Memorial Day Camping Adventures

Unfortunately for me, I fell in love with a boy who loves to camp. A boy who loves to camp whose family also loves to camp. I figured I'd be sacrificing some vacations to the inevitability of camping, but to my great delight, I have managed to make it almost seven years with only two family camping trips under my belt. The first was just after we got married. The second was last month.

It actually wasn't too bad. I enjoyed myself! (Don't tell Seth though. It would ruin our roles as camp-lover and camp-hater and we like the banter too much.)

And as I told my family (who were all in shock that I willingly went on a camping trip), if you have to go, you may as well go with the Winsors. They are pro campers and they have all the fancy camping things to make it nice. (Special camping chairs! Fancy camp kitchen! Rain covers over the picnic table! Special sticks for roasting marshmellows! etc. etc.)

That includes this fancy hiking backpack that we borrowed.
Although now that I think about it, if we didn't have this backpack I would have been able to stay behind at camp with Claire instead of hiking........ dang it! A missed opportunity.

Here we are, fresh-faced and happy about a lovely hike through the woods with our family.

And here is Tessa about five minutes in, already needing a break and crying and complaining that she hates hiking. Ah, forced family fun. It's wonderful.

 Here we are enjoying our lunch by a waterfall.

Here we are trying not to think about the fact that we just hiked two miles with our three little children and we now have to hike two miles back. (Whose idea was it to take this trail? Next time - if there is a next time - a shorter one.)

Riding on Seth's back the whole way is clearly exhausting for Claire and not Seth.

Highlights of the hike included playing in this stream.

And taking selfies with children. (Not pictured: picking up every single millipede we saw along the way.)

Sunday we attempted to go to Luray Caverns, but since every single person in Virginia also had the same idea, we vetoed the idea and headed to a local park instead.

It was actually a pretty sweet park, so no complaints.

Other items of note: Tessa will attempt to read to her cousins at any opportunity.

Claire loves to be outside and hates to touch grass.

And always check if your campground has showers. (Ours didn't. So so so so gross when we got home.)

Now let's hope it's another seven years before our next family camping trip. (Just kidding, it was great! DON'T TELL SETH. I have a reputation to maintain.)