained for about an hour an a half. 

We snuggled down in the tent. I napped and read and the kids played some made up game all cramped in one half of the tent.

  Distant thunder rumbled, keeping it exciting but not scary.

Then it stopped.

 The sun came out and we played in the river.

Nate is great.

This water is freezing. 

My feet went numb standing in it.

I loved camping. I am looking forward to doing it again. 

I loved watching my kids enjoy nature.

Most of all,

I loved watching my kids enjoy each other.