So we had a spontaneous camping trip, meaning it wasn't planned months before with our best travel buddies the Elswoods. We didn't book a campsite and thought if we went up early enough we could get a walk-up site. So we planned to leave bright and early on Friday, June 24th to hopefully get a spot at Ledgefork Campgroup by Smith and Morehouse Reservoir. My absolute favorite place to camp. It was introduce to me by a good friend, Jeremy and his family in high school and love going up there. This was going to be our first camping attempt with Logan and all of us sleeping in a tent together.
I packed everything for camping and did all the shopping as Matt worked up until Friday morning. It was a bit hard getting everything in the Durango, but I did it including the canopy that rode up between my legs. Not the most comfortable 2 hour ride but it was alot of fun.
6-23-2016
Thursday, I finished packing everything and even baked some lemon cookies. I love anything tart. I got the recipe from my meal planning menu from SixSisters.com. We ended up babysitting two neighbor kids that day for about 3 hours so their mom could run to the OBGYN for a prego appointment and the dad could go to a spine doctor.
It helped me out to keep Logan and Kara playing while I baked, packed, and cleaned. Play dates are lovely especially if they will let Logan interrupt.
6-24-2016
Friday we got up early and left. It took a bit to get out the door, so we didn't leave until around 10am.
We had to drive with the windows open cause the Durango's air conditioning doesn't work. But Logan did great and fell asleep and Kara had fun being able to see out the window. We drove up to Ledgefork Campground and saw the "Campground FULL" sign posted. I started to panic a bit. We turned around and drove back to Smith and Morehouse Campground. Before we drove around, we stopped at the campground host's site. He had a vehicle there and a guy was talking to him. I made Matt get out of the car and go talk to the host. It took him quite a bit to come back so I thought he was going to tell me we had to go to Mirror lake highway to find a site.
Matt came back and gave me the best news. The guy that was visiting the host had just cancelled his reservation and we got the only campsite that was left. It would fit us and the Elswoods. Hurray!
We drove up to the site and waited for about 2 hours for the previous occupants to have lunch and leave.
While we waited, we played in the trees, had some snacks in the shade, and went hunting for firewood since I didn't have room to pack any.
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| Love this picture. |
While Matt set up the tent, I took the kids for a walk around the campground and to get out of the way.
I went down to the road to put up a sign so the Elswoods would know where we were at. Just so happens, I was reading the information sign when I turned around and they were driving up the road.
David and Kristin got their tent trailer set up and we fixed dinner. Hot Dogs and Brats.
Kids at while Matt and David cooked the Brats. They said they were delicious. I had a hot dot. Hebrew National brand is the best, but I guess the less fat taste different than the full fat and Katie and Parker could tell. Silly kids and their taste buds.
After dinner, we hiked up a short trail to the reservoir and walked to the spillway.
As the saying goes, when the Elswoods and Monsons are together be prepared for rain. It DID NOT rain! It was cold, but no rain. So nice and beautiful for our camping experience.
Logan didn't really get an afternoon nap so he decided to take one while hanging around on Matt's back.
We hung out during the evening and kids had gone to bed. I went to bed when Kara did, but she stayed up later than any of the other kids cause she is wired to play and have fun way past anyone else.
I was really nervous about sleeping and made sure the kids were layered up. I slept with a rock in my back all night so I didn't have the best sleep. Logan ended up in bed with Matt and Kara ended up sleeping next to me after having gone to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
But we all slept pretty late about 9am, so it couldn't have been too bad.
6-25-2016
HAPPY 12th Anniversary to us!
I woke up to the cutest little scene of my best hubby and cute little boy together.
Kara is asleep next to me under the blanket.
This is me attempting to take a family selfie to celebrate our 12th anniversary and to be thankful to be married to such a wonderful guy and daddy. Couldn't have asked for a better day.
We had breakfast burritos in the tent trailer.
Grace, Parker, Kate, and Logan hanging out on the bed.
David eating his breakfast.
Kristin wearing our Dirty Dash t-shirt that we did before I got pregnant with Kara.
Morning selfie and Happy Anniversary.
My family loves me.
After breakfast, we packed up the truck to go finishing. The kids LOVED sitting in the back. I drove the Durango so I could bring Logan back for a nap.
We ended up with not a very good fishing spot, but right by the boat dock, which worked out great for playing in the water with Logan.
Katie hanging out with us.
Logan taking a nap.
We went for another walk before dinner while David was cooking Dutch Oven.
The kids were pretty good together. Kara and Parker pushed each other's button once in a while but did pretty well from being the youngest brother and oldest child in their families.
Kara ended staying up late again past all the kids so she could watch the moon through the Gracie's telescope.
6-26-2016
It was the coldest night of camping so I layered the kids up a ton and had Kara sleep next to me so she would be warm. She slept through the whole night and until 9am again.
Logan ended up between me and Matt again, but this time I didn't have a huge rock in my back. We had put Logan's pack and play over it before going to sleep.
I literally couldn't move so Matt's took a nice picture before he helped me sit up.
We had breakfast in the morning and then decided to clean up camp. Kids played around while the parents cleaned. Logan wandered off into a little grove of trees and plopped down to play in the dirt.
Elswoods headed down to the dinner in Oakley while we went to the boat ramp to play in the water. I had told Kara we would go back to the "beach" as she called it. I planned on them getting wet and packed accordingly. After we were done playing, we had a picnic in the shade and headed home. Kara and Logan both fell asleep for the ride home.
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Video - playing in the water.
It was peaceful and the best camping trip of the year. The kids were great. We had fantastic company with us and made some great memories.
