Get out and go...

CAMPING!!! Finally, we were able to pack up our car and head to Lincoln State Park for a long weekend of smelling like campfire, bug spray and sunscreen. 

We left Friday in our over packed car excited to enjoy our time with friends. I was a little nervous with being 7+ months pregnant, that the heat and my patience would both stay mild. As well as, the rain would stay away, the boys would listen, no one would get hurt and my feet wouldn't swell! 

When we arrived, bug spray was applied, camp was set up quickly, then relaxing around the campfire started. The boys devoured a bag of powdered donuts and Rhys smashed six barrels of juice within the first hour. So, the weekend had definitely begun. 

One reason I love camping, the nonstop exploring and playing. I feel like our boys grow leaps and bounds after any of our trips because we are able to let their world become a little bigger through trusting their actions. We took their bikes, at first riding on the rode in the middle of the camp area was allowed and by the end of the weekend the loop around our area was acceptable. Having our friends' big kids there helped. I am always amazed at how kids form bonds quickly and watch out for each other. We are very lucky to have some great friends with great kids whom help us with our boys. 

Another reason, hiking. I love hiking or walking anywhere we can go. Not that you have to go camping to hike, it's just that most activities or destinations are accessible by foot. We depend on our cars so much for our day to day activities that it is nice to slow it way down and depend on our bodies. Each day, we went for manageable three to four mile hike with our kiddos hiking the whole time. Rhys did play the game of get in the pack, get out of the pack on the return trips but he is definitely building some great endurance. 

We hiked Lincoln State Park and Lincoln's Boyhood Home National Park, located side by side, with both parks having great paths to walk and places to explore. 

Lastly, moments like this, the four of us out on a paddle boat. I am sure it was a lot of work for Eric because I sat in the back to keep an eye on Rhys, so he paddled us around the lake. Emerson had a hard time because he was scared about falling in. He kept asking and at times begging to go back to the shore because he was so fearful. We kept reassuring him that he wouldn't fall in and he would be ok if it happened because he had a life vest on and knows how to swim. Rhys loved it. He climbed all over the boat and even climbed onto another boat to ride with his friends. This moment was a new experience for not only the boys but me, also.

I love that each trip we have been able to have a new experience that pushes us outside of our comfort zone. I, too, was nervous about falling in the water mostly because of the possibility of a fish touching me but also having to be ready to jump in to help a kid. 

We did experience two minor injuries both happening while our boys were playing. Emerson decided to roll down a hill and ended hitting his head on a wrought iron hand rail. Rhys was working on learning to ride a scooter and fell hitting his mouth on the handle bars. Emerson's head was scraped and had a goose egg, Rhys had fat lip and bruise. Both incidents caused minimal tears and a week later no sign of injuries. 

Camping at Lincoln gives us the opportunity to see my brother, sister-in-law, nephew and niece. We love that they are willing to come hang out with us and not to mention pick up some supplies that we needed. I mean, who would have thought that the boys would have drank an entire case of barrel juice drinks in less than 24 hours which most of those hours were spent sleeping!

The rain stayed away, the kids listened as well as they could, my feet didn't swell and my patience stayed intact. We had a pretty successful camping trip with lots of laughs and great memories that left us all wanting to do it again.