Our first stop was the historic gold mining and apple mill town of Julian.
We enjoyed browsing through quaint little stores, having lunch, and of course, eating a delicious slice of their famous apple pie (a' la mode).
From there, we made the short 20 min. drive to Mt. Laguna. Morgan did some research on the camground and picked us a sweet spot. Lucky #13 had an amazing panoramic and unobstructed view of the meadow. So picturesque and beautiful. The pictures don't really do it justice.
Nice work, daddy!
Handsome and talented. :)
Dancing at dusk.
Picking flowers.
Fields of Gold...
Let the roasting begin!
Good morning, lovelies!
Peaceful...
Learning how to build a fire.
Lemon Meringue Smores-a tasty twist!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smores- Amazing!
The Highlights: having a big, secluded campsite, smores, building fires, hiking, climbing rocks, counting stars, seeing the milky way and the big dipper, beautiful daytime weather, playing with sticks and dirt, dancing, a hot shower, picking wildflowers, being together, and experiencing God's creation outdoors.
The lowlights: the weather dropped to a record low of 34 on Friday night!! No wonder why we felt like we froze our little tushes off! We checked the weather before we left and this was a huge surprise. Thankful that my dear hubby packed 8 blankets... we needed every single one of them. Saturday night it climbed back up to 45, which was very comfortable at night.
Also, while picking flowers, Grace got a minor bee sting behind her ear but she was so brave and after a short nap, it didn't even phase her or become an issue again. She was happily back to picking flowers the next day. I love that it's become one of her "brave moments" to remember.
Keeping it real: Non-flush toilets- YUCK. I know it's all a part of roughin' it and I've done it many times before but it sure makes it worse when you have to take two little ones throughout the day. Next time, we'll borrow a port-a-potty. Even still- the girls were troopers (although they said this was their least favorite part about camping). I agree!
Overall, our first 'real' camping trip as a family was a success! No one got hurt, we enjoyed experiencing new things with the girls, we saw more stars at night than we could ever count, and in the end, we came home with a deeper appreciation for nature, God, the pioneers who set out before us, and even a new thankfulness for all the modern conveniences we enjoy at home. The girls said their favorite part was rock climbing and Morgan and I really enjoyed hiking with them and watching them grow in confidence while having fun.
Overall, our first 'real' camping trip as a family was a success! No one got hurt, we enjoyed experiencing new things with the girls, we saw more stars at night than we could ever count, and in the end, we came home with a deeper appreciation for nature, God, the pioneers who set out before us, and even a new thankfulness for all the modern conveniences we enjoy at home. The girls said their favorite part was rock climbing and Morgan and I really enjoyed hiking with them and watching them grow in confidence while having fun.
Lastly, I don't think I'll ever forget the really nice compliment I got from Grace. She said, "Mommy, I love you more than stars and I love you more than dirt." It sure made me smile. :) Camping was a fun way to end the summer!
Oh yeah, if you're interested, I posted lots more pics on facebook. Still not sure how I feel about fb but for now, it's a much easier way to load tons of pictures and share them with family and friends. Look me up or leave me a comment if you're not already a friend. :)
you can borrow our potty seat next time :)
yeah, thanks! totally had it on the list of things to bring and looked for it in the garage but i must have given it away... hope you're having a fabulous time in St. Thomas!
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