Camping in 2008

What has this world come to??!!

We took our kids camping this weekend for the first time in 3 years. They are 4 and 6, so it might as well been the first time in their life since they don't remember our camping trips in WA. When you think of the adventure of camping, what comes to mind? To me, I think tent, fire, and marshmallows. I also think about sleeping bags, hiking, and being dirty most of the time (that's fine with me, I just really look forward to my own shower!) We went upstate SC to Oconne State Park so that we would be close to a couple waterfalls to see while we were on our adventure. We planned, we learned in our homeschool about being prepared, how to start a fire correctly. We made lists, shopped, got the necessary flashlights, camping coffee pot and all the great camping food that is a must: (I shouldn't have to tell, you but I will anyways, because I'm afraid you may not know!) hotdogs, marshmallows, eggs bacon, and trail mix. Then my master packer of a husband packed the car, now I will admit, we took alot of stuff. You tell a 4 and 6 year old to pick 2 toys to take for the weekend and the backpacks come flying out and they fill them with as much stuff (under the radar) and take them to dad at the car who thinks mom has approved all this and he finds a place for it all. Mom laid down the law when there were 6 stuffed animals all headed to the mountains with the 4 year old. We then drove, excited about our trip, the things we will do, the fish we will catch, and then we get there. This huge 100+ site park, full with mostly campers. Not, nothing against all you with campers, I am sure some of your kids really know what it's like to rough it, but when did camping become golf carts, fans and dish network with the tv? My 6 year old actually asked if we were poor since we didn't have a camper! Here I thought we were livin it up with our "3 room family sized tent and blow up mattress. :) I did really like the camp ground. We would go back, but now we know what sites look into the forest or the lake instead of your neighbors' tent or RV. We do know that on a holiday weekend, we will not go back. I hope that my kids grow up knowing that "camping" is about being in the outdoors and not taking all the comforts of home with you and that maybe someday we will be ambitious enough to camp somewhere that we have to walk in with nothing but the stuff that we can carry.

Disclaimer: we take the little fan for the tent, Kelly doesn't like to be hot at night. ;)