Camping Miramichi again????

YUP! we were there again last weekend and enjoyed every moment of it. Friday at 3pm we rolled into there not expecting a full park but it was. By Saturday morning there was not an empty site but you know the place didn't feel that crowded. We explored Kouchibouguac which isn't that far away, we even got to see a bear twice or 2 bears while we were there. Dexter made a friend and she kept him busy when we were around the park and they had so much fun we decided to stay an extra day. We got to know the owners a bit better this time around and even got a private tour of the soon to be seasonal area. Overall we had a great visit and are planing our next stop in August and we're bringing my mom and dad and my brother and his girlfriend too. Should be a great time- i know the kids are already excited!

Cavendish Provincial park campground

Well, for many years (the last 7) my hubby and I have been travelling to cvendish to camp regularly every summer and this year was no different. We always stayed at Sunset camp ground and enjoyed their pool and board walk but this year we tried something different. We landed in Cavendish without much of a plan but especially no reservations. It was the Monday after the Cavendish Country music festival. We check out sunset and to our disappointment they didn't have a suitable spot for us and the next best spot was filty and right in the middle of a wide open field. We like a little bit of privacy or at least a tree to look at so it was no good, we got a efund and made our way across the street to Cavendish National park. We have the National parks pass so we didn't need to pay for the entry fee (bonus) and we popped in to the campground registration booth. Hubby went up to see what was available while I stayed in the van with the kiddos half holding my breath hoping for a spot and trying to keep the kiddos entertained (by this point we had been driving for 2+ hours. When hubby came back he said we got a spot but with no fire pit (ok i can be ok with that). Our site was #280 it was awesome. We had poer water and sewer, there were trees and the lots had enough space you could almost squeeze another spot inbetween them. Perfect! Also we were very close to a newly upgraded washroom and shower facility. I could see the laundry hut (nice clean big machines, 2 loonies to wash and 1.50 to dry) from our door and the beach was a few minutes past that. The playground wasn't as close as I liked but we enjoyed the walk there and back. I don't believe there are sewer sites near the playground. We hiked the trails near the campground (totalled 5.6km) and another day we took the 1.5hr drive to Greenwich and hiked over 10km there. We visited the dunes and walked the floating boardwalk and not to mention saw where they discovered artifacts over 10000 years old. Made for quite a trip. So dispite the 52.50 to come home over the bridge we will be going back to Cavendish again this year but not to Sunset our old favorite we'll be either at Cavendish national park or find a spot in or near Greenwich.

baby gear for camping

We have gone through a lot of gear over the years especially since Dexter came along 6 years ago. Always trying to find the perfect item to make camping life easier with the little ones. Too bad for me to only discover this this year (we won't even need it next) but the Ciao Baby portable high chair is awesome! When we bought our new trailer this year the salesman threw it in and my god what did I do before? Oh yeah, we used bulky strollers with trays, or portable seats straped sideways to picnic tables (sure that's a safety vioation). This portable high chair is totally cool! it has a wide base so it won't tip over (less likely to with my kiddos running around) it folds up small like a camp chair and it's light. It has it's own carry bag and even has a belt to starp baby in. It's made for babies who can sit by themselves and and upto 3 yrs. I love that it has a cup holder (I use it as a snack bowl or crayon holder depending on what Milo's doing). And the plastic covered canvas tray is easy to keep clean. My only complaint is the leg holes are kinda "grabby" it's hard to pull Milo's chubby legs out, it doesn't leave marks on him or anything like that, it just requires a little more pull to get him out and some cooperation on his part. So if you camp with little ones you need to check out the portable highchair at ciao baby, it is totally worth it! Hey, why just camping really, bring it to the older siblings soccer game the company family picnic, staying at a hotel bring it along, use it at a resturant (at least you know it's clean), visiting family who doesn't have small children, it's light and easy to pack or set up. Enjoy!

Last weekend in Fundy National Park

We were out again (of course) this time at Fundy. We stayed in the Chignecto North campground (our third time there this summer). This was out first time with a 3 service site considering they only have 10 available). We previously stayed at sites A78 and A53 (? might have been 52 that was the weekend I woke up with the flu). The full service lot (A7) was ok. It wasn't very private but it did have some trees around. It was nice that it was a pull thru spot, but we had a hard time keeping the trailer level. Probably had to do with all the rain...think we were floating. Over all our stay was nice, the blackflies were bad but at lest they seemed to dumb to bite they just flew around. Our first night there the 2 older boys and i went for a walk and spotted some nice alternative spots but we'll be staying near to the playground for all future visits. The public showers aren't great (water pressure is funky) toilets are ok they flush which is better than a "hole in the ground". The kitchen shelter is nice but with small children you must be cautious with the 2 wood stoves in it. If you can get past that then it's great all around. Also while we were there we discovered Kinnie Brook trail, wow it was nice but more difficult then we had expected. There was a lovely trail through the trees some up and downs but then as you near the brook there is a cliff you climb down, there are stairs but my stairmaster days are far behind me, but we did it. So the boys counted 131 steps..up it felt like it. The trail was so beautiful and not busy it was totally worth the stairs. I recommend it but if you have small children use a backpack carrier or your better judgement. Another nice thing about the trail is you can get to it from the campground so no need to drive there (bonus) We wanted to try their new trail off Hastings rd called Black horse but it looked as thought it is only for bikes (not a shared trail like we assumed) so we continued down Hastings rd little did we know there is a "car hike" through there. A nice gravel road well maintained and took us down the hill, we came out on the main road not far from Dickson Falls...a short cut (sort of). It was fun to explore the park in different places we hadn't been before, guess that's why it's a great place to visit and camp at in my opinion, there's so much to do and you can always find more. If the weather would have been nice we would have made a stop at the pool (filled with Bay of Fundy water) but the weather was too cold. I'm sure the solar heaters were working extra hard. On our way back to camp we noticed some caution tape in the playground area and after checking it out we discoverd they are upgrading the main playground (by the golf course) my boys are some exciting and can't wait to try it out once it's complete. So on our next stay we have a trip to the pool and a stop at the playground to check off the list. But first i believe we are going to check out Murray's beach and camp there for a weekend, it's also a favorite spot of ours.

what a nice cmpground!

last weekend, we decided to hit an old favorite of ours...Camping Miramichi. They are known as the "tree house resort" and for good reason. They have 8 now available to rent from $65 to $120. We had stayed in one 2 years ago, it was the basic tree house with 1 double bed and a pair of bunk beds but at the time it was only the 4 of us, Milo was in my belly. So being 35 weeks pregnant, I didn't enjoy the trip up the stairs to the tree house and the constant trips down to the bathroom (standard Treehouses have a bathroom located in a building, they have their own locks that open with the treehouse key so they are private but about a minute walk away). It was a hot night and sleeping was uncomfortable but other then that it was an amazing time. The kids loved the treehhouse. My parents stayed in a cottage that same weekend and we have since alsoand they are nice. 2 bedrooms, and a bathroom with a shower. The kitchens are great they have all you need (dishes, utensils, pots and pans) There's a small fouton and satelite TV (was great for Saturday morning cartoons while hubby and I made breakfast). Thispast weekend was rainy and cold and the mosquitoes were horrible but we still had a great time. We had a 3 service lot (water, electric and sewer). They have 12 2 way sites (electric and water), 13 full service and 4 tenting sites. It's a nice quiet campground on over 200 acres of land. The pool is nice and the public washrooms are very clean and private (no stalls, individual rooms for showers as well). Laundry is available $2 for a wash or a dry (2 loonies). The playground is nice, it could use some more structures but the kiddos like the swings, monkey bars and little tyke slides. The playground id central and the field around it is massive for some ball kicking, bubble blowing, frisbee throwing or even kite flying. This year there was an extra surprise, Jeff (1/2 of the amazing couple who own the place) biuld a pirate ship play structure. It has a slide and a ramp to climb up an upper deck with a steering wheel and a lower deck and you can even go inside under the main deck oh and who can forget the pirate flag! The kiddos had so much fun plying on it, playing pirates and even hide and go seek. They requested a castle for next year. We'll go back to Camping Miramichi, we always spend a few weekends there. It's like a home away from home. The staff are great, friendly and always willing to make your stay the best.

Been away for too long...from here :-)

so that last almost 2 years has kinda slipped by, but this is a new camping season and we recently bought a new trailer so the season has begun and so will my blogging. Really I have excuse with the wifi available now at most camping grounds. So for my first blog for the 2014 season I will dedicate it to my son's kindergarten teacher, Alex. She will be trying camping with an almost 2 year old and a pregnant belly and she has asked for some advice. So for camping with kiddos here's my advice...plan what you can but expect it all to go wrong and be okay with that! We camp with 3 boys aged 6,4,and almost 2, we always have an idea of what we're going to do while out but something always seems to come up or happen, IE: I forgot to pack the rain boots and it's raining, or hubby and i wake up with the flu (not a fun trip by the way)or someone is just plan cranky and can't get over it. Regardless, you make do. I always have lots of crayons and books to color and read, we have a stock of crappy toys from the dollar store that way if they get lost along the way it's replaceable. Also I've learned my lesson about clothes, I now pack what i think they'd need then add a few extra items like underwear for my accident prone 4 yr old and lots of shirts for the baby since he's a messy eater and won't wear bibs. Socks!!! Are a must, lots of them, my kids tend to run out in the yard with their socks on and walk in something messy or sticky or gross every time. Also i make sure to have coins and laundry soap stashed somewhere in the trailer. As for gear, BUG SPRAY, if you're in a tent bring a tarp or 2 we usually put one under our tent and one over (if it's gonna rain) the one under helps keep the tent clean for easy fold up and if you leave it hang out a bit more in front you have somewhere to remove shoes before getting in. camp chairs, somewhere for baby to be (if you have kids) be it a stroller or high chair i like stroller it doubles as a highchair if it has a tray. playpen (we found a Phil and Ted's travel crib which is amazing it's light, snaps together quickly and it has a self inflating mattress $200 but totally worth it ages birth to 3yrs). A decent air mattress for you with a pump to blow it up (no sense wasting your own lung power) and always have a few patches around just in case. Have something to do for you and the kiddos. Have it be something you can do together like kicking round a soccer ball or the stroller so you can enjoy a long walk (sometimes doubles as nap time). We also like to take drives, especially when we go some where we aren't familiar with we have a GPS so we drive until we find something fun, yard sales, play grounds, museums or something simple like a Tim Horton's or a liquor store (sometimes you don't pack enough, haha!) Anyways, most important is no matter what gear you have or what you forget at home, have fun and if that seems difficult then take a step back remember what you wanted to accomplish this trip and reevaluate, what's more important? Having junior take a nap in a new playpen in a loud busy campground in the middle of the day or saying "screw it" he'll be cranky and so will you but go for a walk or find an open spot to sit down with a blanket and some toys and play together. Your crankiness won't last long. They will eventually get tired and bedtime comes easy when they are tired and had a full day. There might be a bit of extra crank but once junior settles in for the night, he'll pass right out and you can pop the cork on that bottle of wine and take in the serenity of nature and the buzzing of mosquitoes...because there are always mosquitoes!

Almost that time of year again!

just thinking the weather is looking up this weekend and if it keeps up it's end of the deal we may hit our first camping spot this weekend. if we do and where we go will be the next entry :-)