I grew up in a camping family. We went all the time. Once, when my mom was 6 months pregnant with Liam (and we were 15, 14, 12, 9--me, 7, 4, and 2) we did a week-long, camp in new places every night, trip. Seriously. My mom is a trooper.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when several of my aunts and uncles chipped in together to get Sam and I our own camping essentials for our wedding. The next summer we planned our very first camping trip. July 29-30th. Unfortunately, Seara decided to be born early--she came on the 28th. Trip canceled. And somehow, in the hubbub of life and new babies, we never did make it out camping.
Until this last weekend.
This was the view about 100 feet from our camping site.
Participants: Sam, me, and the kids.
Destination: Grand Teton National Park (with a brief stop in Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and Artist's Point--we missed them last time we went)
Duration: Two full days
Destination: Grand Teton National Park (with a brief stop in Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and Artist's Point--we missed them last time we went)
Duration: Two full days
The middle pic is us first thing in the morning. We look awesome.
One of my most vivid memories of camping as a kid was having endless free time to do nothing. So when I packed for our trip I made sure to bring books and tons of two-player games for Sam and I. You know, so we'd have something fun to do in all our free time. Ha, ha. Turns out that when you are the adult in charge, camping goes like this:
- Wake up
- Make breakfast
- Feed family
- Clean up breakfast
- Get kids ready for the day
- Make lunch
- Feed family
- Clean up lunch
- Take kids on a small hike
- Make dinner
- Feed family
- Clean up dinner
- Put kids to bed
- CRASH.
(About the bison snow pic: the weather was a beautiful 75 degrees until the very end of the trip. It started snowing just as we left. Phew!)
22 comments:
oh my gosh it looks like it was SOOOO much fun!!! :) I'm totally jealous! haha
Mary - Come with us next time. Seriously! :)
Beautiful! I can't believe it snowed. I'm glad you missed it.
You are brave but it looks like you had a blast! Did the kids get up with the sun? I remember doing that as a kid because the tent gets so light. My parents were always telling us to go back to bed!
I'm impressed Janae! Now I feel guilty because I wanted to take the boys camping all summer but somehow we just never got around to it. I LOVE the Tetons... I spent my first semester as a Freshman in college studying up there and camping and playing around (it was an off campus program). SO MUCH FUN and it's beautiful there too! I chuckled when you said you brought along games so that you and Sam wouldn't get bored... I actually thought "boy, her kids must be pretty mellow and good at entertaining themselves for being 5,3 & 2...", that was before I read the rest of what you wrote. Yeah, a mother NEVER gets a minute to herself. Now come to think of it, I think I'd really enjoy camping with our 4 boys. Sure I'd have to clean up their messes, but not to the same degree I do here in my house. I'd probably just let them play all day long being muddy and dirty.
Looks like fun! Our kids love camping too. And, yes, camping is A LOT of work when you are the adult in charge!
Yay! I'm so glad it turned out and you guys had fun!
Hey! I went to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons for the first time at the beginning of August. Bart & I also have never been camping since we've been married yet. :o) It will come. EVEN IF I HAVE TO DO IT WITH TWO 6 MONTH OLDS!!! IT WILL COME!
I'm so jealous!! Your camping spot looks AWESOME!! Kevin and I got camping gear for our wedding, too. We have been able to use it a few times, but definitely not as much as we would want to. Problem now, is that our tent is too small for us and our kids. I would like to get a family size tent, but don't know that it's in the budget right now. Thanks for sharing!
Karen - Our tent is a four-man (7'x9'), so it's only barely able to handle us. Once we have another baby (whenever that happens - definitely not 9 months from now :) we'll have to get the kids their own tent and just keep the baby with us in this one. I can't believe we're getting to be that big of a family!
These photos are breathtaking. What a cool event for all of you!
So jealous. I was super excited about getting all that camping gear for our wedding too...but it hasn't even come out of the box yet...sigh...
Great pics! It was so much fun to have you guys up here. I wish we could have gone with you. It's funny, last time I went camping, I came to the same realization about the difference between camping as a kid and camping as an adult. But at least it's good to know that we're providing good memories for our kids (so they can be blind sided when they grow up and take their kids camping).
I'm also surprised that you didn't add in the excitement you encountered on the way out of the park. What? No pictures of cleaning up Enoch and the large line of mad customers waiting for the bathroom? Maybe you could have also knocked on the stall next door and gotten a picture of the other entertaining person in there. Or perhaps you're just trying to forget the whole thing. If that's the case, sorry for bringing it up. ;0)
Krishele - Hahahahahahahahaha! I considered telling the whole story, but then I worried that writing about the incident would eventually overpower the rest of the trip. So whenever we looked back at the trip we'd think of it as "that one time with the poopy mess in the McDonalds bathroom with the bulimic nextdoor." I think I'd rather let that story fade into oblivion. :)
We went camping all the time as kids. I have great memories too. We took Spencer on a Diehl family campout when he was 13 months old and he didn't sleep at all, it was a nightmare. I vowed to never take him until he's 10. Although John took him in Fathers and Sons last May and he slept great. We'll see.
I'm so glad you finally made a camping trip. I love the outdoors, and so do the kids. I always worry when we go, but every time it turns out great, because the kids just love being outside! What a beautiful view. And I think I need to get some pointers from you on how to post pictures in different formats. I am so basic with my blog that even I am bored!
It looks like you guys had a great time! :)
i think there is more to this story than meets the eye ;)
I can't believe it snowed -- it has yet to get below 90 down here!!
AGH
Looks like fun. We go camping a couple times a year, and this is the first year that I actually thought it was "fun" because it IS so much work! But our kids love it and so it's worth it, right? We've figured out that we have to plan one trip at the beginning of the summer and then we are reminded how much we love it and then we still have time to go again.
I told Russ what I wanted for our next anniversary though was to take a camping trip just by ourselves, just like the good ol days. We'll see.
Oh, and we love the Tetons! They are so beautiful, and pictures just don't do it justice.
Beautiful pics, thanks for sharing! I absolutely love that area and have fond memories of camping all the time growing up. I also remember having lots and lots of "time to do nothing" when I went camping as a kid... I guess it isn't quite the same as the mom. :-)
I've been meaning to do this too...I bought all the gear at yard sales and stuff. Now I'm too chicken with two kids. But, now you've given me a little hope. It can be fun, even if exhausting! I want my kids to have those memories too. That is some GORGEOUS photography!
Oh my goodness. I LOVE the buffalo!
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