Gearing Up!

Ok....We are approximately 20 days away from our first camping trip of the 2012 season and gearing up for another year of fun and adventure!  With the help of Pinterest I have been able to create a HUGE collection of fun ideas to do with the boys this year during our camping trips.  I can't wait to try out the glowstick in bubble solution to make glow in the dark bubbles!  Since they were born D&Z have always been faithful about getting 10 hours of sleep.  However, since they turned 10 years old they somehow decided that they need to stay up later.  There are pros and cons to this new development.  It's great to see them for an extra hour (Last night we were able to take them outside to see the BEAUTIFUL moon!)  However, it definitely means that I am getting a lot less done!  haha!  The tradeoff is well worth it!


Unfortunately, we just found out that one of the boys has a severe milk allergy that we were not aware of.  As a result, many of my fun meal ideas are no longer going to happen.  It's funny because one thing I have always said was despite their challenges, I was thankful that we never had any allergies to worry about!  haha!  Karma came and bit me in the butt!  While I'm learning more about how to adapt my cooking, I also need to come up with some fun new camping recipes!   It will definitely be a fun adventure!  


Now that the weather is nice outside, it is time to start checking and packing the camper.  We generally keep our camper well stocked (it has an extra set of dishes/pots/pans) so I don't have to keep moving things from the main house into the camper for each camping trip.  However, I created a simple checklist of all things that we need in order to have a happy camping trip.  Your list will undoubtedly be different, but feel free to use mine as a jumping off point as you create your own.  I print out a new checklist for each camping trip and put in in a clipboard to check off before we leave.  Some of the items may seem obvious (ex. camper keys), however when you are rushed to leave....even those can sometimes be forgotten!  Thank goodness for good friends who will bring them to you!  Enjoy the checklist, modify as needed, and Happy Camping!

Pinterest Camping Board

Camping Checklist

This Is What Success Looks Like

Many people decide to go on vacation with an elaborate scheme and itinerary of events to follow. While I definitely have done that in my pre-marital days I can also say with certainty that those days are definitely over. Instead, our vacations tend to involve lots of relaxing time and quick little day trips that we incorporate into our days as we travel. This year's trip to the beautiful Presque Isle was no exception. While, I certainly didn't have time to lay in the sand working on my tan, I did enjoy lots of time splashing in the waves with D&Z. We stayed at Sara's Campground located right outside of Presque Isle State Park. There is no camping allowed in the park, but this campground is literally right next to Presque Isle so we could walk there from our campsite if we wanted to. While researching this vacation I discovered that Presque Isle is visited more times each season than Yellowstone. After visiting the park I can see why.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

• The campground was clean (including the bathrooms!)
• There is a nice restaurant with the best ice cream right at the campground. The creamsicle ice-cream is delicious!
• No fee for admission to the state park
• No fee for parking at the state park (as a native New Yorker I am used to being charged for EVERYTHING! Not being charged to visit the beach was a major advantage to me.
• Beach #11 was perfect for little ones or little guys that aren't the best of swimmers. The waves were nice and small and the bottom was sand. (Beach #1 in contrast has a rock bottom that made my feet extra sore!)
• Some beaches have wheelchair lookouts for accessibility. You have to watch out though, not all beaches offer this feature.
• Presque Isle is located right in Erie PA. You are literally a 15 minute ride from pretty much anywhere you would want to visit in the city.

Campground CONS:

• The campground is located somewhere near a train. It drives by at all hours of the day and night (sounding off it's horn, of course!) I am a light sleeper and was woken up every time it drove by. In contrast, my husband (who sleeps like a rock) didn't believe me until he heard it during the daytime. The train horn didn't bother him one bit.

We also ventured to the Erie Zoo. I was amazed by the accessibility found throughout Erie, PA. The Zoo had ramps and elevators everywhere. We were never "stuck" wanting to go somewhere without the ability to reach it. I was very impressed by this. The zoo offered great views of the animals and lots of cute centers for the kiddos (the train was a favorite!) I would definitely return to the zoo again. It was cute, clean, and a whole bunch of fun! We had so much fun over vacation that we even began to plan for next year. Now the only question is.....North Carolina or South Carolina?

Vacation time!

The constant question at my house is "Where are we going for vacation?" (Note: It is usually me asking this question. lol!) While vacationing has taken on new meaning since the addition of the twins...I must admit that I have really enjoyed the new adventures that we have taken. My favorite has been our newfound love of camping. I have lots of great memories of camping in my little tent in the backyard growing up. While it isn't possible to tent camp with the twins we invested in a little camper a few years ago. We now have the luxury of camping in style and doing a little bit of traveling too.

One of my favorite purchases that we made when we purchased the camper was a little map that we mounted on the side which showcases the United States. Our goal has been to visit one state each year. So far we have visited New York, Maryland (Assateague Island was AMAZING!), and Virginia (Virginia Beach!) This year the winning state was........Pennsylvania! While it may seem lame to visit a state that is less than one hour from my house we are actually excited to have the opportunity to visit some friends and head over to Presque Isle! My only slight concern is that the campground that we are visiting does not take reservations. However, when I called and explained my situation the woman was kind enough to offer to hold a spot for us. I am so excited to head out and enjoy a long weekend with the boys! After such a stressful spring some R&R is just what the doctor ordered!