A Camping We Will Go...

Rented marshmallows, anyone? Don't ask me... That's what Big A thinks you do to marshmallows when you're camping. You rent marshmallows!

Yes, it's true... We took the kids on their first camping trip this weekend. We were a little apprehensive since when we told them we had a surprise for them and then told them that the surprise was a camping trip, they just looked at us with blank stares... But boy have things changed now!

We left immediately following Big A's last day of school family pot luck on Friday and arrived at the Cloverdale KOA well ahead of their 1pm check-in time (12:02, to be exact). There was NOBODY there except one straggling family who just HAPPENED to have been camping in the site they were trying to assign to us and were late checking out. (HUH? There are 48 other EMPTY campsites and you want us to wait for that family to pack up?) Besides the fact that our originally assigned campsite was occupied, it was not in the trees, was right next to the main road and was too close to the playground. We returned to the office/store and in my most syrupy-sweet-I'll-get-what-I-want voice I asked the lady if there was "ANY possible way to switch sites as that one just is too close to the road for my two small children..."

The lovely lady was more than happy to oblige and told us to drive around and see what we liked. We returned once again to the office/store with a list of 4 sites we liked and she gave us the one that would be "GREAT for the kids because nobody has reserved the two sites next to you so they'll have tons of room to play," (See... You CAN get what you want! Thanks, Mom, for teaching me that important lesson!) and with that we were off to set up camp.

Now those of you who are familiar with KOAs know that they offer many activities such as a playground, arcade, mini-golf, swimming, fishing, movies, etc. Seeing as how our next trips are planned for State and County parks which do not offer such activities, we did not want the kids to get the idea that those things are what camping is all about... On the contrary, those are things we can do at HOME! We had packed a few outdoor toys (bats and balls, sticky mitts and balls, badminton rackets and birdies, buckets and shovels and tractors, etc.) and the kids were PERFECTLY content playing with those things and getting filthy. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED... The true meaning of camping... Family time and enjoying the great outdoors!

The kids made new friends (Zoe and Cameron)...

Roasted marshmallows (we did NOT however, rent any marshmallows)...

Ate good food...

And cried when we left (sorry, no pics)! They can not WAIT for the next trip.

So... Anyone want to join us for a camping trip? Name a date and a place! We're in!!