Taking the kids camping

[Christi]

I love to camp, but I haven't been in 10 years. Esp not with my kids. All of my kids are girls, 2 1/2, 5, and 6 and love the outdoors. We are only going one night (which I feel is a waste) but I want to make it worth the while for them.

I am not planning on taking much stuff, but I am taking one disposable camera *for the baby* and the girls tough camera's. Also my Nikon for me. As well as their leapsters in case they get bored, which won't happen. My big brother is going and he has a boat so my husband will be gone fishing most of the time. I will have my mom and sister in law to help me with the kids. The place we are going has a Marina in walking distance and they will let you fish off of the dock, but they charge you!!! I think that is just nuts, but I will probably take the kids since they 'say' it is the best place for little ones to catch sun perch.

I don't care if I have fun or not, but at the same time if the kids don't have fun I won't. So, I am making it my goal to make sure they have a good time. I want to go back.

We will do the normal camping things, like make hot s'more's and cook hot dogs in the fire. But does anyone have any good idea's besides that and fishing?

I need the sun, that is all I am worried about for me. Cold beer, family and friends at a camp site. We are going spring break week March 16th. Should be fun.

Oh and for those of you who remember my diet fail...I am starting over with Atkin's and guess why, my husband got on the scale and decided HE needs to lose weight. So I have to support him. I have 1/2 a mind not to, but I need to lose weight anyway. He and I got into it last night about how insensitive he is. Anyway, I might not have the cold beer camping after all, but instead some spiced rum and diet coke

[lxskllr]

Carefully research the area you're going to. There might be mill ruins to explore, old indian sites, lumber camps, dinosaur sites... It would be fun to look for stuff.

[Premium Parrots]

If the area is remote enough you should try hunting for wild snus.

[Christi]

Well I researched some yesterday and it is just a lake, I guess we can look for bugs and stuff. Kids love that kinda thing. I thought the camera's were a nice touch so they could look back at 'their' trip photo's.

Maybe a scavenger hunt?

And PP, I will be on the look out for wild snus, don't you worry your pretty little head. I will share pics if I find any :wink:

[Premium Parrots]

And PP .......... don't you worry your pretty little head. :wink:

I knew I shouldn't have let you talk me into sending you those pics of my manhood.

[lxskllr]

What's the name of the lake, and what state?

[Christi]

Bardwell Lake, in Texas.

[RedMacGregor]

hunt for shrooms

[lxskllr]

Bardwell Lake, in Texas.

Corp of Engineers pond from the mid 60s. Not much history in the area. You could play in the water, and look for old bottles :^D That's fun in any case :^)

[Snusdog]

Here is what you do.

1. Go to your local collectable store or rock shop and buy a bag of old arrow heads and broken pottery.

2. buy or bring some garden spades

3. On the way to the camp tell the family that you did some research on line and that there was an Indian tribe that used to live in the area. Make up a name (the kip-a-tog-waas). Suggest that the family should have an adventure and try to find some artifacts. Tell your husband how excited you are about this, what a good experience it will be for the girls, how its educational, and how it will really mean a lot to you if he will set aside time for you and the family and participate.

4. Once there, scout out a good place to dig and then make up a bogus story about how they think that the Indian village was around that area.

5. Space folks out and start them digging and sifting.

6. As you go to “help” each child or “see how they are doing” secretly put an arrow head in their spot so they will find it. Repeat often on every child- BUT NEVER once for your husband. (And this is important) the finds should start occurring faster and faster to the point of absurd (if you have other adults there, let them in on it and tell them to ham it up).

7. Now this is where the fun comes in: First, in all likelihood your husband will start off thinking this is some BS venture you came up with that will come to nothing. However, when the first kid finds something he will be amazed. By the second find he will be all into it. However as the kids are bringing in the mother load and he still hasn’t found anything- well male ego will provide all the entertainment you need. Video it and have a lifetime of enjoyment.

8. We did this to my dad one summer. He's still pissed.

[lxskllr]

That's awesomely devious Dog. Fun on multiple levels. You're a genius :^D

[Snusdog]

That's awesomely devious Dog. Fun on multiple levels. You're a genius :^D

If you really wanted to go all out you could also go down to the local coin shop and buy $30-40 worth of Morgan silver dollars in poor condition (tell the guy what you are doing and ask him if he will buy them back from you for a few bucks less).

After the arrowheads have been showing up at a pretty good rate, start dropping the old "silver coins" in. Then say "O my gosh! its stage coach money!!!!" And then reconstruct the most fantastic stage coach raid that MUST have occurred on that spot.

... it just dawned on me.....I have way too much time on my hands :shock:

:lol:
.

[f. bandersnatch]

camping is about two things: playing with knives and setting things on fire. Since neither of those seems like a viable choice given the age of your audience, I'd go with what snusdog said. Genius.

[Christi]

Snusdog! that is an amazing idea, fun thing is my sister in law is the coolest chic ever and she will be there 3 days earlier so I know she would do all the hiding for me, shoot she might go buy the stuff for me.

(my husband wouldn't help me even if I could pay him, the min we arrive he is getting on my brothers boat and I won't see him until sun down)

It sounds like the best thing and the kids will enjoy it for sure. I wouldn't even have to tell them a big ole story, they are only 6,5 and almost 3 so they don't even know what an Indian tribe is really. The older two might have memories from Thanksgiving(they teach them that stuff at school)so it could turn out really cool. I am so excited to call my sister in law now! Thank you.

Correction made.

[lxskllr]

Lx that is an amazing idea...

Just a small correction. That was Snusdog's idea. I can't steal Dog's idea like that. I wish I was smart enough to have thought of it :^D