We Bought a Farm: Camping Weekend

We have bought this handy-dandy camper, and we intend to use the thing as often as we can! We absolutely LOVE traveling via our camper. It fits our family sooooo perfectly. It has everything we want: removal of technology (for the most part), time together as a family, eating simple foods, and enjoying nature.

This past week, we got to do that campin' thang with some amazingly awesome friends. 

My friend Michelle and I have been friends since we were five-years-old. She is married to the awesome Hershal and they have three great kids who match ages with my kiddos nearly perfectly. They are also a homeschool family which means we can take off in the middle of the week. 

They tent camp and do it OFTEN. Michelle works many weekends, and Hershal will go camping with the kids and himself at least once a month! That is some serious desire to bond with nature. 

A few months ago, JB and I were looking through a list of National Parks, and we realized that there was a National Park in South Carolina: Congaree. We also noticed that it was about as far away from us as it was from Hershal and Michelle. So we asked them to join us on a camping trip.

Oh did we have a blast! It was so much fun to do this with friends. (Even better was that Hershal handled the dinners -- what a blessing that is.) We ended up staying at a park nearby Congaree: Poinsett State Park beings Congaree doesn't allow RV camping in their park. 

I also had an opportunity on the drive there to quickly stop by and see my sister-in-law and her daughter. They have recently moved to South Carolina -- just FOUR HOURS FROM US! I am ecstatic about that. 

Anyways, here are some pictures from our fun time camping:

A family that is permanently etched in my heart. Edward (left) is the perfect companion for my boys, Anabelle is a sweet and gentle spirit just like Abigail and even though they are two years apart, they match well. And Benjamin is their little "Hannah"!

Two of the greatest people I know.

The boys. These three are inseparable. I love that Edward is such great friends with both of the boys and that he can handle their fighting with each other so well!

These hammocks were incredibly popular! (Yes John is reading Fancy Nancy loud and proud!)

These two: enough said.

Congaree had a 2.5 mile board walk. We did the whole thing!!

The seven musketeers. I see a lot more camping adventures in our future together as families!

My brood.

On the boardwalk.

The thing I love the most about camping: my kids can just be kids. The thing I like least: how dirty they get being kids. Hannah is, of course, without shoes. (I have decided that I am not going to fight the shoe war with here anymore because it was making me a grumpy Mama.) The kids needed showers each night and had to be majorly scrubbed down!

Enjoyin' nature!

We did homeschooling every day we were there. This was a fun game that Michelle brought to see who could build the most successful marshmallow tower. The girls (and the dad) won.

The boys were NOT happy about their loss. But I love this picture. This so shows the personality of these three guys. I could not ask for a sweeter boy to be friends with my sons. We also did a junior ranger program at the campground. I hope to have pics and blog more about that soon.

I can't imagine my life without this lady in it. I love you Michelle. You truly are my sister.

I'll conclude with a fun video of Hannah. She has gotten very into singing this song from the movie Moana. However, she only sings the same few lines again and again. (She didn't know I was filming here.)

I have a few more parts of our trip I hope to share in an upcoming blog post. But for now, I hope you enjoyed a reflection of our trip. Sorry to be a bit MIA for a few days, but I really try to "disengage" while on vacation with my kids. I put my phone down and try to release all responsibility.

And, like all good parents, now I am home and trying to spend many days unpacking from my packing!