I don’t rough it. That is not something I enjoy. The idea of staying somewhere without flushing toilets and hot showers does not appeal to me. Neither does carrying all my possessions on my back for miles through the woods. It is amazing to me that anyone would want to do those things. But one thing I still like to do? I like to camp.
I know you are asking, if you don’t like to do those things listed above, how the heck do you like to camp. Well, I like to go glamping. Yes, I will sleep in a (big, big) tent. On an air mattress. At a campground with flushing toilets. And showers. And electricity for my blow dryer. I will rough it and put my mascara on using a small mirror in my tent.
Yes, you can take the fashionista out of the city but you can’t take her styling products or she will hurt you.
Last weekend, we went camping with my sister and her family. Since Auntie Carrie is about as outdoorsy as me (i.e. she drinks on patios and eats at the occasional pizza farm), it was a good match. Hubby and I had never taken the kidlets camping before so we found a close campground and booked it for only one night. So off we went!
I am sure you are all reading this, wondering what I wear when I go camping (someone at work actually asked me). No, I do not wear my Prairie Underground to the camp, mostly out of fear a spark from the fire would burn a hole in my favorite hoodies. Yes, I do dress more casual when I camp, but still have to look presentable for photos. For those who are wondering, I was wearing jeans, sneakers, an AC/DC Junk Food shirt and an oversized Lake Okoboji sweatshirt I stole from Auntie Carrie.
I am also sure you are wondering if I will share the tips which make camping such a great success for us. Being the thoughtful blogger that I am, here is my best advice:
- Once you arrive, it is important to set up camp. It is always important to make sure you teach your kids how to create atmosphere at the campground using lanterns, tablecloths, candles, and McDonald’s toys.
- Having your kids help set up your two room tent is important as well. Don’t forget to teach them to take your shoes off on the rug outside the door, so as not to track dirt into the tent. Also, don’t forget to remind them NOT to jump on the cots you borrowed from the neighbors or your air mattress which now has a slow leak (I wonder why….)
- Of course, we needed food for the trip. Being that there were 8 of us going (4 adults and 4 kids), we would need lots, right?! Hopefully, 5 bags of chips and 3 bags of donuts is enough for our 24 hour jaunt.
- Once camp is set up and the adults have had a beer, find a way to occupy the kids. We found it helpful to take them to the campground beach which only gets about 2 feet deep.
- Make sure to keep the kids busy at the beach with adorable photo ops while the men go back to “get dinner started” (or drink beer, whatever they are really doing).
(Biggest)
(Littlest)
- Make sure you take a cute selfie, just to add balance to all the pictures of the kids. Don’t be afraid to take a couple and pick the one you like best to Instagram. You can always delete the others.
- Once the kids are worn down a little (or you would like to make it back to camp before all the adult beverages are gone), head back to your campsite. Try not to lose anyone along the way. That stinks. Trust me.
- When you get back, you will be hungry. Make dinner! I personally prefer pudgy pies or hobos.
- If you can, find someone else to cook, while you relax. You cook enough at home!
Shoes: Jamie by Dr. Scholl’s
Jeans: Crop Muse by Hudson
- Once it gets dark, make sure you give the kids glow sticks. That way you can find them in the dark. Plus, it entertains them for the last twenty minutes before you send them to bed so you can drink beer around the fire. If you are really lucky, they will put themselves to bed!
- The next morning, make sure to start off with a healthy breakfast. I prefer to give the kids donuts and yogurt to give them strength to help us pack the car back up.
So there you have it. The SJ&YP tips for making your glamping trip a great success. Now you can be outdoorsy like me.
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