This past weekend we got out of the city and headed to the great outdoors of Starved Rock State Park for our family's first camping trip. Overall, I would say it was a success. Elsa, however, had her moments when she would disagree. She was either loving life or hating it...there was no in between. Although Breck has been a boy of the big cities, he fell into life in the woods as though he had been living there all his life.
Doesn't he look like such a boy!?!?! What happened to my baby?
We started things out with a picnic and exploring before being able to check into our campsite.
And then we got to set up camp.
And then headed out for some lovely afternoon hiking.
We could not have asked for more perfect camping weather. The days were sunny and just barely warm and the night was just cold enough to enjoy a hoodie and a campfire. So perfect.
Breck did an awesome job hiking which was so fun and made the hiking extremely enjoyable. We knew he would either be really into or be a small body of repeated complaining. I'm so glad he loved it. Elsa did some of her own hiking as well and kept up for the most part.
We did encounter a small obstacle at this portion of the trail that was covered in wooden boards. She got it into her head that she either had to have one foot on each board...
....or both feet on one board. The lines could not be touched and she was getting really upset and freaked out by the whole ordeal. Maybe last week she heard that little rhyme that we said as kids, "Don't step on a crack or you'll break your mama's back" and it struck fear into her soul? Who knows?
But it resulted in the aforementioned hating of her life.
But all was made right in the world once again when she discovered the wonders of spinach-artichoke dip back at camp.
Once the dip had been devoured, she decided she had had enough, and spent about an hour screaming after throwing her hot dog onto the ground. Finally, we put her in her pack n play (thanking the good Lord that we had brought it) and she wore herself out and slept all night long.
B was a trooper though and loved camping life.
And I think he takes to it quite well.
And we ended the evening with a look under the hood of the car and a small car lesson. Random, I know. But it was very sweet to watch.
And then kicked off the next morning the Ecuadorian way!
Elsa wanted to pack up and go right after breakfast. After she ate 4 scrambled eggs (I kid you not), she just hung out by the car whining. We knew that if we got her back on the trail, she would perk up. So we headed out again for more adventuring.
Love my boys in flannel!
There is nothing quite like sunlight flittered through a sea of small patches of green. It does my soul well, especially with all of this big city living we have been doing the past few years.
An adventure it was.
Adorable pictures!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful pictures as always! Love them. It looks like you all had a great time (for the most part). The pictures of the smores made me really crave them! And loved the Ecuadorian touch...
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