Camping!

We found ourselves camping the first weekend of August. We started summer off with a great camping trip with friends and this past weekend we went again, only this time with family. My parents and Brian and Megan and their kids. It was only about 40 minutes away which we were super happy about, especially Friday night. We got there around 7 or so on Friday night and quick got the tent up and made our mac n cheese and visited.

Showing our tent to "Baby" Kaylan

Mac n Cheese supper!

Headlight!

The Chef

However it was extremely hot during all of this so when we crawled into the tent to go to bed around 10 or so I had never been more uncomfortable in my life. We put up with it for about an hour but being 34 weeks pregnant in a sticky at least 85 degree tent is not fun. Linnea was also miserable, super sweaty and couldn't get comfy or fall asleep and Chris was feeling the same way. It then got super windy and a big storm was coming...we made the decision to head back home around 11. That is why I say we were so happy it was only 40 minutes away! It took a bit longer to get home with the storm and because the first way we went we nearly ran into a HUGE tree blocking the road. I'm not sure if it was struck by lightning or if the wind blew it down but either way we needed to turn around. We made it home just after midnight and slept much better in our own beds and cool house!

We headed back around 10 the next morning and met everyone at the Carpenter Nature Center where we all enjoyed looking at animals, playing in the interpretative center and then going on a short hike to a nice lookout.

"Hiking"

Touching a turtle!

Family of three...soon to be 4!

  It was a cool morning but the sun came out and the weather warmed up that afternoon so we enjoyed playing at the playground right at our campground after lunch and then after some rest time (Linnea with grandma) we headed to the beach. 

"Quiet" time with grandma.

It was a river beach with lots of waves from the boats so Linnea had fun with that. She also finally put a lifejacket on and took her first canoe ride! (sadly our camera battery died so no pics on the canoe) She saw her cousins do it and apparently thought it looked fun, so we sent her off in my parents canoe with papa and uncle Brian and Dylan and Ian. I guess she liked it! YAY! 

When we were done swimming we headed back to camp and made our foil dinners! Well Chris and my parents did while Linnea and I headed to an even bigger playground than they played at earlier in the day.  Linnea was certainly tired though and rode in her cousins wagon the whole way there and back. Rest time with grandma should have been naptime but she just couldn't go to sleep. 

She still didn't go to sleep early though...we stayed up and made pudgie pies and thanks to Pinterest I tried wrapping chocolate chips and marshmallows in a tortilla in foil and cooking it on the fire for Linnea. She liked it! There are a few other camping recipes from that addicting site I want to try this fall either in our lil fire pit or my parents. After our desserts we headed to bed and Linnea fell right to sleep while Chris and I read with our new booklights! I was surprised and happy she zonked right out. Sunday Brian and the boys left before my parents and us but we spent some time visiting with them and keeping the boys busy while Brian packed up. Once my parents and us were packed up we went on a scavenger hunt walk/hike before heading home. Linnea took a lil snooze on the way home which lead to no nap once we got home...she did lay in her bed and sing and talk to her toys for an hour so we could sort of unpack and rest. 

What a fun trip! But now the not so fun laundry and unpacking has to get done...and our dryer decided to stop working Friday so we will be giving our clothesline/drying racks more use than ever. We think our next big trip will include a newborn!