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!