Monday 29 July 2019

CAMPING 2019

We did it! Our second time camping as a family. We went 2 years ago and had the best time. This time we went with 4 other families and loved the different experience we had. There were 21 people in total, including all the kids. And they had the best time!






We camped at Deception Pass, Washington and it was such a beautiful place. Our campground was about a 5-10 min walk over to the beach. And it had running water, bathrooms, and paid hot showers.

With 5 families, we ended up getting campsites side by side or across the road from each other. It was perfect because the kids were able to run to each others sites without us worrying. We were always in eye sight of the kids.



Camping with friends was a much different experience than camping with just your family. I loved the aspect of camping with your own family as it's more intimate, and you can do things at your own pace. Packing food was much easier when you're only thinking of 5 people. But camping with friends was really fun too! I loved that there were always kids running around and that the kids always had someone to play with. And splitting up the cooking/cleaning was so great too.

We ended up camping for 3 days and 2 nights. We probably could have used one more day there...so I guess there's always next time!










I wrote a camping post when we went the first time with tips and what to pack HERE.

Here's a condensed run down of the basics you may need for camping.
Sometimes camping can seem like a really really big trip...but the more simple you make it, the easier it will be once you are there.

CAMPING ESSENTIALS

TENT & TARP
AIR MATRESS, SLEEPING BAGS, PILLOWS
CAMPING STOVE, FUEL, LIGHTER
POTS, COOKING UTENSILS, PLATES/CUTLERY
CONTAINER FOR DISHWASHING
COOLER FOR FOOD & WATER
CAMPING CHAIRS
CLOTHES
TOILETRIES & TOWELS
FIRST AID KIT
FLASHLIGHT/HEADLIGHTS

But I'll share a few tips on what made things a little easier this time around for us.

Packing

When I was packing the kids bags for our trip, I estimated on the higher side of what the kids would need. I guessed 2 outfits per day and one pair of pajamas each night. I also brought along some warm clothes (hoodies, toques, and puffy vests) for early mornings and evenings. By the end of the trip, almost all the clothes I brought had been worn. Which was great!



Sleeping Arrangements

At home, the girls share a room, and Ben has his own room. Although they are all used to sleeping together, I wanted to keep things as close to their regular routines as possible. We ended up putting the girls down together and then bringing Ben in a little later to join them. This made it feel more like what they're used to at home. Although we did hear some complaints about how bright it was, they slept fine for the most part.



Comforts of Home

Bedtime is always a little bit easier when you have the comforts of your own bed close by.  We brought the kids special stuffies and blankies which they usually need to fall asleep. We were short one sleeping bag, and so I ended up bringing Ellie's comforter. She loved sleeping with it, and the other kids actually wished they had theirs too. And we also brought their own pillows which made for a much better sleep.


Activities

When you're outdoors, it doesn't take much to keep kids entertained. We brought some things to do (books, coloring books, activity books, pencil crayons) but they were truly happiest just playing and exploring the campsites. Usually we've tried to find a beach or lake to play at which the kids love. And hiking trails or walks are always super fun too.

Although I'm definitely more of a homebody, I know how much fun we all have when we make the effort to do a camping trip. And being prepared definitely helps with that. I hope our kids will always have these memories in the great outdoors!


Friday 26 July 2019

CALGARY

Each year we spend about 2 weeks each summer in Calgary, Alberta with my sister and her family. Our kids always look forward to seeing their cousins and love spending time with them there.

We usually have a few favorite things to do while we're in town. Here's some kid friendly places we loved visiting during our trip this time!



CALGARY ZOO

This year, I decided to buy a seasons pass to the Zoo. If we made 2 visits there during our trip, it would have been paid for with the general admission prices. We also thought that next summer we could also use it if we did the zoo first (It expires after one calendar year). I love that the Zoo also has other perks like discounted admission to other zoo's all over the country and USA.

The kids loved the Calgary Zoo too! There are so many animals to see, lots of space for kids to walk and run around, a prehistoric area with lots of climbing, and a few playgrounds throughout the park. After 2 days spent there, we probably saw most of the zoo. Animal highlights included the pandas, flamingos, penguins, and meerkats.

It's a perfect thing to do with the kids!








HERITAGE PARK

We always try to make a visit to Heritage Park each year. Its hands down my favorite attraction to visit. It's a historical village with lots to explore...and who doesn't love the olden days? I love how they've preserved old buildings to make it truly a living museum you can explore. A few of our favorite things to do there included the horse wagon ride, train & boat steam rides, cookies from the bakery, and vintage amusement park.













There is so much to see and do there - we all had such a fun time there. It's a wonderful place to bring your kids to!

CANMORE



We made a little drive out to Canmore which is a small town before you get to Banff. We stopped by the cutest cafe and then did a walk around the river. It was so beautiful there and being outside was so nice. I'm sure there are lots of hikes you can take around there, but with 5 little cousins we decided to do something simple and easy.






PRINCE'S ISLAND PARK

We took a visit last year here and it was a great little park and trail you can take in the park. The nature playground was really fun for the kids to play in and we brought a picnic lunch to have while we were there.








READING ROOM



I think this was actually one of my kids favorite places to visit! It's a heritage house that's been transformed into a home filled with books. And I mean there are books everywhere! There are so many adorable nooks and crannies that kids can snuggle up in and get comfy to read. It was such a great place for the kids to explore and find special books to read for an hour or so. And each person got to take a a book home! Yes, a free book! How amazing is that! Ben chose a Harry Potter book, Ellie got a Little Mermaid book, and Maddie picked a shark book. Our little visit made for such a relaxing and fun afternoon. My kids already asked if we can go back there!




If you're planning on visiting Calgary anytime soon, hope these suggestions help you out!




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