Summer Bucket List #2: Camping

Last weekend we dared the impossible. We realized the dream. We, the Mann family, took our 3 and 1-year-olds camping. Over night. In a tent. This was a good test run for us- just one night, 24 HOURS. We didn't want to get too ambitious. But anyone who saw our van pulling up would have assumed we were the campground's new host family, coming to move in for the next 3 months. We unloaded a few essentials upon getting there (read: food); this was about a THIRD of all our goods.



Living in Virginia the past 6 years (has it seriously been that long?) we've fallen in love with Shenandoah National Park. We usually do Skyline Drive every Fall, but we've never seen it in the summer. What better opportunity than to turn it into a camping trip? We went with some ward friends (families that were all equally insane, I mean "brave", as us). It was nice not being the only ones worrying about our little ones diving into the campfire, eating dirty hotdogs off the ground, or dealing with fussy babies through the night.



I was surprised at how well the girls behaved around camp. Addison wanted to do nothing other than sit in a camp chair, any camp chair, and watch the camping scene unfold around her. She was so content just sitting! (She was building up bonus points with me which she would later use all up that night.) Makenna was in heaven with her little bosom buddy, Neve.




The one complaint we heard about this campground before we went was their tick problem. With hefty amounts of bug spray, though, it shouldn't be a problem (I thought). Not 20 minutes upon our arrival, do I pick up Addison and notice a black bug that won't get off her belly when I flick it. She was the one person in our huge group of people throughout our time there that landed a tick on her. I don't blame the tick, though, with that sweet chubby tummy. I want to nuzzle my nose into it all day too. After Nurse Brynn strategically fished it out with some tweezers, I bundled her up with warm clothes and tennis shoes so no other little buggers would dine on her.



This is the start of a very delicious cobbler. But we didn't stop at just one; we made 3 amazing cobblers: peach, blueberry, and cherry/pineapple. Yummo! Notice the dutch oven tower our men constructed. Impressive, right?




And these are courtesy of some very fancy glow sticks.



I guess that takes us to night time. I won't elaborate too much on it, other than our sweet tick-food baby had a heck of a night and let everyone in a one-mile radius know it. Needless to say, Drew and I ended up taking shifts in the van with the doors shut, which we figured would contain her blood-curdling screams the best. The next morning while I was brushing my teeth in the communal bathroom, an old lady came up and passive-aggressively asked "if that crying baby all night" was mine. Then followed it up with "Well, hopefully it won't be that bad tonight." Thanks.

Next day we went hiking down a little trail to a beautiful waterfall. We borrowed this great hiking pack from some friends and Addison finally decided to give up the ghost and fall asleep. Maybe next time one of us should wear the pack around before we go to bed to get the girl to sleep.



Makenna taking a break with her little friend Savannah.





Back at camp after the hike. These kids thought they were super cool swinging in the hammock. Some friends of ours slept in these instead of a tent. Personally, it made me claustrophobic and sea sick, but to each his own.


I love these girls! We had such a fun time with everyone. Can't wait to go again, but maybe not for...awhile.