Camping Trip

Camping was a big part of both Daniel and my childhoods, so we have wanted to take the girls for awhile. We've done a few backyard campouts, but I decided to surprise Daniel with a real camping trip for Father's Day. 

We were originally planning on going to Roaring River State Park in Missouri, but they called me Friday morning to inform me that they had to cancel our reservation due to flooding. I was bummed, because this is one of the places I grew up camping at with family, so I was familiar with the area. Thanks to a great recommendation from our neighbors, we quickly found a back up plan at Kanapolis State Park. 

When we first arrived, the girls picked up these wildlife guides at the park office, which they studied while Daniel and I set up the tent. 

Charlie was at a slightly challenging age, when she wants to do everything the big girls are doing, but can't or still needs help. As long as she had a full snack cup, she did alright, however.

After setting up camp, we decided to try a quick hike. Maybe not our smartest decision. The sun was hot, and Charlie was not happy to be in the carrier. This was the point of the trip where Daniel and I questioned if this was going to work. 

The big girls enjoyed themselves, although they were hot and tired by the end.

Charlie was happy once she was out of the Ergo with snack in hand. Notice a theme?

After our hike we stuck close to camp for the evening, and things improved. My biggest concern going into our weekend was how Charlie would sleep. She is generally a great sleeper, but definitely likes her crib and routine. At first I tried snuggling with her, but she just wanted to play. Eventually, I just zipped her in the tent... she fussed for a few minutes, but gave in much more quickly than I expected!

For whatever reason, I was the first one awake both mornings, and this was the most precious thing for me. I rarely get to see Charlie asleep like this, so snuggling with her was just precious.

Saturday morning we decided to take advantage of the cooler morning air and go for a hike first thing. Mushroom Rock State Park was perfect for our little family. There are several of these unique rock formations to climb on, but the park itself is not that big, so none of the girls wore out.

Next, we tried to find a good fishing spot. Admittedly, this was not "successful," since sun was already heating up, we were a little late for prime fishing times, and I couldn't help much because Charlie was busy busy busy. The girls each got to cast a few lines, however, and they did get to see some fish jump; so they didn't seem to mind.

Next, we explored some man-carved caves in a bluff and had a picnic lunch.

By then, the temperature was nearing 100 degrees, so we drove to a "beach" and swam for awhile to cool off. This was a highlight for all three girls. The rest of the day we spent at our campsite: exploring, resting in the shade with cold drinks, watching boats on the lake, cooking hot dogs, showering, catching fireflies, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and finally crashing into our tent for sleep.

We enjoyed a slow morning at our campsite, and then after packing up, we stopped at Coronado Heights Park, where there is a castle/fort built on top of a hill, which provided some beautiful views of the Flint Hills around us.

With Baby Girl arriving this fall, I'm not sure when we'll be brave enough to go again, but even if it is a few years, I'm so glad we had such a great first camping trip together. We want our girls to enjoy and feel confident in nature; to know how to clean a fish and recognize poison ivy. Eventually we want them to learn how to build a fire and read a trail map. This trip was a great starting point and the beginning of many adventures ahead!