Camping with kids

Last weekend we went on our first camping trip with the kids. We had never done this, you'd think if we wanted to try camping with kids, we would have started with just one, but no we waited until we had 3, figures. We went expecting the worst, but to our surprise we might do it again! We also went with 2 other families. One are camping pros, you know, hike up a mountain with 3 kids and only one backpack. The other family was like us, never been camping with their kids, brought a whole minivan full of stuff just like us. It was fun, even with 8 kids together. Of course the funnest part is when the kids have gone to sleep and the parents get to hang out around the campfire. However this also makes for a painful morning since at least one kid in each family will undoubtedly wake up with the sun. And of course like all camping trips we learned a few lessons:

1) You can make all the fancy meat and dinner you want over the campfire but the kids will still choose cold hot dogs for dinner.

2) A tent meant for 2-3, does not hold a family of five.

3) The backseat of a Honda Odyssey is surprisingly comfortable to sleep on.

4) You can never bring too many dry clothes, sleeping bags, firewood, garbage bags or beer.

5) The back of a Honda Odyssey makes a very nice movie theatre for children when it is thunder storming and hailing.

6) Rain drenched graham crackers DO indeed look like vomit.

7) The kids get so exhausted from playing so hard that they will actually sleep in a tent.

8) Free reign to play in a minivan is seriously more fun than anything else to kids.

9) Showering 6 kids at one time by 2 adults isn't so bad.

10) Never leave children with an open bag of Oreos.

Bonus lesson) Good friends mixed with good fun makes for the best memories.

What happens when children are left unattended with a bag of oreos, you think they are enjoying a nice treat, nicely together....

...and then you find this... an empty bag and all the cookies left, no creams or kids to be found!

Coolers full of food and FUN!

Baby Wearing Daddies- gotta love it!

Mr P. aka the reluctant baby wearing daddy (maybe because it's pink!) and Camping pro daddy aka the baby wearing pro!