We have been so busy with all the work that goes along with moving, at the end of June we finally took a long weekend (4 days, 3 nights) to get away from it all. We packed up the kids and the camping gear and headed out to the McKenzie River area in central Oregon for some fun in the sun in the great outdoors.
Below is our hike to "Blue Pool" - a body of water that is a beautiful blue color due to the mineral water that fills it flows through underground lava tubes. Bridger was quick to tell us that what we saw was not a "pool", but was in fact "water".
We also hiked to a few waterfalls in the area. Apparently one of these falls was the waterfall Sassy went over in the movie "Homeward Bound". After seeing these waterfalls and subsequent white water rapids along the river, I can confidently conclude they did not use a real cat for the film's shot. Or Sassy had a stunt double that is no longer alive. Sorry for the spoiler, but there it is.
We also had a picnic by Clear Lake and I convinced Jim it would be fun to rent a rowboat. After discovering they did in fact have kids size life jackets we were off! Sorry to cut you out of the picture Jim, but it was so gorgeous! The lake was beautiful, the weather was awesome and Kacy even took a snooze as we floated along. I think we sang 'Row Row Row your Boat' with Bridger about a thousand times, too.
Another gem we found was Robinson lake. It was a short 1/4 mile hike in to this relatively shallow lake and we were the only people there! Since it was not very deep, it was warm enough to swim in. Jim was the brave one that actually went to the middle of the lake, but Bridger had a blast wading in our own private lake and discovering tadpoles.
This was a little stream that ran along our campsite. We were able to listen to a babbling brook as we slept - GLORIOUS!
I know some people think we are crazy to camp with kids, but we ALWAYS come home from a camping trip happier and more in love with each other than we were before. Maybe it is the sense of leaving behind all the distractions (however, see note below), being immersed in God's creations (except for mosquitoes that I am sure came from Satan), being so proud and happy for your kids who love to hike, get dirty, discover animals, bugs and rocks, or perhaps it is because you are in such close quarters with your family you can't help but get some great quality time together.
My tips for camping with kids:
1. Preparation is essential - not only when it comes to your gear - we started in the winter time by reading books to Bridger like "Clifford Take a Trip" or "Curious George goes Camping". We also set up a tent in our house and let him sleep in a sleeping bag a time or two. We really talked up camping and would make it sound like the best thing ever, so B could not wait to get there.
2. Expect that your kids WILL get dirty. That is part of the fun! However, I do make sure to have plenty of hand wipes at the ready when it is time to eat.
3. Eat yummy food. You can probably picture what your typical, dreaded 'camp food' was like growing up, so we try hard to plan meals we will actually enjoy that do not take a ton of work. Some of our meals included steak & pork kabobs, taco salad, pancakes, eggs & bacon, & PB & J. Also, I pack things that are not in our normal diet, but are "camping treats" like soda, oreos and smores (of course).
4. (This one's for the wife): Let your husband take on the work. We are all guilty of feeling like it is our duty, and our duty alone to make sure food is prepared, kids are clean, beds are ready, schedules are kept... fill in the blank..., etc. However, to increase your own enjoyment - let your hubby take on things you would normally do at home. Let him pitch in to make the meals, let him set up the tent while you play kickball with your kids (or help him), let him wash dishes his way, follow his lead when he tries to get your kids to go exploring with him. If you approach camping that it will be fun, and you are not solely responsible for all the work that definitely goes into camping with kids, it WILL be fun!
5. (This one's for the husband): Step up and take on the work. It will be more likely that you and your family will go on camping trips in the future if your WIFE has a good time. Plan activities that are fun for your kids and your wife. Step up and prepare dinner AND clean up. Make it easy to share the responsibility and be hyper aware of what your wife wants to have happen. I don't know how many mothers I have heard say "Camping just takes so much work and effort!". Jim - you were amazing during this trip on keeping on top of everything - food, firewood, hikes, fun activities, gear - it made it easy for me to enjoy! Thank you!
6. If possible, go on a weeknight when the campsite will be less busy, instead of the weekends. Our first night here was a Thursday night, where there was only 3 or 4 other sites taken up. We didn't have to worry about our kids being too noisy, other people being too noisy, nor did we have to wait to use the facilities when needed. This also added to the feeling that we were really getting "away" and were alone with our family.
That is all for now. We have discovered many tips on how to camp successfully with kids, I will try to add to this list as we continue to report on future camping trips. In the meantime, just go do it - it will be fun!
Note: (this will show how late this post is) Our first night camping, the kids had fallen asleep and I had my reading light on in my sleeping bag as to not wake anyone up (because I can't fall asleep without reading). I thought Jim was asleep when I heard him say "Michael Jackson is dead." I thought he was surely kidding our talking in his sleep because from my perspective, this statement was totally our of the blue. I peek out from my sleeping bag to look over on him to find he is surfing the Internet on his phone. I don't mean to sound irreverent or disrespectful, but did find this little moment hilarious.
It felt so great to be out in the sun in the sand all day. I lathered the kids up with sunscreen so they were well protected, but neglected various body parts of my own. Oh well, a little sunburn was worth it! The only thing that could have made it better was if Jim had been able to join us. Thank goodness he is such a great provider so that we can go play while he works.
(See Bridger in the background?) :)
Below is our hike to "Blue Pool" - a body of water that is a beautiful blue color due to the mineral water that fills it flows through underground lava tubes. Bridger was quick to tell us that what we saw was not a "pool", but was in fact "water". 
This progression in movement is exciting, but also a bit scary since my 2 year old drops everything on the floor he gets his hands on and my 5 month old sticks everything she gets her hands on in her mouth.