That’s MY Kind of Camping! - by Bethany

We didn’t grow up camping. With eleven kids in the family, it just didn’t seem to make sense. How do you fit that many people, sleeping bags, pillows, tents, food, etc. into an old gray-spray-painted van? I hated bugs, heat, dirt, and sweat anyway, so I didn’t care that we never once took a family camping trip. Besides, our dad has a deep, dark secret… he is not an Eagle Scout. In fact, whenever he got talked into going on overnight campouts with my brothers’ scout troops, he would ALWAYS sleep in the van!

Then, I met Paul. Paul loved camping. Paul was an Eagle Scout. Paul had worked at scout camps as his summer job for a few years. Paul’s dad had been a scoutmaster. Paul’s parents volunteered to chaperone things like girls camp and pioneer trek. They had a garage full of coolers and camping gear, and an old beat-up suburban bought expressly for the purpose of scout campouts. Paul’s family reunions were in tents – with PIT TOILETS! 

I married this camping fanatic anyway (it MUST have been love!), and together we found ways to make camping enjoyable for both of us, and eventually our children. Some might think our way is “lame” or “not really camping” or “weak sauce”, while others may think it’s not worth it to go camping 8 months pregnant or with a tiny baby. Well, it works for us and it gets us out there, so we’re happy with it. Here’s what we do:

We only camp for one night. We still get the experience and the fun, but it decreases the stress a lot. No showers to deal with, less food/supplies to bring, and only ONE ruined night’s sleep!

Alice, Charlie, and Grace - Little Basin (CA) - 4/2013

We only build a fire once. It takes time, even for my very experienced husband. Our camping trips are too short to build more than one fire. Smores are the priority (for me), so that’s what the fire is for. 

Grace and Paul - Greenbelt Park (MD) - 9/2013

Charlie - Greenbelt Park (MD) - 9/2013

I LOVE SMORES! - Manzano Mountains (NM) - 9/2011

We keep the food simple. We've tried a few different things for dinner the first night: Grabbing a pizza on the way in, eating fast food in a nearby town, bringing a simple picnic of sandwiches or pepperoni rolls, or roasting hot dogs over our smores fire. Grab some fruit and some chips, and we're good to go!

Pepperoni rolls with Grace - Elephant Butte (NM) - 10/2009

Alice and her hot dog - Little Basin (CA) - 4/2013

Breakfast is store bought donuts, mini muffins, or pop tarts, along with more fruit from the night before. We also bring cocoa to warm us up, since we won’t be building another fire, with leftover marshmallows from the smores. Water heated on the camp stove for our cocoa doubles as water for the baby’s bottle!

Grace and Paul heating water for breakfast - Elephant Butte (NM) - 10/2009

Alice, Grace, Charlie, and me - Greenbelt Park (MD) - 9/2013

Sometimes, we have enough time to do some exploring our first day camping, but usually, we plan one simple hike for the final morning of our trip. Sometimes it's just a nature trail, other times it's a destination, but it's always just one thing, short enough for the kids to handle.

Grace and Paul skipping stones at the lake we hiked to - Elephant Butte (NM) - 10/2009

Destination hike at 8 months pregnant - Carlsbad Caverns (NM) - 8/2010

Beautiful forest hike - Manzano Mountains (NM) - 9/2011

Keeping Charlie warm while exploring - Little Basin (CA) - 4/2013

Grace and Alice are suddenly the best of friends when under
 the influence of the great outdoors - Greenbelt Park (MD) - 9/2013

A fun hike with little Grace - Zion National Park (UT) - 4/2009

Paul and 3-month-old Grace on the trail - Capitol Reef (UT) - 10/2007

A rare camping trip without kids resulted in a hike to a sunset viewpoint - Antelope Island (UT) - 10/2008

We avoid crowds by going during the first month of school and the last month of school. It's stressful for me to deal with not know if we'll get a first-come-first-serve spot, or if we'll have to camp right next to someone else with our kids screaming all night. Besides, we prefer the cooler weather.

The light rain kept all the crowds away, and brought out the banana slugs! - Little Basin (CA) - 4/2013

Grace all bundled up - Elephant Butte (NM) - 10/2009

We acquired almost all of our camping gear as gifts. Camping does take a lot of gear, which could mean a lot of start-up costs, but I was lucky to have in-laws who really wanted us to be able to enjoy camping together. They threw us a "camping bridal shower"! An uncle gave us a used tent, someone else gave us a lantern. We got a butane stove, two giant sleeping bags that can zip together into one (romantic!), and I got my very own “geek light” (a head flashlight that looks very geeky). Since then, we have received many additions at Christmas and on birthdays. Even my anti-camping parents have given us some gear!

Grace with our original tent from Paul's uncle. - Elephant Butte (NM) - 10/2009
My parents helped us buy a huge one for Christmas last year!

Marshmallow sticks from the camping shower. A makeshift tent add-on was
 Grace's Christmas gift from Santa one year. - Monzano Mountains (NM) - 9/2011

This great backpack was a birthday gift - comfortable enough for Alice to sleep in! -
Bottomless Lakes (NM) - 4/2012

My mom made this camp-themed blanket that has been used by all 3 kids -
Baby Alice - Water Canyon (NM) - 5/2011

Charlie uses the backpack and blanket at the same time! - Little Basin (CA) - 4/2013

I guess our biggest thing is that we just do it. As easy as we have to make it on ourselves to get us out there, that's what we do. We always love it, and it's always worth it to see the smiles on our kids' faces.

Charlie - Greenbelt Park (MD) - 9/2013

And for the great naps afterward!

Check out baby Alice in the seahorse mirror! - Manzano Mountains (NM) - 9/2011