I love camping. Always have, from the time I was a kid tent-camping with my family. Our favorite family vacation was boat-camping in the San Juan islands, when we'd stuff everything we needed in our little 15-foot open bow boat and head out to an itty-bitty island that barely made the maps, which consisted of two campsites, two pit toilets, and a bunch of trails to explore.
Today, I camp with my own family, though we don't rough it quite so much. Our pop up trailer has all the comforts of home, after a fashion, including light and heat and refrigeration and heated mattresses. (Okay, that would be *more* than the comforts of home, since I don't have a heated mattress.)
I'm a fan of hotels, too, and private bathrooms and room service and not having sand everywhere despite my best efforts. But there's something about camping that seems to bring us together in a really cool way. We spend time together without electronics to take attention away. We hike and explore and take pictures and goof around. And we find common ground, which is so important as the kids get older. Last year, we were sitting in our pop-up late one evening, all of us reading, the heater keeping the night chill at bay. It was one of my favorite memories from the summer.
So I'm off to finish packing. Wish me luck!
Do you have a favorite summer activity or family vacation memory? When it comes to going on holiday, do you prefer roughing it, pampering yourself, or something in between?
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3 comments:
Oh Kate, I love camping too. But the DH and I are rain magnets. The last time we camped at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, we broke a summer-long drought!
I'm a big fan of camping...although I've seriously outgrown the sleeping bag on bare ground stage by like...a lot!
A tent is fine, but I need something soft between me and the ground. Period.
My favorite memory? Well, I mentioned this in the cafe the other night. It had to be the year we were bear magnets in Yosemite.
There's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you realize there's a bear standing right beside you, looking to stick his nose into your kid's cup of cocoa!
I am the exact opposite of a outdoor-girl! I used to hate to admit that... but I've come to terms with it *G* I don't like temps I can't control, bugs, dirt and pretty much everything else about camping :) Sorry! Bring on the room service!
I do, however, love having those amazing bonding times with my family where it's just us. Those are huge and if I had to camp to get them (which I don't, thank God!) I would do it! :)
I'm so glad you have that Kate!
Erin
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