Camping

For the second weekend in a row we went of a fun family trip! This weekend we went camping! It was technically Mckinley's second time (we went to our family cabin when she was about 2 1/2 months old), but her first time camping in a tent. It was Kyan's first camping of any sort too. While it was a ton of work to camp with a toddler and an infant for just two nights, it was WELL worth it. We had so much fun and I already cannot wait until we go again.

We went with my mom, step-dad, brother and his family. It is so fun to get to watch Mckinley experience all these new exciting things. It has always been fun watching her learn or do something new, but it is different now that she is getting older. Before, her new things were going to the beach for the first time or riding in a grocery cart, but now her firsts are making smores and tubing behind a jet ski! I love this age even with all it's challenges and difficulties (read: tantrums and whining). Getting to watch Mckinley play with her cousins, sit around a camp fire, wake up fuzzy-haired in a cold tent, go swimming in a lake, climb on a bike (even though her feet do not reach the pedals), and a million other camping related events makes my heart almost explode.

Kyan is still too young to have any idea what camping means, but he still seemed to have a good time. He loved laying around outside and smiling at anyone in sight. Seeing how much Mckinley enjoyed our weekend makes me even more excited for next summer when Kyan will start to enjoy it too.

Some highlights of the trip for Mckinley....

- Roasting marshmallows and making smores--yum!
- Sleeping in a "big girl bed" in a tent (aka a camping mat) with her whole family
- Riding her cousins' bike...thanks for the push daddy and papa!
- Tubing behind the jet ski, and riding on the jet ski with mom and dad
- Playing with Aunt Gina's ipad (she thought it was awesome!)--not a traditional camping toy, but helpful in a pinch with the kids!
- Swimming in the lake and riding down a slide into the lake
- Eating LOTS of snacks!
- Playing so hard every day that both nights she asked to go to bed! :)

We left dirty and tired....just the way a camping trip should end! Camping are some of my most treasured memories. I cannot wait to fill Mckinley and Kyan with those type of memories too!

Camping, we shall return next summer!

First smore! Yum!

Tent bed head! :)

Breakfast in bed

"Let me figure out how this camping chair works...."

"Got it!"

"I LOVE camping!"

Watching the fire...isn't this what everyone does when camping?

Such a sweetie!

Riding a bike, sort of.

Cousin love!

Nap time!

She was not pleased to be getting out of the lake.

Loving on her brother!

Tubing time!

Here we go...this is still in the no wake zone. They actually got going pretty good! Mckinley had a permanent smile and I could stop laughing at it! :)

Hanging out in his turtle hat!

There is my smiley guy!