Meg Lingard - August Camping

I decided to make good on my June goal (that went by the wayside when we moved) and go camping with my boys this month. I have a real love/hate relationship with camping. I really, really love camping. But I hate how much work it is, how much stuff you have to pack up, and it really is hard to camp with babies. The reason this was a goal for me is because I tend to not want to do things that I feel are much harder than I care to tackle. I'd rather just stay home where I am comfortable. But life isn't meant to just be spent sitting on ones comfy couch now is it? I knew that my husband and sons would LOVE going camping and that I was the one being the poor sport.

So I packed up our things and put on a big fake smile, and off we went!

The first two days we spent on our own. My husband likes to hop in the car and see where we end up. I like to be much more planned but I let him take the lead here (remember the fake smile). I'm learning in my old age that sometimes spontaneous really is much more fun. Way more adventure and needing to throw out ideals and expectations.

You know, it was hard to camp with a baby. He woke up at 4:30 the first morning and refused to go back to sleep. So we all got in the car and drove around, watching the sunrise as the boys fell back asleep in the car. Instead of monitoring his every move and being the helicopter parent I tend to be, I let my baby boy crawl around in the dirt and taste whatever rocks he wanted to. He preferred to push his stroller around.

And since we are throwing caution to the wind... how about let the six year old use an ax for the first time?!?! He did a great job and was really cautious about what he was doing. He even whittled a stick with a pocket knife and we didn't have to crack into the heavily stocked first aid kit I lugged with us.

We packed everything up and met up with my in laws for our family campout for the last two days. We did a Harry Potter theme this year and it was a blast! The highlight was this amazing Lord Voldemort pinata that my sister in law made. There were several crying children... it was pretty awesome.

And some proof that I was there... Me and the baby in our lumber jack shirts. This was the morning after it rained all. night. LONG! I think I slept for about 45 minutes. But we didn't pack up and leave (some did...). We bailed all the water out of the fire pit, got a fire going, and carried on.

Here are a few things that I learned through doing this goal...
:: It was very liberating and refreshing to not have access to my phone for FOUR DAYS! I've realized lately that I've become a little too addicted to my phone. I needed a break. I needed to remember what it was like to have some down time without checking instagram. Or dare I say to actually be productive. Ya, it was getting bad. As soon as I got reception on the drive home I un-installed facebook from my phone and deleted most of the people I was following on instagram.
:: As a mom I think it's hard to want to do things with your family that will take so much work. But this is where the good memories are made. Camping and vacations have not been necessarily fun and relaxing for me since becoming a mom... but it's time to change my attitude. I realize that even though it's hard work, it's a service to my family to help them have a good and fulfilling life and help them have new experiences.
:: I really love camping. Even with the dirty babies and the little sleep. I am a mountain girl in my heart and being there felt like home.