Why I LOVE Trailer Camping!

The "May 2-4" long weekend has traditionally been a weekend designated for camping or for those staying closer to home, gardening.  This year we joined forces with Stacey and her boys to officially declare the beginning of our Trailer Happy adventures.  Wooo hooo!  In preparation of the big weekend, Kevin had staked claim on the site that we were at a couple weekends ago and so we were in full anticipation of a great spot and a great time!

A picture perfect start to it all!

On Friday while Kevin and I finished up work, Stacey, Rory and their boys headed on up to the campground to prepare the site for our Vern and their Lola (and yes, our trailers are in love!).  The girls and I arrived on a picture perfect late afternoon, Kevin arrived shortly after.  Before sun down our site was set up, the kids were full of excitement, bags of chips were opened, canned coolers were cracked open and bottled beer was uncapped.  Let the fun begin!

The days leading up to this weekend were full of sunshine, sadly however we all woke up to rain on Saturday morning, but we rolled with it.  That is the beauty of Trailer Camping.  You wake up and go to bed dry!

It was still a weekend to remember!
Let me recap with a Top 10 of Trailer Camping!

10. "Lets eat chips and drink coolers" - Stacey

It appears that our families bonded over numerous bags of chips this past weekend. (Just one more reason why our families get along so well.  We LOVE similar things!)  Isn't that what camping is all about?  Eating junk food from start to finish?  We may be parents now, but we haven't lost our "camping cool."  In between veggies and dip and eating the occasional apple; chips, dip and coolers were the afternoon and evening treats of choice!  

Chips and Coolers!  Perfect!  

Our drink of choice - Palm Bay Pineapple, Mandarin, Orange flavoured spritz, apparently its a Sophisticated Vodka Cooler (as the can says!).

Don't laugh, it was good, and cheap!  6 cans for $10!  

Me, relaxed.  Not thinking about school. ; )

9.  Our Site, Our Trailers

25 minutes from our front door at home to here.  Seriously!  It does not get any easier than this.   Its feels like we are miles away from home, yet its convenient enough to run in to the grocery store, or to go back home for supplies or forgotten items. 

And our trailers, Vern and Lola are vintage, circa 1968 and 1965, but they were incredibly well cared for and suit our needs perfectly.    The boys had tossed around the idea of buying trailers last year and they did at the end of last summer in anticipation of this fun!  Its 15' living at its finest! 

8. Mountain Equipment Co-op for kids
There is something to be said about being prepared for any type of weather and MEC always makes this possible.  They have the best kids clothing for any type of camping weather.  Not sure how long this fun would have lasted if it weren't for all four of our kids clothed and protected by MEC.

MEC Blue Fleece!

The kids were totally busy because now there were mud pies to be made, heavy mud cakes to be baked, rainwater soups to be stirred and rock stews to be mixed.  It was awesome to see how much these kids love messy play!

Pink and Blue MEC fleece suits, MEC muddy buddies and muddy buddies suit!

Even Henry was sporting his MEC fleece!  

We love MEC!

7.  Bacon & Eggs for Breakfast
Only during trailer camping will I experience bacon, eggs fried in bacon grease, toast, and sliced tomatoes for breakfast two mornings in a row!  Serious deliciousness.

Good Morning Girls! 

And not only did we eat well for breakfast, but all throughout the day. We just ate non stop.  ; )

And dirty faces stayed dirty because we were too relaxed to do anything about them.  

6.  The Big Boys
Kevin:  "Hey Rory, you gotta check out this rake that I bought.  Give it a try, I'll hold your beer."
No joke.
These boys are like little kids when you unleash them in the great outdoors!

Machismo in action.  They big boys took the older kids to get some fire wood from around the park.  A little while later they came back with a 1/2 truck load of wood, as if we were staying here for a week.  Apparently they got crazy in the bush and managed to fill the back of the pick up.   Then we got to watch them cut it all up, caveman style and with an axe.

This was actually after a good chunk of it had been cleared off already! 

Gusaroo lookin' like quite the little camper dude!

Needless to say, Kevin scored a great deal on a used chainsaw the day after we returned from this trip.

But as manly as they are, they are also amazing, gentle fathers who love their children.  They both have so much excitement for creating these types of family experiences and are 100% committed to making this time with their families as good as the kind that they grew up on!

4.  Sleeping Babies 
Karis and Henry were great napping babies (however, night time was another adventure for Stacey and I).  And while our babies slept we had so much time to relax and enjoy our big babies.  So lucky to have this time with them.

And just as I was hoping for, Karis popped up on her own, made her way to the window and called out for someone to get her!  Perfect!  

Both Stacey and I also had the rare experince of our big babies cuddling in our laps and falling asleep in our arms.  While all of us adults were chatting and the babies were sleeping, Kamille and Gus were playing so nicely together, very quietly but apparently very busy creating a "house" for pretend cats.   When after a while they both came to us and within minutes they were both sound asleep for an afternoon nap.  So so so delicious for us both!

We certainly did have the wood to spare....

4.  Time To Play
Since there is no reason to be busy completing household chores or textbook readings, playing with the kids was just another way to pass the time.

There are some things in life that I just don't have a clue about!
Boys being one of them!  

Stacey, however had all the right Jedi moves....

Let me show you how its done little Grasshoppers! 

Stacey is such a great teacher and mom!

And on this adventure I learned all the names of the CARS!  Sally, Doc, Luigi, Mader, Guido, Lightening McQueen.....

We watched the kids became little explorers and collectors of beer and bottle caps and little cleaner-uppers all weekend long!  

Henry's first taste of sand!  

3. Sitting
Being able to sit back and take it all in.  Watch the kids, chat with great friends, socialize with other campers.  Nothing was happening any time fast.  

Stretching an ear to the tailgate in the background that was broadcasting the Canucks winning a game.  

Wilson - who had just had knee surgery the day before we started our camping adventure.  He used to be best friends with our old dog Buddy. 

2. Late Night Camp Fire Laughs
There is something so great about campfire chats with two men who are a few beer in, my girl Stacey, roasted marshmallows and a bag of chips with dip gettin' passed around.   The perfect way to end a day, I'd say!

This was actually a morning campfire, but a great lookin' fire, eh?

1. Making Memories

Tell me that these photos won't be priceless years down the road?!!?  This is what it is all about.  Kids growing up together, sharing incredible experiences, and leaving each experience with a new set of memories to talk about years down the road.  

We are so lucky to have this!
I hope that this set is the first of many to follow!

Only 10 more sleeps till our next joint camping adventure in a new location!  Looking forward to it already!

P.S. Thank you Kevin for being a dreamer (even though you hate it when I call you that!) and making this dream of yours come to life.  xoxo