tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82145014090839678492023-11-16T02:10:00.539-05:00CAR CAMPING ADVENTURES FOR FAMILIESA blog detailing the ins and outs of car camping with children throughout the Carolinas region and beyond.juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-10605022618333056732010-07-11T19:01:00.007-04:002011-06-20T20:39:28.452-04:00Fish Tacos with Marinated Slaw<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's a yummy camping treat that I whipped up for our most recent trip to Stone Mountain. If you haven't guessed it yet, I love to marinate fish and cook it up the night we get there after setting up camp. All the legwork is in the marinades and that can be done at home before you even get to the site. So by the time you're ready for dinner; tired from driving and setting up camp, all you need to do is pull out your marinated dinner and grill it up. Easy peasy.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To top it off, this meal is</span><span style="font-size: small;"> tasty, healthy, and quick to clean up. If you're looking for something a bit different from typical camp food, read on. Here's what you'll need:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the Fish Tacos:</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYrUsep6gwSB2VxXPiMuhQA5M_OhbScXviBx3Xetj5Y97W0RBCFaNkLv1Zagangk50iOaZhvWjYttISNRfKv_eBDG6AFDHnAlmOuV8Bi0RFP4OwTYqAL_VyXTs4eEu_uCxkYE5dgmA_l7/s1600/6159fishtacos.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYrUsep6gwSB2VxXPiMuhQA5M_OhbScXviBx3Xetj5Y97W0RBCFaNkLv1Zagangk50iOaZhvWjYttISNRfKv_eBDG6AFDHnAlmOuV8Bi0RFP4OwTYqAL_VyXTs4eEu_uCxkYE5dgmA_l7/s320/6159fishtacos.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">1/4 Cup of Olive Oil</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 Tbsp of Honey</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tsp of Cilantro, Chopped</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tsps of Garlic (2 Cloves), Minced</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 Lime, Juiced</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Few Good Shakes of Salt and Pepper</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Approx. 1/8 tsp of Pepper and 1/4 tsp of Salt)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 Pound of White Fish (I used Mahi Mahi) still frozen </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The morning of your trip, mix all of your ingredients into a zip lock bag and add in your frozen fish. Make sure you coat the fish completely and then throw it in your cooler. When you take it out later in the evening it will be thawed cold and marinated, ready for the grill. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wQ-X7Rpw3-xEwbv7gzmkQN89HPLse0lCKkaw9SeOA1oJmcQPpPd6IfecH8RrccZGf6iq5-ALjzEcVUITyEipVXoX34soObNLbJmNqo9-JboCj-o3qlnBDXRA11qwxjYf896KNY0z46b9/s1600/6160fishtacos.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wQ-X7Rpw3-xEwbv7gzmkQN89HPLse0lCKkaw9SeOA1oJmcQPpPd6IfecH8RrccZGf6iq5-ALjzEcVUITyEipVXoX34soObNLbJmNqo9-JboCj-o3qlnBDXRA11qwxjYf896KNY0z46b9/s320/6160fishtacos.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you're ready to cook up dinner, grab your fish and throw it on the grill. I placed a piece of foil on my camp grill because I wanted to lessen clean up, so that's what you're seeing in the pictures. Here's the fish halfway through:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsGuJR_GdFHDlFttH-AEAXvKOBBpw_UR-d7lURCPLlHjM5sm-EXIRH0DlHZqBbu4FpNLxqBr9rMs_JSNhQ-AjxciPeiBPwWhnlXve5IbqiqnRCsXGNdHymdLjeaOY8QhHj6BradfbxFyn/s1600/6168fishtaco.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsGuJR_GdFHDlFttH-AEAXvKOBBpw_UR-d7lURCPLlHjM5sm-EXIRH0DlHZqBbu4FpNLxqBr9rMs_JSNhQ-AjxciPeiBPwWhnlXve5IbqiqnRCsXGNdHymdLjeaOY8QhHj6BradfbxFyn/s320/6168fishtaco.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">And here it is all cooked up and ready to be "tacoed". Check out those grill marks! I feel like Bobby Flay's long lost cousin. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcoWkqn0sbGr7nHCFjB7b-TApM48wiIP_en8BOB6EyB-sNDxv2Xh2XmNnUtH1DN6MGA1Ec9ipd0YlFiETRpUEPzBCYl9zSWRZ7u7uKJALeNuKO9aNhg9EvBiLWqRo9eeJb_BMRTslhscN/s1600/6169fishtacos.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcoWkqn0sbGr7nHCFjB7b-TApM48wiIP_en8BOB6EyB-sNDxv2Xh2XmNnUtH1DN6MGA1Ec9ipd0YlFiETRpUEPzBCYl9zSWRZ7u7uKJALeNuKO9aNhg9EvBiLWqRo9eeJb_BMRTslhscN/s320/6169fishtacos.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Now let's whip up the marinated slaw that goes with this beautiful fish:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_96ArRbkOIAPxOAl2ztDFO_9MExF2YnmP8yOWi0gRhnUQd34lb7KowwbrK-LQvxethWyOiDc1ckWWtB9w_6NRjXAY9qudFjqnmgzW61wog3On_o3zlXYPFdLfUc9RZEXIp4mk3RDk_NM/s1600/6153fishtaco.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_96ArRbkOIAPxOAl2ztDFO_9MExF2YnmP8yOWi0gRhnUQd34lb7KowwbrK-LQvxethWyOiDc1ckWWtB9w_6NRjXAY9qudFjqnmgzW61wog3On_o3zlXYPFdLfUc9RZEXIp4mk3RDk_NM/s320/6153fishtaco.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">6 Oz. of Shredded Cabbage</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 Carrot, Julienned</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 Cup of Rice Vinegar</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp of Lime Juice</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 Tbsp of Olive Oil</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 tsp of Cilantro (1 Small Bunch Chopped)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Salt and Pepper to Taste </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The morning before leaving, mix together the vinegar, lime juice, olive oil and cilantro. Place it in an airtight container and throw it in your cooler. Pack the slaw and marinade separate, and then add in the veggies just before serving the night of. Here's mine mixed together in my dutch oven. And in case you're wondering where my carrot went, it went no where. I completely forgot to pack it in the cooler. Boo. It was still good without it, but let this be a lesson, Don't Forget the Carrot!!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOWMtR80UIKwWmpL3C4g0cvQQHGOBCivnXV8FSxFH0nHzS6SZL0u2xLqJJIXsze7XcWCIKnGtbO83oJXCcY-ogiT1nPlOYnPfjUaO_E_7xVlNNU_sOumVx7-BbE7fW-U8s-s3xXh78qrv/s1600/6170fishtacos.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOWMtR80UIKwWmpL3C4g0cvQQHGOBCivnXV8FSxFH0nHzS6SZL0u2xLqJJIXsze7XcWCIKnGtbO83oJXCcY-ogiT1nPlOYnPfjUaO_E_7xVlNNU_sOumVx7-BbE7fW-U8s-s3xXh78qrv/s320/6170fishtacos.gif" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time to assemble! We added a little Trader Joes salsa to the mix as well, just to kick it up a notch. We also served a little Trader Joes seven layer dip with tortilla chips (yes I am a TJ addict with no intention of stopping any time soon).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfYCgDUBK6ONZRGJL8k16y34OtXPpHPpQPw933uHH3slEwWLbaxkCW5dkYnOuQcFN8AhZs353QGshyr4vy6akMuIuN67kL5JBY2unM3ytbkcVPNruCxPuy0VMbP5NrzWd6jufxSqg0QXr/s1600/6174fishtacos.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfYCgDUBK6ONZRGJL8k16y34OtXPpHPpQPw933uHH3slEwWLbaxkCW5dkYnOuQcFN8AhZs353QGshyr4vy6akMuIuN67kL5JBY2unM3ytbkcVPNruCxPuy0VMbP5NrzWd6jufxSqg0QXr/s320/6174fishtacos.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">These were so tasty, I didn't even think about taking a picture of the finished burrito until I had taken a taste test (or three). Here's the inside of the burrito for your viewing pleasure. What are some of your favorite "go to" camping meals? Share them below!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xDDVAiIWrKJNrwFKdzNNuQtThpQXfmtELmW7A18jqmeevl5_W5qnk69FuIzMnY7VWCc9NaySJmp_y9grfkNW18P1jCXbuPAAYVpHDbN7TR62XYy6YHRMj8m9QJN_NbNzxK0zsMjsmgQa/s1600/6177fishtaco.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xDDVAiIWrKJNrwFKdzNNuQtThpQXfmtELmW7A18jqmeevl5_W5qnk69FuIzMnY7VWCc9NaySJmp_y9grfkNW18P1jCXbuPAAYVpHDbN7TR62XYy6YHRMj8m9QJN_NbNzxK0zsMjsmgQa/s320/6177fishtaco.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grab a Copy of the Recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0ASrrulf0NaNMZGdzM2p4Y3ZfNjRkdHJ4amhocA&hl=en&authkey=CMHmsEw">HERE</a>.</span></div><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span></div></div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-11062922645610348252010-06-06T14:40:00.001-04:002010-06-06T15:56:52.680-04:00Stone Mountain State Park, North Carolina<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Camping trip number two is officially under our belts. We decided to head to Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina for our Memorial Day weekend holiday. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you haven't visited this park before and live in the area, you should consider it for a quick family camping getaway. The campground itself was very nice. The pads were decent sized, the majority of them were wooded, and the bathrooms were well maintained with hot showers and a nice large sink for cleaning dishes. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you like a bit more privacy, I'd recommend campsites 10-24 as my top choices. All of these sites are wooded and back to more trees vs. more campers. The only ones I wouldn't recommend are 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 8 as they back to the RV section of the park and have a fairly steep drop off which I wouldn't have felt comfortable with having small children.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were plenty of activities to entertain the kids as well. Be sure to bring your swimsuits and your fishing poles. We, of course, forgot both, but still managed to make do and have a fun time in the water. Some of the highlights of our trip were hiking to the top of Stone Mountain and playing in the waterfalls and slides that exist naturally in the park. There are also some really great ranger led activities in the summer time as well as some great trout fishing for the anglers in your family.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here are some pictures to share from our trip to give you a better idea of what the park has to offer.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Setting up Camp. You can see the bathrooms in the back. We were on pad 7 and had about 1000ft. between us and the showers. </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9S5jEDKVZ0d5VCO1-MBeD46qrUpLMy-aCunQdzeYpf7u9BbhEIwl0OWdJTWkuWIU1Uz_TNvQ-nnywumJoYbQTddf05RW8lCcD44FUJ0PeXXbTy7MGvhT07KCWeuoAAwlwvl-kEhOULA/s1600/6161stonecampingtent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9S5jEDKVZ0d5VCO1-MBeD46qrUpLMy-aCunQdzeYpf7u9BbhEIwl0OWdJTWkuWIU1Uz_TNvQ-nnywumJoYbQTddf05RW8lCcD44FUJ0PeXXbTy7MGvhT07KCWeuoAAwlwvl-kEhOULA/s400/6161stonecampingtent.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvJpkzxC1KPffVNwWpnsPau9vQnhu7yVEemA1hI2TlWb98SQ0on-xVxBeNWUml4vySBakOkMRSZrN09XbNGcPDTfD65uGof_G8ExPc6NbkniBfQ-t47kO8c8KUICRNE-FTO07ELN13os/s1600/6162stonecampingtent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvJpkzxC1KPffVNwWpnsPau9vQnhu7yVEemA1hI2TlWb98SQ0on-xVxBeNWUml4vySBakOkMRSZrN09XbNGcPDTfD65uGof_G8ExPc6NbkniBfQ-t47kO8c8KUICRNE-FTO07ELN13os/s400/6162stonecampingtent.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5RYBhbNytVqJuEbtTQ_swKBrVfPF70c0BsI6EC9QOpW5-fUvuX7XIAc7wRKPSqpFl0L-qaS0E2AMLaatkuDXxGs6rmrbBYiE-gqhyUgvpc_8rjuC8KO4IDg-H6noF8ZEG8WBmBoyJfs/s1600/6163stonecampingtent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5RYBhbNytVqJuEbtTQ_swKBrVfPF70c0BsI6EC9QOpW5-fUvuX7XIAc7wRKPSqpFl0L-qaS0E2AMLaatkuDXxGs6rmrbBYiE-gqhyUgvpc_8rjuC8KO4IDg-H6noF8ZEG8WBmBoyJfs/s400/6163stonecampingtent.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hiking to the top of Stone Mountain</span></span>. <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">There were a whole lot of steps on this hike.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6vkrWA-PiGwkD3jSaEGBNvZlKioN8pqBaEwsY3kLnZkQa-yp9lFgckmEHgV91_-95l5s4Ud9gU0lZKbeS0nYW2Jklwmd4x4e6QM0NKxflQnNwuuqXE11NQTP6wuaOkx8gdSlMXCmXXE/s1600/6191stonecampingalexhike.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6vkrWA-PiGwkD3jSaEGBNvZlKioN8pqBaEwsY3kLnZkQa-yp9lFgckmEHgV91_-95l5s4Ud9gU0lZKbeS0nYW2Jklwmd4x4e6QM0NKxflQnNwuuqXE11NQTP6wuaOkx8gdSlMXCmXXE/s400/6191stonecampingalexhike.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDjdKNr8kdgCMsXn9nxdkPzT7tGyV7KTz3fAy1v-94rR5mn-0iKTVtiQ9dCVRA2oNuUS7NUXA5v2AhokpYn1IAujHdtMAAAkaKuH0ZrPbf77-_V8xmMOh-SOgJN1vsAN2IaGatp27Pb4/s1600/6192stonecampingmtntop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDjdKNr8kdgCMsXn9nxdkPzT7tGyV7KTz3fAy1v-94rR5mn-0iKTVtiQ9dCVRA2oNuUS7NUXA5v2AhokpYn1IAujHdtMAAAkaKuH0ZrPbf77-_V8xmMOh-SOgJN1vsAN2IaGatp27Pb4/s400/6192stonecampingmtntop.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqS5Hxx6p64KWFhXTOO54uvEOSkoyA78sSvFUU3avNWhRFRHJeyml8iuFPDbnRRlv7VLEkyD97gBIgO5RzNTnjn55YNj4so61AxDjwuPiaQt5Rtbxm4TdPENaYmGqz6keX3PiV7J9xMs/s1600/6197stonecampingmtntop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqS5Hxx6p64KWFhXTOO54uvEOSkoyA78sSvFUU3avNWhRFRHJeyml8iuFPDbnRRlv7VLEkyD97gBIgO5RzNTnjn55YNj4so61AxDjwuPiaQt5Rtbxm4TdPENaYmGqz6keX3PiV7J9xMs/s400/6197stonecampingmtntop.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSniBd57yIfZ-lwS5rj7vt_-Bv9C9Yi00B4lscWVWusXuYTyM7f9fDaahyEfBRJjYoZpv64mIuszxB0Tjmm5nRotgg24KbJPa81k4-Jb4_qHYXuJjIwHyunLFN-U-fFw8jl4z3eX6-dqs/s1600/6193stonecampingmtntop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSniBd57yIfZ-lwS5rj7vt_-Bv9C9Yi00B4lscWVWusXuYTyM7f9fDaahyEfBRJjYoZpv64mIuszxB0Tjmm5nRotgg24KbJPa81k4-Jb4_qHYXuJjIwHyunLFN-U-fFw8jl4z3eX6-dqs/s400/6193stonecampingmtntop.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_4uqV6QfQAoMEyPQycIbsZn0VOIuhSsKAxcNAgmFUUf8HNd-3PwbdUR_N1xXe7NvNXjTc3jlyVg6X2dpJkyn73G8Q-iSfOW6drOGr3IxJY5_KbDmTN8coUOfTmLMXfX0aqQkMJitIW4/s1600/6194stonecampingmtntop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_4uqV6QfQAoMEyPQycIbsZn0VOIuhSsKAxcNAgmFUUf8HNd-3PwbdUR_N1xXe7NvNXjTc3jlyVg6X2dpJkyn73G8Q-iSfOW6drOGr3IxJY5_KbDmTN8coUOfTmLMXfX0aqQkMJitIW4/s400/6194stonecampingmtntop.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvBnn5FWAtNHHFuyuKO_K0PazVyQGqnJfQCoqZNWH0G2wrdMBkuvg_zR9W-jRQCQR_6OSRqKkN3-yA7R28BOV6n93XkEL0dYrqSxVbUhvbKR1f2Z0_PvRtSjqUIIRkdllrbqbfj7STOA/s1600/6207stonecampingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvBnn5FWAtNHHFuyuKO_K0PazVyQGqnJfQCoqZNWH0G2wrdMBkuvg_zR9W-jRQCQR_6OSRqKkN3-yA7R28BOV6n93XkEL0dYrqSxVbUhvbKR1f2Z0_PvRtSjqUIIRkdllrbqbfj7STOA/s400/6207stonecampingalex.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Enjoying some waterplay at the waterfalls. You can see the natural slides on the left side. Kids were wearing plastic bags on their bottoms to slide faster.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYMYI11zuafLnRM2RSC_sY-ESpueJBE5FQOrrna3YUmlCacZJMcVPKNIIUJj8uTfiP-kJCpyb2PqSQrtY534GUL896hsJ6yLcJJQ3zzstSlb521DMlQvl-s7KsFQEYv2prCDy3akSvPE/s1600/6209stonecampingsliprock.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYMYI11zuafLnRM2RSC_sY-ESpueJBE5FQOrrna3YUmlCacZJMcVPKNIIUJj8uTfiP-kJCpyb2PqSQrtY534GUL896hsJ6yLcJJQ3zzstSlb521DMlQvl-s7KsFQEYv2prCDy3akSvPE/s400/6209stonecampingsliprock.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12lluZ76a_mmVOnjyFxqWR_QDpHW9LHaLd8vAvI-B0nl8Czwr1XKM7aZVQO5hiMemfPKKAyRjP1Ve3PsXokvw_Uxp320zaA6-5ARkk-EFkQOBig_5Emk2ivU0M4oSd3-JdKtHY-p9wqQ/s1600/6211stonecampingsliprock.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12lluZ76a_mmVOnjyFxqWR_QDpHW9LHaLd8vAvI-B0nl8Czwr1XKM7aZVQO5hiMemfPKKAyRjP1Ve3PsXokvw_Uxp320zaA6-5ARkk-EFkQOBig_5Emk2ivU0M4oSd3-JdKtHY-p9wqQ/s400/6211stonecampingsliprock.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Finally, a few fun pictures taken of the boys around camp and the park.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8XC-YwXeKLNdYjpAYnC_InicxpXZjjMQq754FfIrg6_LUnxW1vvOV-UJpRfhidMuoTuc3F4QF7CWxIw9SSWf8r3XkUDf2Mjc-hIF35yu74-omqghP9WnLuT2UHGLimWlUDIj2uKf3zk/s1600/6166stonecampingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8XC-YwXeKLNdYjpAYnC_InicxpXZjjMQq754FfIrg6_LUnxW1vvOV-UJpRfhidMuoTuc3F4QF7CWxIw9SSWf8r3XkUDf2Mjc-hIF35yu74-omqghP9WnLuT2UHGLimWlUDIj2uKf3zk/s400/6166stonecampingalex.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A0Iw9sDGWLSiHy2zKZNO017xU4if-nciQoZc74ZjuFsAd8SRoMueCsJsDBK8mntPAaVKNjTfeJasrE3rCYsoiHsBJYlZx51QHHmixm2RKnkXIVD1VFkE7owFvFLU8bogedzRtYAp_RA/s1600/6182stonecampingdessert.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A0Iw9sDGWLSiHy2zKZNO017xU4if-nciQoZc74ZjuFsAd8SRoMueCsJsDBK8mntPAaVKNjTfeJasrE3rCYsoiHsBJYlZx51QHHmixm2RKnkXIVD1VFkE7owFvFLU8bogedzRtYAp_RA/s400/6182stonecampingdessert.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB6yyg6E-SaSbpuCxdEZEohLxrVn39vJ0Yj7KQyStNnR87euNt8UQ3U0OhbJz50cDwE2w-GWF2KXptV5sCrWWcJZLJVBw_EOTWT_zCIo2J_YDDqJRgRRgleignExYuFo_v7yE1axCczQ/s1600/6187stonecampingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB6yyg6E-SaSbpuCxdEZEohLxrVn39vJ0Yj7KQyStNnR87euNt8UQ3U0OhbJz50cDwE2w-GWF2KXptV5sCrWWcJZLJVBw_EOTWT_zCIo2J_YDDqJRgRRgleignExYuFo_v7yE1axCczQ/s400/6187stonecampingalex.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyRnIqN_UdFGz_FoN49n4X2j124wCbCHDlltvxlRBrCq0BntGWOFO5_ttUgFMuOQ0smuY1rO0lgSwh7bU8FCxOIWsJKzCa9h6l4MwleT8ZtfqmUCO1VmElx-nGSsnwPZOEPNBw0-xZCs/s1600/6199stonecampingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyRnIqN_UdFGz_FoN49n4X2j124wCbCHDlltvxlRBrCq0BntGWOFO5_ttUgFMuOQ0smuY1rO0lgSwh7bU8FCxOIWsJKzCa9h6l4MwleT8ZtfqmUCO1VmElx-nGSsnwPZOEPNBw0-xZCs/s400/6199stonecampingalex.gif" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYpFGQAfN-icQmqOtyMrI5rm2O3DwvX4nUG6eiSf5zwMY-wt_JgJR3b1Sd-Lmb-f_soo1qiKYDr0cfAowIlWa_EDGGxx0su7SOmS-SXrOS-x_iyL7d5zy1qb3TPCxZe7JR0wZ_iiKlow/s1600/6220stonecampingandrew.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYpFGQAfN-icQmqOtyMrI5rm2O3DwvX4nUG6eiSf5zwMY-wt_JgJR3b1Sd-Lmb-f_soo1qiKYDr0cfAowIlWa_EDGGxx0su7SOmS-SXrOS-x_iyL7d5zy1qb3TPCxZe7JR0wZ_iiKlow/s400/6220stonecampingandrew.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zDjxO0BDHA-FqYOaiPYQ5Rhq1udZp06bXfZJEhvD84sIPTr5GerXPL44Ib6-2_wpxFNd8C-nUvv1Y1W88hyLfqAVpKZrkIbojEZpbSod0BcZAvqcL3wLhP2PEHUYeQM0L1wS4JHuwPM/s1600/6167stonecampingandrew.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zDjxO0BDHA-FqYOaiPYQ5Rhq1udZp06bXfZJEhvD84sIPTr5GerXPL44Ib6-2_wpxFNd8C-nUvv1Y1W88hyLfqAVpKZrkIbojEZpbSod0BcZAvqcL3wLhP2PEHUYeQM0L1wS4JHuwPM/s400/6167stonecampingandrew.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The one thing that I will remember about this campsite that I want to share before finishing up this post is the number of daddy long legs we had at tent pad. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5Oz-y9QcABz6wVsVO0SBysovlbJ3Dr6CylG41kMPIZ5GzkPtrCaJ7H58FRmz9jw7eiYL8G4EyQhL6orYaDlcEldLEiy7G9Xejs5SxBvULEw1XH9HrvqkgJBCIpBtzXYYBxM-sFqF7wc/s1600/6225stonecampingspider.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5Oz-y9QcABz6wVsVO0SBysovlbJ3Dr6CylG41kMPIZ5GzkPtrCaJ7H58FRmz9jw7eiYL8G4EyQhL6orYaDlcEldLEiy7G9Xejs5SxBvULEw1XH9HrvqkgJBCIpBtzXYYBxM-sFqF7wc/s400/6225stonecampingspider.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These guys were everywhere. Big ones, small ones, all colors and shapes. When we went to take down our tent two days later there were at least a bakers dozen on top of the tent under the rain flap. Just to give you an idea of what we found:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7EkDNZA1gNvenvHms6hPQrC5fdqPaiDjg3clKv08DmUEgu3-KbaPLj94NGYqKEKqAjpcj-sQXbs8yUy7UwjWgCZ4vTTUW3EZgeEH5Y7j6VqajE7jEXzms93aII2vuyU0fjD_ph70psU/s1600/6226stonecampingspider.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7EkDNZA1gNvenvHms6hPQrC5fdqPaiDjg3clKv08DmUEgu3-KbaPLj94NGYqKEKqAjpcj-sQXbs8yUy7UwjWgCZ4vTTUW3EZgeEH5Y7j6VqajE7jEXzms93aII2vuyU0fjD_ph70psU/s400/6226stonecampingspider.gif" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yep, there's four in a row just on that one side alone. So keep your tent zipped or you may be having some visitors. Next month we're planning to head to Grandfather Mountain and will most likely stay at our first private campground. So be on the lookout for that review!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Also, In the next couple weeks, I'll post a few recipes from this trip that will make your mouth water without a lot of work. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Happy Trails!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-74312126376012094662010-04-16T14:35:00.002-04:002010-06-06T15:57:32.861-04:00Huntington Beach State Park<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, we survived (and even enjoyed!) our first camping trip of the season. Huntington Beach State Park was great. I loved that there was so much to do there and it made it even better to have the Scott's sister's family join us on the adventure. We were there from Thursday through Sunday which, for me, was just enough to have fun but not so much as to give everyone complete burnout. The campsites were nice, the bathrooms were clean and the beach was amazing. My only complaint about the campground was that it really seemed to be RV heavy. I only saw a handful of tent campers during our stay. After a day of being there, I didn't really notice it as much, but I will say I still usually prefer to mingle among other tent campers. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first night we were there, we had a huge thunderstorm, so as you can imagine, we all slept in one tent together. The boys started out in their own tent, but I knew the second I saw the first flash that we'd be having visitors. And sure enough, Nicholas was so startled by the lightening that he left his younger brother alone in the small tent and just came running screaming, "Lightening!! Let me in!!" I'm not sure why, but it always seems to storm on our first night out camping. Anyway, here are the tents set up at the site. The big eight man tent and the where the boys slept for part of the first night and both of the following nights:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HwKGBVspT4fCyXzxfloVuiMqcC_g3eGxeRyDWNWYC5Pr7GTg1M3bWEGHjQUgJs0v6iMxByeLhXIv6lhcZMIHmfhUjGUZhw3l6g9ot_0lupnnRrl2yuL6xfJrH-ew7wTLhJBOx4PVXOY/s1600/5504campingtent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HwKGBVspT4fCyXzxfloVuiMqcC_g3eGxeRyDWNWYC5Pr7GTg1M3bWEGHjQUgJs0v6iMxByeLhXIv6lhcZMIHmfhUjGUZhw3l6g9ot_0lupnnRrl2yuL6xfJrH-ew7wTLhJBOx4PVXOY/s400/5504campingtent.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DAkCEntwL5Ovnsj-w51yfESl7ONNRUAsLB9s-e9yobHIQogizI-dVSzBUqGchdh_nV95L2tT8ZRqXNeDJGhdhBapPRPyDCfs55rjS28lfkg4jPZYhPeBElpv1cZkiIS8-O1DwSNVFd0/s1600/5583campingboystent.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DAkCEntwL5Ovnsj-w51yfESl7ONNRUAsLB9s-e9yobHIQogizI-dVSzBUqGchdh_nV95L2tT8ZRqXNeDJGhdhBapPRPyDCfs55rjS28lfkg4jPZYhPeBElpv1cZkiIS8-O1DwSNVFd0/s400/5583campingboystent.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">We enjoyed hanging out at camp at least a part of each day. Scott's sister managed to snag a great campsite right next to the trail to the beach that also happened to be set back a bit and had a great climbing tree for the boys; both young and old. If you camp there in the future, I recommend checking out site #33 and reserving it if you can. It was definitely a prime location! Here are a couple shots from around camp:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJJCzRO_uhxu95ZbrQ7Eq_vS0e3zhaSruzJ2ksbUKESYA5rhdpzbRoZq2vtxiJb9aVEVUckw-4ysXc9RU9I8sLhPul0gG4A_YAZzYrn9byc-a3AlExga7zDYElyReCcvnV3r1uVKGgkY/s1600/5508campingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJJCzRO_uhxu95ZbrQ7Eq_vS0e3zhaSruzJ2ksbUKESYA5rhdpzbRoZq2vtxiJb9aVEVUckw-4ysXc9RU9I8sLhPul0gG4A_YAZzYrn9byc-a3AlExga7zDYElyReCcvnV3r1uVKGgkY/s400/5508campingalex.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDqkGnoeBLhSOCgHf2UmkU-WacEczXc88ycB4sbRROz2V45Wgz_LfgBNH6GNynxmMAjY5LNps6JdPloMq494BEWNyuSYEUkrL4nodMZ4-2I8nAfQGYreLxX7TAIu4IJvOxpOM0r6Xq4o/s1600/5512CampingNick.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDqkGnoeBLhSOCgHf2UmkU-WacEczXc88ycB4sbRROz2V45Wgz_LfgBNH6GNynxmMAjY5LNps6JdPloMq494BEWNyuSYEUkrL4nodMZ4-2I8nAfQGYreLxX7TAIu4IJvOxpOM0r6Xq4o/s400/5512CampingNick.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMS6kQauSUFVJzbwG_Il88N7s3DpJ-9pukXvq0YKodI6VX43usbOZdSTlatzqmkZA3zKlIDfXzjnuJpq3oEudOxcSsEyrI70H7fdOGhUsW6ZkO_sgT37txTRUv94izqilqXlZtvoohE4/s1600/5515campingjesse.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMS6kQauSUFVJzbwG_Il88N7s3DpJ-9pukXvq0YKodI6VX43usbOZdSTlatzqmkZA3zKlIDfXzjnuJpq3oEudOxcSsEyrI70H7fdOGhUsW6ZkO_sgT37txTRUv94izqilqXlZtvoohE4/s400/5515campingjesse.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZ18-BxybUy4Ex5yYLk9nyhheIzfX5rW7mSgETi-BpCZFVne7kIF2zBNeb3BMMLqoNPN8mnNccxB7HMizOcabS4MKWKm4RuPitLh46bFegv7EQVfwhiyU9zslLU1UaJVw4gyDr64kvGM/s1600/5553campingandrew.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZ18-BxybUy4Ex5yYLk9nyhheIzfX5rW7mSgETi-BpCZFVne7kIF2zBNeb3BMMLqoNPN8mnNccxB7HMizOcabS4MKWKm4RuPitLh46bFegv7EQVfwhiyU9zslLU1UaJVw4gyDr64kvGM/s400/5553campingandrew.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I mentioned the fabulous beach above and I wasn't kidding. I love South Carolina Beaches. The sand is amazing and the waves are so mild that even my kids can enjoy them. And of course you can't forget the tidal pools. Endless fun for the younger crowd. The first full day we were there, we headed down to the beach which is just a quarter mile hike through the woods. It was so nice to have the ocean so close. You could even hear the waves from your tent at night which was amazing. The shells were all over as well so the kids had a blast hunting for ones they deemed special. By the end of the trip they were all over our picnic table. Here are a few shots of the beach:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEy2oQuxjxNmdfULiut9rYKyKcjEkJgobK3OVbrYlNJFJrOoJpyY4tUaocRw6Yf2MlitAjYHFHM2_duRpNImOVHW155LAVdexAp8IGv9q3KJX2RZZHIdcRXn7A6dr9I4eUUF-ZFUsRWw/s1600/5521campingalexbeach.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEy2oQuxjxNmdfULiut9rYKyKcjEkJgobK3OVbrYlNJFJrOoJpyY4tUaocRw6Yf2MlitAjYHFHM2_duRpNImOVHW155LAVdexAp8IGv9q3KJX2RZZHIdcRXn7A6dr9I4eUUF-ZFUsRWw/s400/5521campingalexbeach.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuF-0z9N0gIkQxFBD7TAL55aiSZ8bAJ7i7ukuSfVkeKIMjvy0Rk1gCpPx9seCVQMF-SF3svcOq3gbtXk_8PMBiFQinFPhhSNhHdN47-pAPrN1cyxIOlkxyQZYPGA7_YATZPXT4a1-kjM/s1600/5522campingbeach.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuF-0z9N0gIkQxFBD7TAL55aiSZ8bAJ7i7ukuSfVkeKIMjvy0Rk1gCpPx9seCVQMF-SF3svcOq3gbtXk_8PMBiFQinFPhhSNhHdN47-pAPrN1cyxIOlkxyQZYPGA7_YATZPXT4a1-kjM/s400/5522campingbeach.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfwAB900HVv4_yZ8aUSUDA58fuU4dSR2Xd1Vqr1v9oVtr_wNIM-tDXLUQmuuHv7B7u4wERs5eqp6I8S0I80Y_WIV9tB5P7slymcqdx9hDoUOOIXe8YB0i3DOQAXICktK9CKQGPbfAZCU/s1600/5526campingbeach.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfwAB900HVv4_yZ8aUSUDA58fuU4dSR2Xd1Vqr1v9oVtr_wNIM-tDXLUQmuuHv7B7u4wERs5eqp6I8S0I80Y_WIV9tB5P7slymcqdx9hDoUOOIXe8YB0i3DOQAXICktK9CKQGPbfAZCU/s400/5526campingbeach.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFwzlM_qzgdnRZF4mL-wuY0YyDkvPkF5uIVDcspLdrueGPQ21-F0KzUZyuJ0ebpu_wndPijvaIuWTfzBBCN5FHE2iV8TpfQAVsXEkatZzaUq3fc-K_ovq7o1vyTb1wFX5cgoexNezUE0/s1600/5532campingbeach.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFwzlM_qzgdnRZF4mL-wuY0YyDkvPkF5uIVDcspLdrueGPQ21-F0KzUZyuJ0ebpu_wndPijvaIuWTfzBBCN5FHE2iV8TpfQAVsXEkatZzaUq3fc-K_ovq7o1vyTb1wFX5cgoexNezUE0/s400/5532campingbeach.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGMY892awwucNdBpg49LjHVdWIaWCMww95uscnrJs6yFlhCl5DoCjZC3z_upGhKrhKtiG7eMJODFKe58Yy-YmeLqrc2JxUKGtb4YAhO-MHnR6U0fG4_FqbyCxDCvp9bO5wnYuTFQ72dM/s1600/5535campingbeachalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGMY892awwucNdBpg49LjHVdWIaWCMww95uscnrJs6yFlhCl5DoCjZC3z_upGhKrhKtiG7eMJODFKe58Yy-YmeLqrc2JxUKGtb4YAhO-MHnR6U0fG4_FqbyCxDCvp9bO5wnYuTFQ72dM/s400/5535campingbeachalex.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the afternoon of the first day, we took a hike over to one of the causeways where the birdwatching was supposed to be really great. There are so many things to see in the marshes; they are just teeming with life! The kids really enjoyed the hiking and the cousins got very into checking out their bird book to identify what they were looking at.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMvqkG2F7GRv3vKvzw-Aic4tPqzxPo7SBVYzScJZGe5fzM41GFpO4ngYoqHo5m7jyR39sJDe4urWCJ_Ex8tkPsq5UBVaYRdAgQgm3g0uYSlvXGJrZat9qioDAl3AabxHHtNg5Y4C5YE0/s1600/5539campinghiking.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMvqkG2F7GRv3vKvzw-Aic4tPqzxPo7SBVYzScJZGe5fzM41GFpO4ngYoqHo5m7jyR39sJDe4urWCJ_Ex8tkPsq5UBVaYRdAgQgm3g0uYSlvXGJrZat9qioDAl3AabxHHtNg5Y4C5YE0/s400/5539campinghiking.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpuH1_L755dkX2AwQxGZaijQpm_z1SKVme2HByk6R4PFNQ3rfBwOz4JHB0Oq6gZoKNJ-9bfSXW1ypbTxIiy3luKDrSX6hRzCnAN7juuNyoahrJzINwscsveFArZwc_09G7nwvCpisrI4/s1600/5542campingcauseway.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpuH1_L755dkX2AwQxGZaijQpm_z1SKVme2HByk6R4PFNQ3rfBwOz4JHB0Oq6gZoKNJ-9bfSXW1ypbTxIiy3luKDrSX6hRzCnAN7juuNyoahrJzINwscsveFArZwc_09G7nwvCpisrI4/s400/5542campingcauseway.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY6LYN8B405WmmRhHxBI1oJlB8ilUm6rIzpS1JWwzgLNecKhAGgT2jAH5O-O_kUBqd7Fryf0uv1JwDbwwb2bns1ww6ATOGdPWbjnfjDHYUXQSJJ-VwFxfdNgyhTHxkkOhLHulUBYiIww/s1600/5545campingbirding.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY6LYN8B405WmmRhHxBI1oJlB8ilUm6rIzpS1JWwzgLNecKhAGgT2jAH5O-O_kUBqd7Fryf0uv1JwDbwwb2bns1ww6ATOGdPWbjnfjDHYUXQSJJ-VwFxfdNgyhTHxkkOhLHulUBYiIww/s400/5545campingbirding.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next day we ventured over to <a href="http://www.brookgreen.org/">BrookGreen Gardens.</a> What a beautiful garden! They had plenty of activities for kids as well as adults. I wish we could have spent more time in the actual gardens, but there was so much to do and not enough time to get it all done, so we focused on the activities we thought the kids would enjoy the most. We first headed to the zoo portion of the gardens. While the zoo is somewhat small overall, there are some really neat parts to it. I really loved the two bird enclosures they had set up. One was for water birds and the other was for the raptors. You were actually able to walk right into the enclosure and view the birds up close and all the enclosures contained naturally occurring waters, swamp, etc. which I thought was really innovative.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the zoo, we ventured back to the low country center and checked out the Discovery Center with kid's activities for my two oldest. They really enjoyed hanging out in there and spent a good hour trying out all the different projects they had to offer. When they wore out from that, we went to an animal show talking about the native animals of the area; they even let you touch them all which was pretty neat. The piece of it that I watched had a skunk, turtles, and a bird.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally we wrapped up our day with a trip through the butterfly exhibit. This was neat but I have to say I was a tad disappointed that they only had three different types of butterflies on display. Usually when I've gone to an exhibit like this in the past there have been several types of butterflies to view. None the less, the boys enjoyed it and that's what matters most. Here are a few pictures of the trip to Brookgreen Gardens:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SZYUAbDuwTCraWvMCwKqGwq1lHcOYGC3H896b5XbiuYJn9FlAUX9RCFavBary5gPr6ZuSzUoSDrdlyX1aJeQZAoh2JeDoAo9WUvsuZIeGhYhOiPQpJ46CJf7WQxp9YL89Zf5-r7VwYk/s1600/5561campingboysrap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SZYUAbDuwTCraWvMCwKqGwq1lHcOYGC3H896b5XbiuYJn9FlAUX9RCFavBary5gPr6ZuSzUoSDrdlyX1aJeQZAoh2JeDoAo9WUvsuZIeGhYhOiPQpJ46CJf7WQxp9YL89Zf5-r7VwYk/s400/5561campingboysrap.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFxe5DehyphenhyphenZOv1kgN_UPFkEBWOplMggWmxgOw4_FjwVOj5ou1hsoDQk3dytasitoFs-2DIvHfLC_F5A4iacJMeldTPXyXU76zJz1n4gTYsD68gtr8yAXf3IlQDIxmtNfyc7XVvtu_V_KI/s1600/5568campingnickbutterfly.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFxe5DehyphenhyphenZOv1kgN_UPFkEBWOplMggWmxgOw4_FjwVOj5ou1hsoDQk3dytasitoFs-2DIvHfLC_F5A4iacJMeldTPXyXU76zJz1n4gTYsD68gtr8yAXf3IlQDIxmtNfyc7XVvtu_V_KI/s400/5568campingnickbutterfly.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym5nw13yhxud-AoKC2qK23el4WDWWsmlnFHUMMV2Osh53y_3dSF9zst7p6RKhiRO7AezJNMCXpeHostgAHEg9gA9yzDpjBzplew8GeAZXaZbzFbivbM0cBOqRorpVf5A-_Ve9qaMBSIU/s1600/5576campingalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym5nw13yhxud-AoKC2qK23el4WDWWsmlnFHUMMV2Osh53y_3dSF9zst7p6RKhiRO7AezJNMCXpeHostgAHEg9gA9yzDpjBzplew8GeAZXaZbzFbivbM0cBOqRorpVf5A-_Ve9qaMBSIU/s400/5576campingalex.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP0tymUjneKRoWnFO22pv2kyQ7LhfKDUOqPGod0WGrtFTLA1548Q39FVg-XyXlvGCpRKkbP1Ag4AE-OFIOVLgqlr2bCOZnD_gTKBrNcHjQW6W_-UbkWtzv-Y7XP7zr5AwE4fkdg9KFoQ/s1600/5578campingnickbgg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP0tymUjneKRoWnFO22pv2kyQ7LhfKDUOqPGod0WGrtFTLA1548Q39FVg-XyXlvGCpRKkbP1Ag4AE-OFIOVLgqlr2bCOZnD_gTKBrNcHjQW6W_-UbkWtzv-Y7XP7zr5AwE4fkdg9KFoQ/s400/5578campingnickbgg.gif" width="267" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, I had to share one of my favorite shots of the trip. This was at the end of the final afternoon when I knew everyone was starting to feel the effects of a non-stop spring break. I asked Nick and Alex to pose for the camera and here's what they gave me:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipB4-aa_Ycpobo80cogmwloB47kaUoJ6gr5L2fVGr2Jn7u2fy3BJfiPuaLF4RZeEyudawy2H0adc_9z94azhcYuRtzaKaHmz8wpdaFX7ilJL3fpW8rGRkhObKajt9m_G8KSwwnP6NhLWY/s1600/5580campingnickalex.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipB4-aa_Ycpobo80cogmwloB47kaUoJ6gr5L2fVGr2Jn7u2fy3BJfiPuaLF4RZeEyudawy2H0adc_9z94azhcYuRtzaKaHmz8wpdaFX7ilJL3fpW8rGRkhObKajt9m_G8KSwwnP6NhLWY/s400/5580campingnickalex.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do you think we sufficiently burned them out?! Of course Alex is already asking when the next trip is going to be and talking about how much he loved the camping trip, so I know it was a success despite the worn out little rugrats that emerged from our extended weekend expedition.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally I wanted to mention that <i>most </i>of the meals turned out great. I say most because we did have one dessert disaster. I have learned from it though and hope to get it better the next trip so stay tuned. I have a couple meals that did turn out yummy and I'll plan to share them here before our next camping trip in May.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Overall we had a blast at this park and I would highly recommend it as a family friendly camping destination. Next trip, Stone Mountain! We'll be heading there on Memorial Day weekend. Thank for checking in and Happy Trails!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-41038644742149374892010-04-06T14:05:00.000-04:002010-04-06T14:05:56.165-04:00Camping Time!Yay! Our first camping trip is finally upon us and I can hardly wait to get out to the site. We'll be heading to <a href="http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1020.aspx">Huntington Beach State Park</a> for a little fun at the beach. <br />
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I have already planned the meals and bought the groceries. Our dinners while we're there are the <a href="http://campingwithcars.blogspot.com/2010/02/easy-peasy-herbed-fish.html">Easy Peasy Herbed Fish</a>, Chicken Shish Kabobs, and Potato Kielbasa Skillet Dinner. I'll be sure to add those recipes to the site with pictures after we get back from our trip. I like to keep lunches and breakfasts a bit easier, simply because with three kids aged 5 to 1, one fully cooked meal at the campsite is about all I can handle. So lunches will be sandwiches, fruit and chips and breakfasts will be cereal, organic toaster pastries (a special treat that we only get when we go camping) and fresh fruit. And of course we need desserts and in betweens. In case your wondering what in betweens are, I consider them the stuff you have in between meals, such as trail mix, granola bars and cheese and crackers. For dessert I'm whipping up a batch of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever. (Look for this recipe next week on <a href="http://mommiecooks.blogspot.com/">Mommie Cooks</a>), some rice krispie treats for the boys, and I may try my hand at one "over the campfire" dessert. I'm thinking about a three ingredient dessert; cake mix, fruit, and butter cooked over the campfire. Although, I prefer not to used a boxed cake, so I may create my own cake mix before we head out the door on Thursday. I'm also looking forward to trying out my new dutch oven!<br />
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The two older boys will be bringing their own tent again along with their star guides and bird books (we've heard this area is one of the best birding areas in the country). The younger one will be living life in the pack and play and the baby carrier as he's not walking yet. I was hoping he'd get there in time for this trip, but no such luck. <br />
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Does anyone else have a first camping trip of the season coming up? I'd love to hear where you're planning to go and what your bringing to make your outing a special one! Have a great week and I'll be back starting next week with all kinds of goodies to talk about!juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-34002356711358904902010-03-07T11:46:00.001-05:002010-03-09T12:21:12.987-05:00Baby carriers for the outdoor family<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can't believe it's only one month until we head out on our first camping trip of the season! It will be nice to be able to write about actual "camping adventures" again. Until that time though, we've been taking advantage of the weather warming up and have started to spend more time outdoors hiking around the area. And as we all know, with little ones in tow, a baby carrier is absolutely necessary if you want to go off the paved road. So, in the spirit of upcoming spring and summer hikes, I thought it might be time to talk a bit about baby carriers. This is a topic that's near and dear to my heart because I actually started up and ran my own baby carrier business with a friend for a short time, so I feel like I probably have more knowledge than the average Joe (or Josephine as the case may be.)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The day of the Baby Bjorn being your only choice for a baby carrier are gone. Today there are hundreds of different types and styles to choose from. Here are a couple of things to think about when choosing a baby carrier:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Will you use it solely for hiking or will you use it for other activities as well? </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. Where do you feel most comfortable having the weight distibuted. Do you prefer having it hit your shoulders, or would it work better if you had the weight on your hips? </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. How old is your baby? Is he/she holding their head up yet? Sitting up on their own? Or are you perhaps looking for more the toddler age?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4. Do you want the ability to have him/her on your front and back or are you ok with just having him/her on your back?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5. Are you looking for a carrier that can be operated easily by one person, or one that may require a second set of hands?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6. How much are you looking to spend?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the more popular carriers for hiking is <a href="http://www.kelty.com/c-32-child-carriers.aspx">Kelty.</a> We have a Kelty carrier that we use solely for hiking while camping. What I love about this carrier is that it can hold up to 50 pounds so we could easily use it up until our middle child, Alex was 3.5 years old. It puts the weight on your hips which makes for a much more comfortable hike with the older heavier child. The main downsides to these carriers, is that they are pretty bulky for every day use. They also, in my opinion, require two sets of hands to get the child in proper and up on your back. They are a bit pricey as well, unless you can pick one up second hand. That, being said, for the older toddler, this carrier has been a necessity and a lifesaver for us.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A couple other choices that you may or may not have heard of, but that can be great for hiking and everyday use are the <a href="http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/">Ergo</a> and <a href="http://www.becobabycarrier.com/">Beco</a>. I have tried both of these carriers and like them both. Similar to the Kelty, they place the weight of the child at your hips and not your shoulders. The main difference you'll find with these two carriers is that there is no metal support like there is in the Kelty. These carriers have been designed with everyday use in mind. I prefer these carriers for the 2 year and under crowd because they can be worn on either the front or back and they are much easier for a single person to maneuver. They are also a bit more affordable. However, the downside to these carriers is that they don't have as much storage for diapers, drinks, snacks etc. as the Kelty has and I do think that for longer hikes and heavier children, the Kelty will support better over the long term. Seeing as we have three children, and needed to carry two until just this year, having one of these carriers in addition to the Kelty was perfect for us. I use this carrier other places besides hiking as well; at museums, zoos, the grocery store; you name it. It's a wonderful way to carry a little one around when you're lacking that second set of hands and/or a smooth ride for the stroller.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is only the tip of the iceberg with regards to carriers. There are many other types; mei tais, buckle tais, ring slings, etc. Some of these are ok for hiking and others are better for day to day use. If you are interested in learning more about the different types of baby carriers available, I recommend you visit <a href="http://www.thebabywearer.com/">The Babywearer </a>website.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy Trails!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFdcvDs4PvLiesvATRWt7-uPzAJAHbZi1oNakbtTmn_FNk-sEZDWd_UpY0DD26KmmfkWY6QLdFYAIB40-DEFu1T9K7JoXtddKi6jVPAThflUduWM4ifEKORtAYyzNBnlLoxWKFD2M6pU/s1600-h/alexhapai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFdcvDs4PvLiesvATRWt7-uPzAJAHbZi1oNakbtTmn_FNk-sEZDWd_UpY0DD26KmmfkWY6QLdFYAIB40-DEFu1T9K7JoXtddKi6jVPAThflUduWM4ifEKORtAYyzNBnlLoxWKFD2M6pU/s320/alexhapai.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Alex in one of my carriers; the Hapai Baby</span></i></span></div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-72905451759395895312010-02-26T07:38:00.000-05:002010-02-26T07:38:43.426-05:00Trail Mix Musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Inspired by a fellow blog reader, I decided to do a post on trail mix. And honestly, what's not to like about trail mix? It's healthy, it's fun, it's versatile, and it's easy to make. There are so many ways to make trail mix that you could create a different mix every day for a year and still not run out of choices to make it unique. All this talk is making me hungry so let's get started!<br />
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Trail Mix typically consists of dried fruits, nuts, grains, seeds, and sometimes chocolates. It was originally created for the outdoor enthusiast because nuts and fruit offer a good combination or protein and sugar to keep you energized and moving forward. Today, it's eaten everywhere from the great outdoors to the office for a mid afternoon pick-me-up. Some common ingredients that tend to be in most trail mixes include peanuts, raisins, almonds, cashews, and M&M's. But why stop there? There are so many great additions that you can add to make a trail mix your own personal favorite. How about dried cherries? Sunflower seeds? Or maybe yogurt covered raisins? The possibilities are endless.<br />
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When I set out to make a trail mix, I typically like to head over to my local natural foods store where I can find bulk bins with all my favorite ingredients. This way I can get a little or a lot of each ingredient and save money while doing it because I only buy what I need. Sometimes they have pre-made trail mixes in the bins as well if you'd rather just get something that's already been mixed. Here in Charlotte I tend to like <a href="http://www.hemarket.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=9E2183FD37B644688460B56FF8928F28">Healthy Home Market</a> as they have the largest selection of bulk bins in the area. Find something similar in your area and check it out.<br />
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If you want to go a bit more gourmet you can visit one of several online "create your own" trail mix shops including <a href="http://www.nuttyidea.net./">Nutty Idea</a> and <a href="http://www.youbars.com/customtrailmix?gclid=COqG_KqPjqACFQk65QodZ270eg">You Trail Mix</a>. You can also make trail mixes that have a bit more substance to them, such as a coating of yummy goodness that gives them additional flavor. Here are a couple gourmet recipes to try the next time you're looking for something a little different!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Carmel Goodness Trail Mix</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">9 Cups of Rice Chex Cereal</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup of brown sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup butter (1 stick)</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp vanilla</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 tsp baking soda </div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup maple syrup</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup each of your favorite mixings (ie. nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spread cereal on a greased baking sheet. In a medium sauce pan melt butter. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour mixture over cereal and stir until all pieces are coated. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Place mixture in a preheated 250 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Pull out of oven and let cereal cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in addition mixings. Allow to cool completely and then break into chunks. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Very Cherry Trail Mix </b><br />
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1 Cup of uncooked Oats<br />
2/3 Cup of Chopped Dried Cherries<br />
1/4 Cup Chopped Almonds<br />
1/4 tsp Salt<br />
1 Tbsp Butter, melted<br />
1/4 Cup Honey<br />
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Grease a large jelly roll pan. In a large bowl mix together oats, cherries, almonds and salt. Pour butter and honey over the top of mixture and stir until evenly coated. Spread evenly onto greased pan. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Let Cool. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!</div><br />
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</div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-49214534404752547592010-02-21T12:42:00.000-05:002010-02-21T12:42:00.665-05:00Getting out locallyNot every weekend can be dedicated to camping, but that doesn't mean you can't get out and experience nature in your local area on a regular basis. In a time of never ending tv, video games, cell phones and the like, it's important to set aside time for kids to get outside and explore their surroundings away from all the noise of modern technology. There are so many great areas for getting out of the house and exploring, and chances are, there are many places in your own town that you don't even know of yet. Make it a challenge to find one new place that you've never been before. Ask friends and neighbors where they enjoy spending their outdoor time. Check around for local outdoor clubs, look in the local paper for outdoor activities or check out your local library for nature books relative to your city or state. I know that after searching online for outdoor venues in Charlotte, I stumbled upon several clubs and outings that I hadn't even known existed until I took the time to research them. <br />
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Our family's favorite local outdoor activity is to visit our <a href="http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Greenways/Home.htm">local greenways</a> and explore the outdoors while we walk. For my boys, every visit is a new hike. My oldest enjoys treasure hunting while we go. He's found intact beetles shells, bird feathers, frogs, and more. My husband and I enjoy the feeling of being outside and the sense of renewal it gives us. Nothing lifts the spirits more than a walk in nature. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpqlgq4dnjYjpYbS3vsMKJK1WrMdybCvqvc3hI2775A9UK63ERswl6IkFUkEV1GIqznIP6Gi9Tz0eP-0UyrtVKPJelVbJwNsjjzg9JNbFEBNjR4Ss8yImrK3VYBUpJw316oLtgjOHQA4/s1600-h/IMG00547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpqlgq4dnjYjpYbS3vsMKJK1WrMdybCvqvc3hI2775A9UK63ERswl6IkFUkEV1GIqznIP6Gi9Tz0eP-0UyrtVKPJelVbJwNsjjzg9JNbFEBNjR4Ss8yImrK3VYBUpJw316oLtgjOHQA4/s320/IMG00547.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The entrance to McMullen Creek Greenway in Charlotte</span></i> </div><br />
So the next time you're sitting around on a Sunday afternoon with your kids begging to play the wii yet again and wondering what to do with your time, get out and enjoy the day. Even if it's just a walk through your neighborhood. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel and at the same time, you'll be teaching your children more about the world around them and how to have fun in the outdoors without the use of an ipod, cell phone or game boy.<br />
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Some local outdoor opportunities in Charlotte include:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1266771573967"><br />
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<a href="http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Greenways/Home.htm">Charlotte Greenways</a><br />
<a href="http://www.meetup.com/CLTParents/">The Charlotte Outdoor Parents Meetup Group</a><br />
<a href="http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Parks/Home.htm">Charlotte Park System</a><br />
<a href="http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Inside+The+Department/Divisions/Stewardship+Services/Nature+Preserves/Home.htm">Charlotte Nature Preserves</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Greenways/Home.htm"></a>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-74388962337861318442010-02-18T07:27:00.000-05:002010-02-18T07:27:45.649-05:00The Great Backyard Bird CountI recently read about <a href="http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/kids">The Great Backyard Bird Count</a> (the day after it ended of course) and thought what a fun idea this would be for kids to participate in. While it's too late to take part in the official count this year, it doesn't mean you can't do your own count for fun (and shhhh.... educational purposes). Head to the website and grab a <a href="http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/checklist">regional checklist</a> to get a list of birds common to your area. Do it in your backyard in the winter and then again in the summer to see how your list differs with migrating species. Take a list with you camping and see what types of birds are at the campground you're staying at. You can even print out lists created specifically for National Parks and Lands.<br />
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The website itself also has a lot of great information on how to properly ID birds, including a comprehensive bird guide with pictures, sounds, maps and more. It's a great way to get up to speed now, so that when you do head out to the campgrounds with binoculars in hand, you know your birds as you see them. Happy Birding!juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-70969527444573263482010-02-16T09:16:00.002-05:002010-02-16T09:19:20.639-05:00Camping out WestIt's the middle of the winter and too cold for kid camping, so I thought I might head back in time a bit and post about a few parks out west that we went to pre-kids. Please forgive the picture quality. My oldest is almost six years old, so I had to dig into some pretty old boxes to find these pictures.<br />
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<b>Zion National Park</b><br />
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We camped at this park for three nights and really liked it. We stayed on the Watchmen loop although both the South loop and the Watchmen loop were nice. There are no showers at this park, but they do have clean drinking water and bathrooms.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGt1ur6sWO8z8ajlTg7gKpi7FVHWvQuzAyJMPyYfryCIUYp9hc0kVV_tUoOyZouMAuJS90lBGj7Znv4EMAmPYhhSnl7Reul73fgENmGMH8avAPocSLkGueP3AwnypUyOQteawIm-kN8F4/s1600-h/2002_Parks_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGt1ur6sWO8z8ajlTg7gKpi7FVHWvQuzAyJMPyYfryCIUYp9hc0kVV_tUoOyZouMAuJS90lBGj7Znv4EMAmPYhhSnl7Reul73fgENmGMH8avAPocSLkGueP3AwnypUyOQteawIm-kN8F4/s320/2002_Parks_019.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
My favorite part of this park was hiking the Narrows, although I will say that this is NOT a kid friendly hike unless your kids are able to hike on their own and are good swimmers. You hike up a narrow canyon through a shallow running river. The scenery along this hike is breathtaking. It is a total of 16 miles long and takes about 13 hours to hike in it's entirety. There were plenty of backpackers that were going the entire way and camping as they went, but we only hiked about 31/2 miles in and then turned around and went back out. I would definitely love to go back and hike the entire length one day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCm7opN7FyAoy5KT81PGW_Giy4I00cB2aUHQ2PHrUBRwXfo5u8RM0vIEmxZxyhYX_opqEsecqNSyOCQVMmq2sGZo2oULEt0q6OG0Aeik1FRbtFQK05MZr6WRRMqH8WawHYyyywCGArsA/s1600-h/2002_Parks_037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCm7opN7FyAoy5KT81PGW_Giy4I00cB2aUHQ2PHrUBRwXfo5u8RM0vIEmxZxyhYX_opqEsecqNSyOCQVMmq2sGZo2oULEt0q6OG0Aeik1FRbtFQK05MZr6WRRMqH8WawHYyyywCGArsA/s320/2002_Parks_037.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Mod5uCMLZTMyDkvZxbyoZ-jh7i0vPAv8nNFPoCjksVN7O_YKNI3cUiU4Zf-Yy-TxqwKclxYJFlh0vqaBpbJJMlSYmF-bW2ia7U94xTcTnMjh-PbTGqmGruFyb8D1sTx_9yYncNBEYq0/s1600-h/2002_Parks_038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Mod5uCMLZTMyDkvZxbyoZ-jh7i0vPAv8nNFPoCjksVN7O_YKNI3cUiU4Zf-Yy-TxqwKclxYJFlh0vqaBpbJJMlSYmF-bW2ia7U94xTcTnMjh-PbTGqmGruFyb8D1sTx_9yYncNBEYq0/s320/2002_Parks_038.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJe37_wXYzGUy9u5BdRRnDwBOIFuhuz5q7Rdv7xEtODIcZSrp9Tmgi56YkhKBu0JLSzzHOzB4zlhxwhrtB7OIvtXn94GfAjL6siu-_spB77o3_oBjHBNUVXlSHeA7N-yjiOOvXfEs9M4/s1600-h/2002_Parks_039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJe37_wXYzGUy9u5BdRRnDwBOIFuhuz5q7Rdv7xEtODIcZSrp9Tmgi56YkhKBu0JLSzzHOzB4zlhxwhrtB7OIvtXn94GfAjL6siu-_spB77o3_oBjHBNUVXlSHeA7N-yjiOOvXfEs9M4/s320/2002_Parks_039.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<b>Bryce Canyon National Park</b><br />
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Even though we didn't spend the night at this park, I felt it deserved a shout-out. This is by far, one of the neatest parks I've ever visited. When walking through it, you literally feel like you've entered The Flintstones. It's not a big park, but it's definitely memorable. You can see most of it in one day if you're not planning any major hikes. <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">While we didn't experience either of these parks with kids, they are both kid friendly and offer shorter hikes for the younger crowd in addition to junior ranger programs for kids aged 6-12. These parks are located in Southern Utah and you can learn more about them at their websites: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm">ZION</a> and <a href="http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm">BRYCE</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-30915139616553081692010-02-14T20:36:00.001-05:002010-02-14T20:39:38.241-05:00Toffee CrackersA fellow MOPS mom made these one morning for our breakfast brunch and I thought they were delicious so here I am sharing them with you today. These easy to make treats can be made before you head out to the campground for a quick dessert or midday snack.<br />
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Ingredients you'll need:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliema/4358085472/" title="5125blogpictoffeecracker by maddiebud, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4358085472_661b83c5f3.jpg" width="335" height="500" alt="5125blogpictoffeecracker" /></a><br />
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Line up 20 graham crackers on a jelly roll pan. Then, add a stick and a half of butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Let boil for two minutes stirring occasionally. Add one teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Remove butter mixture from heat and spread over graham crackers evenly. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliema/4357338863/" title="5126blogpictoffeecracker by maddiebud, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4357338863_25be17aa8c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="5126blogpictoffeecracker" /></a><br />
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Place in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely and break into pieces. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliema/4358155642/" title="5134blogpictoffeecracker by maddiebud, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4358155642_e489efbd2a_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="5134blogpictoffeecracker" /></a>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-56991150842761784512010-02-13T12:00:00.002-05:002010-02-13T12:05:49.670-05:00Hiking with childrenI don't know about you, but in our pre-kid days, my husband and I loved to get outside and hike. We'd hike six miles up a 14,000 foot mountain in Colorado and be ready for more. While it's true that you probably won't be hiking too many 14'ers with small children in tow, it is still possible to enjoy a hike with kids if you set realistic goals and go into it prepared and with an open mind.<br />
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1.<b> Make sure you pack plenty of snacks for the trail. </b><br />
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<b> </b>I can't tell you how important this first tip is. Kids get hungry. Heck, adults get hungry too. If you don't have multiple snacks with you, you may find that your hike is much shorter than you wanted it to be. There are so many great, quick snack ideas for the trail. I'll get a better list together in a future post, but for some quick ideas think trail mix (make your own and be creative!), dried fruit, fresh fruit, dried cereal, granola bars, cereal bars, cheese sticks,etc.)<br />
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2.<b> Plan to make multiple stops. </b><br />
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Kids go at their own pace and they need more time to complete a hike then we do as adults. Recognize that and plan it into your hiking time. When my husband and I are researching which hike to take, we'll look at the description to see if we can envision good places to stop and take a break. Ponds, waterfalls, views... these are all good places to stop and let the kids take a break for a minute.<br />
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3. <b>Find activities or create games to make hiking fun.</b><br />
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Creating some activities or games to hold the interest of your child on the hike can not only buy you extra time to hike a little more of the trail, but it can also make the experience more fun for everyone. There are so many ways to have fun with your kids while hiking. Try finding the <a href="http://campingwithcars.blogspot.com/2010/02/finding-alphabet-letters-in-nature.html">alphabet within your surroundings</a> or sing songs while you hike. Assign a color to each child and see how many times they can spot their color along the trail. Have a trail scavenger hunt where you create a list of items to find along the trail - certain flowers, birds, features, etc and see who can complete their list. Find and decorate your own walking stick before heading out on the trail. Most of all, just have fun!<br />
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4.<b> Bring a carrier for backup.</b><br />
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We have a five year old a four year old and a one year old. It's a given that the one year old will ride in a back pack. Up through this past summer, we also brought a carrier for our then 3.5 year old as well. We would always let him start walking and make several stops, but if he got too tired, the carrier was there for him to take a break.<b> </b>I realize that a 3.5 year old is heavy, so either way, a hike will more than likely be a bit shorter than it would be if your children were babies or of the older crowd, but having a carrier at that age, can definitely get you farther on the trail and can be a lifesaver if you get halfway out on the trail only to have your child proclaim that he is done hiking and can't walk another step (been there done that.).<br />
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5<b>. Be prepared to not go as far as you planned. </b><br />
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Don't be disappointed if you don't get to hike as long as you were hoping. This was such a tough one for me the first few times we went out hiking with our children. I'd get all excited about a hike and darn if I wasn't going to finish it. But as parents we have to remember that hiking is a skill and kids need to learn how to hike for longer stints. Don't get frustrated if you don't get as far as you'd like the first time. Keep it fun, keep trying, and your kids will keep wanting to go out and hike more. You'll be instilling a love of the outdoors in your children and before you know it, you'll be working to keep up with them!<b> </b><br />
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6. <b>Enjoy the Journey!</b><br />
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Prepare yourself for the fact that your hike will most likely not be as long, nor will it be as fast. Small children are just that, <i>small</i>. Instead of looking at this as a detriment, look at it as an opportunity to explore your outdoor surroundings. Sometimes as adults we focus more getting to the finish line than on the journey we take to get there. One of the best parts of having children is their ability to help us slow down and smell the roses. While I do miss my longer hikes, I've learned to find the beauty in seeing the outdoors through my children's eyes and I know they are better for it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwWJJzcLVvHz3lVV90gt-DGZ112P28_ZrRIBU-hty1MLO3XBNfmVcoYuX62y8v3Be609RBsGjSKK_mdrakzUlANV-YmyTVQhZ3H-5xAoFYzlPBoPAzvlNc4ABpVCdCaFdls6mdxOvgno/s1600-h/4162xmashiking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwWJJzcLVvHz3lVV90gt-DGZ112P28_ZrRIBU-hty1MLO3XBNfmVcoYuX62y8v3Be609RBsGjSKK_mdrakzUlANV-YmyTVQhZ3H-5xAoFYzlPBoPAzvlNc4ABpVCdCaFdls6mdxOvgno/s320/4162xmashiking.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Hiking with our three year old in the pack</i></span> </div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-88022043380070071392010-02-12T15:31:00.002-05:002010-02-12T15:47:53.345-05:00Gear Talk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, let's talk gear today. We currently have an eight man tent that we love; it's the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00170JZE4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00005OU9L&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0P8HMTEX8TMEYA5K1R7F">Cougar Flats</a> by Columbia. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br />
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We researched and researched and chose this one for several reasons. First off, we needed lots of space for our three boys but still wanted high quality at an affordable price. An eight man tent seemed to be the perfect size for us. The reviews on this tent from other families were great which is always a big selling feature with us. One thing we liked in particular about this tent was that it claimed to allow good airflow through the tent which I definitely think it does. The tent itself has two rooms, one room that has windows that can be closed or opened and little openings at the bottom that are protected from water but that can be left open for ventilation (love these). It also has a hook in the ceiling for a light which is nice. The second room's walls can be closed up if it's cold or the sides can be rolled up to create a screened in porch if it's nice out and you want the air flow. This room has been perfect for the baby. We are able to put the pack-and-play in there and he can see us and still be a part of the action without being bothered by biting insects. <br />
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My only small issue with this tent was Columbia's customer service. Our first time setting up the tent, we discovered that one of our roof poles was broken (I know, I know, we should have set up the new tent before we left - always set up a new tent before you head out to make sure you know how to set it up and know that everything is in working order!). We created a fix for the trip and when we got home we called customer service. Columbia's customer service at the time we called was being run by a different company so we had to jump a few hoops to get our new pole. We did finally get a new pole and it's the correct size so I'm guessing it will work fine, but it wasn't a pole that came from that tent. Despite this small glitch, I still love this tent and I think it will be our main outdoor residence for some time to come.<br />
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Now of course, as soon as we bought the eight man tent, our four and five year old decided they wanted their own tent to sleep in. So we pulled out our old four man tent from our "before children" days and they have used that and love being "big kids" in their own tent. You can see a pic of the two tents set up together in the slide show. In order to make the transition easier to the boys being in their own tent, we bought them a flashlight/nightlight. My husband looked around at different choices but in the end he decided on the <a href="http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=4344-701K&categoryid=1060&brand=">Coleman Companion Flashlight with Light Show</a>.<br />
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The kids love that it's not only a flashlight but it can also do different series of colored lights in the tent at night. We still get visitors in the big tent on rainy nights, but on a nice clear night, the boys love having the four man tent to themselves. <br />
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</h1>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-79366532341852178742010-02-11T21:39:00.001-05:002010-02-13T14:59:12.138-05:00Finding Alphabet Letters in NatureSometimes keeping small kids entertained at camp can be a challenge. One activity that my boys enjoy when we're camping, be it while we're hiking or when we're just hanging out around the tents, is finding Alphabet letters in nature. If you've never done it, be sure to try it the next time you're outside with your kids. You can simply look for random letters and see what you find (a better way to do it with smaller kids who are still learning their alphabet) or you can make it a game and see who can get to the end of the alphabet first. For a lasting memory, give each child a camera and let them take pictures of the letters they find. This activity is a fun, easy way to explore and learn more about nature and your kids will love discovering the secret letters that are hiding right in their own backyard.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mercedmuseum.org/exhibits/past/images/natures_alphabet/play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="http://www.mercedmuseum.org/exhibits/past/images/natures_alphabet/play.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture borrowed from <a href="http://www.discoveringnaturesalphabet.com/index.html">Discovering Natures Alphabet</a> by Krystina Castella and Brian Boyl</span></i></div>juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-73242492070882935172010-02-10T15:13:00.008-05:002010-02-13T15:16:15.285-05:00Easy Peasy herbed fishThis is an easy and tasty recipe that is great for camping; especially for your first night there after you've put all your energy into unpacking and setting up camp. It can be put together the morning of and marinate all day while you're driving and setting up camp. My kids love fish, so this goes down quick with everyone cleaning their plates and asking for more. I've used sole in these pictures, but this will work for everything from salmon to catfish. Pick your favorite! Here are the ingredients you'll need:<br />
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And I have to apologize to my friends salt and pepper. I forgot to add them to the picture.<br />
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Grab yourself a gallon size freezer bag and add to it the juice of one lemon, 1/4c olive oil, 1/2 tsp of dried basil (fresh is super yummy as well and I use a 1:3 ratio when going between fresh and dried so if you use fresh chop up 11/2 tsp of fresh basil), 1/2 tsp of dried parsley (again, 11/2 tsp if using fresh), two crushed cloves of garlic (finely chopped if you don't have a garlic press) and salt and pepper to taste. I typically put about 5 or 6 good shakes of each. Mix it all up in the bag, put in your frozen fish fillets(yes you heard me correctly, you can take them straight out of the freezer and put them in the marinade bag) and seal it up making sure to get all the air out.<br />
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Throw it in your iced cooler and you're done! That evening when you're ready to cook dinner, pull out the fish fillets. They should be thawed but cold at that point. Throw them into your camp stove cooking pot, juice and all, on medium high heat and cook em up. With white fish such as sole and catfish, this should take about 5-7 minutes and with thicker fish such as salmon, expect it take around 10 minutes. Pull it out of the pan and serve it with a veggie and carb and you've got a yummy dinner! On our last trip I steamed up some spinach and we had a store bought focaccia bread that I had bought the day before. Enjoy!juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-77603043515865524782010-02-09T15:03:00.001-05:002010-06-06T15:57:59.312-04:00First Landing State ParkWe ventured to <a href="http://www.first-landing-state-park.org/index.html">First Landing State Park</a> in Virginia the first weekend in August of 2009. We were on our way to Ocean City and figured it would be a nice spot to stop for a few days and attempt to camp with all three kids. The campground has a full service bathroom including hot showers, a visitor's center with several different activities for the kids, walking access to the Chesapeake Bay with a swimming area, and easy driving access to all the sights and sounds of Virginia Beach.<br />
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We spent two nights here and loved it! First off, I would recommend that for tent camping, you choose either loop A or loop B. In my opinion, these were the best options. Some of the sites in these loops were really big and the trees were so neat! Many were easily climbable for my older two who were three and five at the time. On the right side as you drove toward into the campground, the sites backed to the main road although you couldn't really see it because the sites were big enough to block the view.<br />
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We set up two tents; a very large eight man tent and a somewhat smaller four man tent. The older boys had decided they wanted to sleep in their own tent and we still had a four man tent from our "pre-kid" days so we brought it along. The first night it rained so the kids slept in the eight man tent with us. The next night they got a bit braver and slept in the four man tent together. We had bought them a special flashlight/nightlight that made the nighttime a bit more fun in the tent. The baby slept in the big tent with us. At six months old he wasn't crawling or sitting yet, so we brought a crib mattress for him and laid it at the end of our blow up mattress. It worked out really well and gave me easy access to get to him in the night if I needed to. He is, of course, crawling now at one year old and will maybe even be walking by our spring trip, so we're going to take along a pack and play in the spring for him to sleep in and hang out in while we're at camp.<br />
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The first full day we were there, we enjoyed a breakfast at camp and then my husband took the older boys to a few of the visitor center activities while I stayed back with the youngest while he took a nap. They played games from the colonial times and took a nature walk. In the afternoon after the baby woke up, we all ventured back down to the visitor center, toured around the museum and checked out the beach. That evening my husband took the older boys out for a nighttime nature walk, once again sponsored by the visitor center - that was a big hit! Our second full day was mostly spent at the beach. First Landing has such a nice beach with quiet waves and easy water for the little ones. The ranger had set up a station on the beach with different aquatic wildlife found in the Chesapeake so the kids could learn a bit about the inhabitants. They even provided nets so you could do a little aquatic exploration of your own!<br />
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All in all it was a top pick for a family camping destination. Everyone had a great time and we didn't even begin to touch all the activities that can be done here. Things we hope to try on our next visit include hiking and biking on some of the many trails available to visitors.juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8214501409083967849.post-57524647060878912442010-02-09T13:54:00.000-05:002010-02-09T13:58:10.798-05:00Welcome!I'm so excited to be starting up a blog on camping with children! My husband and I have always loved camping and getting into nature. We were avid outdoorsmen (and women) before having children. Once our first child came though, we were unsure of how it would change camping. We ended up taking a few years off from our adventures because we weren't sure of the best ways to make it work. But now, three children later and living in an area much more conducive to camping (we lived in the Dallas area before; it was always too hot or too cold for camping it seemed - especially with small children), we've decided to take the plunge and get back into camping. We attempted our first camping trip to First Landing State park in Virginia Beach last summer when our youngest was only 6 months old and it went so well we weren't sure what we had been afraid of the entire time(more on that in the next blog post)! With that first experience under our belts we are now ready to jump in full force. We have three trips planned so far this year: a spring trip to Huntington Beach State Park, an early summer trip to Stone Mountain, and a Labor Day weekend trip to Linville, NC (aka Grandfather Mountain). More trips may be added as the camping season progresses. Our spring trip is scheduled for Easter weekend, so stay tuned for recipes and activity ideas as we get ready to head south in just a few short weeks!juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04164652926032406962noreply@blogger.com0