Let's Go Camping!

It's been a whole year since we purchased our Little Pop Up Camper . What adventures we have had! We're already planning trips for April and I'm just giddy! Do you and your family camp? I wanted to share with you a little about what I've learned this last year, but first a little sharing about me..........

I'm a girly girl. You know the ones, they don't like to get dirt under their nails, they powder their noses when out and about, they 'hold it' forever rather than go in a porta-potty, yeah, I'm one of those. So, needless to say, I'm not the roughing it type. Having to potty in the woods just isn't my thing.

We tried tent camping when the kids were little- hated it big time. Hearing little animals scurrying around my tent all night just wasn't my cup of tea. Shoot, I was terrified and didn't sleep a wink! Now, I have friends mind you {you two know who you are ;)}, that are camping aficionados! You should see these women camp. I promise you would be in awe of their campsite! Tents, screen rooms, organized totes filled with food and supplies, they literally put women like me to shame! It just wasn't for me or my husband, so we wrote camping off our list. We decided that it just wasn't for us. Huge mistake!

It then took years and years of wasted time for me to consider camping again. I say wasted time because there's just something about our children, that they deserve to be raised out in nature, unplugged from this world we live in, as often as possible. Traveling and hotels is one thing, camping is totally different. Camping brings your family together in a way you'll never experience in a hotel.

It's so much easier to start your kiddos off early with this lifestyle, the camping lifestyle. It's much harder to convince teenagers that camping is awesome. Our girls have been real troopers and I've been so proud of them for their good attitudes. Sometimes they're a bit whiny, but I see the gains of our adventures and it's worth a little discomfort on their parts.

So why all this rambling on? Spring is upon us, and if you've ever wondered if camping might be right for you, YES, yes it is! I don't want you or your children to miss out on the benefits of camping. If someone as girly as me loves it this much, you may just love it too! Don't like sleeping on the ground? We planned and saved for a whole year for our pop up, so worth all the sacrifices.

And the price? Camping is so inexpensive, especially if you tent camp, and you don't have to go far. A state park just down the road or in your own state is a perfect landing. The point is to be out there in nature, unplugged around a campfire, hiking, game playing or just talking, remember that?,  just talking with one another. That's the whole point of the camping experience, connections, re-establishing connections, strengthening connections.

This world that we live in pulls our families apart, camping brings our family back together. So, if you've never tried it, maybe this is your year! Are you already a camping family? Give me a shout out!
xo,
Amy

Sharing Here: In The New House Designs   McCall Manor

A Winter Wedding

So just before Christmas we headed out west for our son's wedding. What an adventure we had! The kiddos had never flown before, so that was exciting! They had a blast!

And then, The Wedding........ not even any need for words here, I'll apologize now, it's photo overload y'all! 

The wedding was in Wyoming, oh the prairie, I was smitten, fell head over heels in love with the landscape. You'd better believe that us and our little camper will be going back for a much longer stay one day. Some of the biggest, bluest skies I've ever seen, y'all.

What a beautiful blessing to be able to photograph my son and new daughter in such a gorgeous place. It was surreal and a dream come true.

After the ceremony, we had a little reception fireside, so intimate, complete perfection.

The wedding was perfect in every way. We're all looking forward to the many new chapters to come in the lives of these two young ones. Thank y'all so much for dropping by and letting me gush on, such a proud mama! Until next time sweet friends.....

Sharing At:   Cozy Little House

Away We Go

We're up mighty early this morning, the world is still pitch black out my window, everything so silent and still. My excitement can hardly be contained and I'm rushing around placing last minute items into our suitcases. I run into the kitchen, and pour piping hot coffee into to-go mugs, no time for a leisurely cup of joe this morning. Hair done the night before, check, dogs all at the kennel, check, everyone's clothes laid out and ready to throw on, check, I think I've remembered everything.

Why all the rushing? This morning, we're heading out west to witness our son say his I do's. Tomorrow's the big day y'all, tomorrow is our son's wedding day.

How can so much time have passed, how do our children grow up in the blink of an eye? It could have been just yesterday that I was scurrying around packing my suitcase and rushing to the hospital to give birth to him, and now he's all grown up and getting married.

As I think about the very first Christmas, Mary waiting for the birth of her son, I realize how blessed I am as a mother to be witnessing my son's marriage this Christmas. What a gift, what a special Christmas gift we've been given. 

I'll be back next week and you know I'll have lots of pictures, I'll try not to overload y'all too much, but it's my first baby and our first child to get married, oh my, I said I'll try not to overload y'all!

Have a merry and bright week sweet friends!

Keeping It Real On A Friday

Keeping it real is important. I wish I could say that it's all roses over here, but I'd be totally lying if I did! The real story behind this picture? Like how many shots I had to take hoping for a perfect one, which never happened I might add, or how loud I had to yell for the kids to stop picking on one another, geeeeeesh.

We were originally sitting on a beautiful vintage linen that I'd been saving for this photo.........

Didn't take high tide into consideration and as soon as we all sat down, flood, not to mention overexposed. Then there's the threatening Matthew to look at the camera, smile and freeze, it's like pulling teeth y'all.

Then there's me running back and forth to re-set the timer on the camera as it's teetering on top of a fishing tackle box, on top of a cooler to get it to just the right height {you do that too right?}.....

And the most hidden caveat, I brought a bad attitude on this adventure and I fought it through till the end. Sometimes your baggage follows you on your adventures and I don't mean your luggage. 

Pictures can be really deceiving, huh?

Just keeping it real on a Friday y'all..........

And don't forget, there's still time to enter my little giveaway. Just click HERE, and leave a comment to be entered, easy, peasy. Good luck y'all!

Into The Wild {part one}

Well, we went on a doozy of a camping adventure this time! It was a little creepy, a lot crawly, and I was a nervous wreck for a large portion of this trip, but oh, it was totally worth all the jitters! 

This little guy spent the whole day with us, sooooo, we named him. Meet Bob y'all.

We had a two part adventure this time and I'll post on part two next week. We traveled south down to the very bottom of Georgia to The Okefenokee Swamp, and yes, we cavorted with the alligators baby, up close and personal. 

Meet Brad, our fishing buddy. You've got to reel them in mighty fast or Brad gets them before you do!

You may notice that there are no fences in these photos, there's nothing between you and those creatures but your bravery {I stood pretty far away, my husband, he worried me silly!}.

 We were not as brave {craaaaaazy} as these folks who kayaked through the swamp.

Sneeky little critters aren't they?

We had some dry land adventures there too. We visited one of the original swamper family's homesteads. No one lives there any longer, go figure???????

Can I have this mirror please???

And look, another alligator. This was our campground y'all. Better believe I used my flashlight when making those late night potty runs!

So yeah, it was quite an adventure! Totally out of my comfort zone, but amazing memories were made. Stay tuned next week for part two, not as creepy, I promise!

Getting The Most Out Of Family Travel

Today is the day I'm sharing my number one travel tidbit, are you ready? Do you have your pen and paper out to jot down notes {wink}? It's profound y'all, I'm just telling you, profound.  

Drum roll please..... take the  s-l-o-w  route. Yes, that's it. Profound right? Seriously, it is the best travel advice anyone could ever give you and I'm going to tell you why. 

Life is full, like jam-packed, and when you and your husband can finally get some time off work or sync your schedules so that you can take a family trip, time is of the essence and we all just want to get there, you know, arrive at the destination, lickety split, time's a wasting. Am I right? No honey, dead wrong.

{you don't see this on the highway friends}

Now, I only just figured this out after  we bought the camper, so don't go thinking that I'm all wise or anything. I read and researched for our camper so much and I joined so many forums and read so many blogs devoted to all things camping, that I learned a few things, invaluable life lessons.

Those interstates out there were built for speed, to get us where we need to go in a hurry. Interstates are not your friend. They are not your family's friend. They are monotonous and dull and they put kids and grown-ups to sleep, or even worse, into a zombie-like trance. 

{Matthew stays interested the whole journey}

Life is an adventure and a huge part of that is learning to value the journey. The time spent getting  from point A to point B. 

The first time we took our camper out on an adventure, it suddenly became crystal clear what I'd been reading from other camper owners. Towing causes you to s-l-o-w down. You can take this in one of two ways. You can become irritated at this pokey pace, or you can embrace this gift and learn how to find beauty in the slow. 

Now, before our adventure, I check routes to our destination on Mapquest because that usually gives me several choices, I pick the back-roads, and this usually barely changes our arrival time. But what happens inside our car while we're winding through the byways at a slower pace, is where it's all worth the extra moments it's going to take to arrive.

There are no zombies in our car. Our children are learning to travel with their cameras ready because they see so many moments that they'd like to capture. We stop lots and take photos and oooooh and ahhhhhh over pretties. Do we arrive at our destination in record time, nope, but we arrive filled with the gifts of a slow and winding journey tucked deep inside our hearts.

There's my wisdom for the day, take the slow route, take the scenic byways and marvel at the difference it will make in your adventures. Slow grows families y'all. 

I know, I know, you are so grateful you'd like to hug me. A virtual hug will just have to do. 

{smile}

A Camping We Will Go

We spent this past weekend camping atop a breathtaking mountain. We enjoyed coffee in the morning and  in the afternoon, what a treat. Mornings were cold and afternoons were cool and breezy.

I cannot tell you how much I'm enjoying camping, I'm positively giddy every time we head out. I'm kicking myself for not realizing the value of camping way sooner. In a world that overloads our senses daily, blurs the importance of relationships, we must make unplugging a priority. 

We have two teen daughters that are not nearly as on board with the whole experience as I'd like, but I know without any doubts, that being unplugged,  and being reminded of the simple joys and pleasures is the best we can give our children. Being surrounded by nature, connecting with family, being aware of the real,  that's what it's all about. I only wish that we would have started camping years ago. 

I looked out the window of the camper Saturday evening, and saw my husband and Matthew huddled around the campfire talking and laughing, and I was overcome with joy and a sense of contentment. That's the beauty of camping, it's filled with so many little moments of restoration. Living in this fallen world takes so much from us, camping refills the soul.

Linking At:

Thoughts From Alice   My Pinterventures