Camping!

We actually got a family picture amongst the chaos!

We scored an awesome "Cart In" site. A little bit of work but a lot of reward for a camp site. While Damon loaded the cart I assigned David the task of finding twigs to help start the fire.
Setting up camp. It was a beautiful site right on the lake. David loves to help Dad set up the tent. Mikko just wandered around picking up rocks.

We took a short hike and found a playground. The tire swing was a big hit.

David insisted on wearing his tie-dyed shirt he made at 4th of July weekend - he is super proud of it.

Mikko the monkey. Modern Family reference if you watch that show!

Mikko's turn on the tire swing.

Heading back to camp to start dinner. David wanted to catch bugs - luckily there weren't many this weekend!

Helping daddy make the campfire.

Again...Don't Blink - that is how long Mikko sat in his camp chair.

I told them they could each bring one truck along to play with. Predictably - they both wanted to play with the same one at the same time. Damon ended up sneaking it back to the van to avoid the ongoing conflict.

Best dollar ever spent at the $1 section at Target. The little capsules you put in water and a sponge animal emerges. We spent a half hour of of pure amazement of which animal was going to morph from the gel-covered capsule. They EVEN took turns pretty well.

Hot dogs for dinner with corn and pringles. I also brought cantelope to which David exclaimed..."Mommy, my favorite, you are the best". He actually ate more cantelope than Pringles - a healthy victory.

Snuggles by the campfire. Mikko started to get really tired. Of course, when I WANTED them to nap in the van on the way to camping, they wouldn't. So typical.

David loves super burnt marshmellows. Probably because it is really cool to start fires : )

I covered his big face scabs with bandaids so he wouldn't pick at them. Looks pretty rough. All boy! Our stockpile of bandaids at our house has really grown.

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset across the lake. It was a great lake for canoeing. Next summer we are going to bring the canoe along.

Mikko loved his glow-in-the-dark bracelets.

Morningtime. We all snuggled into one room of the tent because it was so chilly. We were all so tired we didn't even change into our PJs before be. Not a great night of sleep. Mikko slept between us for warmth and he was like a little kicking furnace between us. He woke up crying in the middle of the night at one point. Luckily our nearest neighbors weren't too close, but I'm sure they heard him.

Coffee by the fire in the morning - my FAVORITE. We watched the fog lift off the lake and watched some duck hunters hiding in the weeds calling for ducks.

I absolutely destroyed the pancake breakfast I had planned. So, Mikko had Pringles for breakfast while we packed up tent. Not my best Mommy moment, but I made up for them with pancakes for lunch when we got home.

Well, we did it again. Last summer I vowed that we would not go camping this year because it is so hard with young kids. At times I wished I had listened to what I said last year, but other moments I was so happy we went. Camping is hard alone, yet tossing in two busy and curious boys and 2 dogs - Yikes. As I'm typing this the fun of it overpowers the stress of it. Mikko almost tripping into the fire, the boys fighting over trucks, and a very sleepless night. But watching David catch a toad, Mikko's bright eyes as he got to run down a hiking trail, and watching Damon help the boys roast marshmellows. Priceless memories we'll always have. Next year when we pack up the van to try it again, the anxiety of it will overwhelm me, I know. But I know we'll do it, because that is what parents do for their little loves : )