So what do YOU do when you go camping?

Our church family has been camping together for one week in the summer for 33 years. The very first campout was organized by mother in law and I was pregnant with our daughter. She organized it for many many years after. I don't think we've missed but one, maybe two, in 33 years. The campouts started at Cape Lookout and gradually moved to Ft. Stevens State Park. It is the site of a Civil War fort that actually saw action with the Japanese in WWII. The fort, or parts of it still stand and there are tours available or self guided tours. Ft. Stevens, other than the history, has something for everyone! Allow me to provide a tour as I take you through the photos from our trip. Unfortunately only half of our family could make it this time. But we enjoyed those that did come. The beach. For me, enough said. On the beach of Ft Stevens state park is what's left of the Peter Iredale that ran aground years ago and has been slowing giving up it's hull to the sand and sea. But for now, it's a landmark. Our grandson dubbed it the "pirate" ship so that's what we call it now.

To get anywhere at Ft Stevens there are paved, and not paved trails. A bike is definitely a plus but walking, lots of walking, is possible to get to the beach, the fort, the battery, the lake, and etc.

Daddy and daughter came down for the little one's first camping trip. She was not thrilled with the beach, or rather the sand.

Sorry little one, it will come, your love for the beach and sand...fingers crossed...since most of the family Loves the beach!

If you're camping, hot dogs and s'mores are a must. And for this age group, clean up!

Exploring the pirate ship.

Must.have.kites. at the beach. Daddy turned out to be a great kite flyer. Two of the boys got new kites for their recent birthday, a helicopter and Buzz Lightyear.

Once Daddy got them up, they were passed around and everyone, including yours truly, took a hand at flying them.

Ahhh, sand and kids...a match made in Heaven!

Ft. Stevens state park also boasts a lake, Coffenbury Lake. It has swimming, fishing, rowing, hiking, a sand hill to climb, and as our grandson found out, a place to create an engineering marvel. With Mom's help.

There's also a playground to explore, or take pictures of kids exploring.

And what better way to end the day than with bubbles around the campfire...or bubbles filling Mommy's chair! With great enthusiasm. Or is it from s'more overload that the enthusiasm is so high?

I'm beginning to really hate nap time

Not only are the kids not sleeping, which is forcing me to sit in here on the computer updating my blog when I should be sewing, or knitting, but now blogger won't let me upload more photos. Guess I'll give up while I can.
We went camping last week with our church family. We had a wonderful time, especially the little ones. Guess you could figure that out by this picture. This was pretty much the standard expression for the week. We kept them hopping, or rather, they kept up hopping. It took me two days to recover my sanity, err, my rest. We hiked with Great Gram. It was hiking at a 3 and 76 year old speed. Kind of like the tortise and the hare. Gram could meander, read the boards, stroll, like the tortise. The 3 and 4 year olds went up and back, round in circles, covering the same distance as Gram in the same time but covering that same distance at least 2 times, and usually 3 or 4 times.

She did get them to notice a youth on age plant.

We celebrated a little one turning 4 while we were there. She shared her cupcakes, well, all but one of them. She picked out the one she wanted and twisted the plate so no one would pick that one.

Lots of bike riding!

Fish riding too....sort of. It was the only way I could get a picture before the hike.

There was plenty of road for chalk art.

We had crafts for them to do when the bike wheels needed cooling down.

Lots of bike riding. I think I already said that but it bears repeating if nothing more than for the cute picture.

Of course there was a hot dog roast. And smores too but blogger was being a pain so I didn't get to upload those pictures.

Ahhhh, they are all asleep and my afternoon can be as peaceful as this scene. I would have liked to have brought this home with me and put it in my backyard.

how much fun can you pack into

a short weekend? It was the annual church family campout and we signed up many weeks ago and paid. If it had not been for our daughter and son and their families still wanting to go, we would have stayed home. As it was, I'm glad we went. Many parts of it hurt as a vital link was missing and I wondered how I could enjoy camping for the next 30 years and not have him there to make new memories with. It didn't help either, that our Pastor in his message at "church" preached on grief. I'm not ready for many parts of grief yet and although I love our Pastor and it was a good message, it was too soon for me.

And now I will focus on the happy times of the weekend. We had unusual "neighbors". This little family was forced up the tree by the dog in the next camp site. Mommy Coon tried to come down at one point and take on the protective doggy and both left licking wounds. Later that night protective doggy was pulled away from the tree and Mommy and crew came down. Our daughter decided to celebrate the two year olds birthday, belatedly, at the campground. So in a fit of finishitis I finished their gifts before we left for camping. Never mind that their birthday was a month ago. This is a "road" for them to drive their cars on. My sons had one and played with it many years. This one is much nicer since I now have Heat and Bond at my disposal. My sons' was made with felt and glue and sharpy markers. This was fabric and dimensional paint. They played with it when they got home and had to be drug off for baths!

My two year old granddaughter got a rag doll just like her cousin did last year. She liked the doll but was more taken with the "quackie" button on the pocket (translation: duck button).

We're camping right? So, what better birthday cake is there than a s'more? And with Mickey candles? Huge hit for the little ones, and the rest of the campers too! And easy on Mommy since everyone made their own!

The three two year old Mouseketeers. We're teaching them young.

Our campsite backed into the playground. What a great place to camp if you've got little ones. The babysitter/entertainer is right out your back door.

Wheeeeeee

And no matter how short the camping trip, the traditional hot dog roast is a must. My husband and son are slow cookers and turners and roast hot dogs as a fine art. So glad my husband cooks mine!

Plenty of bike riding too!

And we came home exhausted!

We camped at the beach but I didn't take the camera to the beach this time. I just wanted to play and enjoy the sea air and the sand beneath my toes and the waves. Sometimes it's better that way. I taught my grandson to jump waves, laughed at my granddaughter avoiding the water because it was cooooold (it wasn't bad), laughed at my daughter jumping in the waves, enjoyed watching my son try and get his kite up, watched my grandson dig up sand crabs to show off and then let them go so we could watch them bury themselves, and laughed when my granddaughter and grandson fell in the waves only to come up and go for more. It felt good to bury the grief for a brief time. I've asked God for peace and He gives it to me in small doses.