~Camping~

This Fall we went camping three separate times and each time we had a blast (and I forgot my camera)!  Our stake has a campground about 40 minutes away that we can camp at for free, with fire-pits, bathrooms, and lots of free firewood.  It's set in a nice woods area and it makes for perfect family camping.  Each time we went with friends and had a blast, despite the chilly weather the last two times.  It got down to around 40 degrees some nights which made it hard for Cordy to be comfortable, but we worked it out and had fun.

There are cabins at the campground that are built up on stilts that the kids used as "Magic Tree Houses" and they played Jack and Annie with their friends going on adventures all around the world.  It made me so happy to see their love for books come out in their play.

We also discovered the amazing tree swing on the campground property that sends you out over a little stream bed.  The kids were all brave enough to try it and I was sure to get a turn or two.  It's so fun!  You feel like you're flying through the woods.  It's probably the closest to flying I've ever come besides zip-lining through the jungle.  Awesome.

The last night we went camping we had a great group of friends with us all gathered around the fire.   The kids kept finding fallen chestnuts all over and called them "Moldy Mangos" because they were yellow like the mangos that we like to buy, but also had black gross spots all over them.  All the sudden I got smacked really hard in the head with something that felt like a rock.  It hurt soooo bad and gave me quite the headache.  We realized it was a chestnut that had fallen from the trees high above.  No wonder it felt like a rock!  My friends were kind and told me it was okay to cry and gave me tylenol, but not before someone took a picture of my bandana on my head.  Can you believe we went camping three times and I didn't take a single picture?  I'll have to see if I can get some from friends to add to this post someday.

We had a blast camping this year, roasting giant marshmallows, star gazing, and having a good laugh with friends around the fire.  I can't wait until it warms up in the Spring so we can go again!