Camping Labor Day Weekend

So, back ages ago, friends insisted we join them in the White Mountains of NH at their favorite campground. I like hiking and backpacking. And I like camping at our usual campground because it's close to home and has lots of amenities. But I don't love this in-between version of camping that has toilets but no running water but you're still right next to all of your camping neighbors. Primitive or glamping, none of this middle stuff. But we went, and it wasn't great. Temps in the 30's and 40's for the duration plus a combination of 7 kids who always needed something so you never got a chance to just sit....it wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't a vacation. The best part by far was when we got home and showered and put on fuzzy pj's. Also the early mornings in the tent snuggled with my family. But here are the pictures to make it look magical so that I am deluded into trying it again next year:

Packing and unpacking to pack and unpack again

The leaves are changing!

There was a great river behind our site which would be fun to play in during normal temperatures

Not that the cold stopped the kids from getting drenched

To make the joy complete, after we had everything unloaded and set up, it poured for 5 minutes so everything would be nice and drenched.

The machete from Guam got lots of use

No naps, freezing cold, constant on the go meant both kids were asleep within minutes and slept hard all night.

Slacker version of bacon for the mornings. 

Pancakes bright and early

Also, coffee

Hike #1

It was a challenge for the littlests (we had 3 four year olds), and there were multiple injuries, but everyone made it to the second waterfall and back alive

Guessing it's really impressive with the spring run-off

Mandatory river-side yoga practice (that needs practice....)

Good ol' Dollar Tree came through again with the camping toys. Bath toys in this case, the kids had a great time with them

Mermaid on her rock

I had on 2 pairs of pants, a shirt, a zippered hoodie, a down vest, a winter coat, and a winter hat and was still cold. The older kids put on their suits and went swimming.

Saturday morning was especially rough. Temps were in the 30's and no one was in a great mood. I bundled the kids into the car so we could crank up the heat and drove a few miles to town to get Dunkin

The caffeine and heat helped a little bit

More river (it really was pretty. and the cold kept the bugs away)

All out of order, but back to Fridays hike

The whole gang

On top of the second waterfall

Our fires were pretty good, as was my marshmallow roasting

Kate toasting glazed donuts (very yum)

Hike on Saturday. This was shorter but much scarier as getting the little kids off the rock scramble was a bit intense. But they handled it ok

Also making the trip bearable was our wonderful neighbors who had a hot dinner ready for us when we got back (and hosted it at their house so I didn't have to do dishes). I'm almost finished with the 6 loads of laundry somehow generated by this outing, and then I think we can put the 2017 camping season safely behind us. :)