May adventures--- actually, all the camping!

 This was going to be a post about fun we had in May, but I think it will have to be about all our camping adventures. Here goes!

Our camping adventures started in spring, even before school ended for the summer! 

Our first family camping trip was a super short over night camping trip here at the Canyon. We took both our big white camping tent and our little orange one, and Vee set up their own tent. We hiked, ate smores, told stories, and had a pretty good time. It was a fun and quick little trip, and afterwards, I decided that I really wanted to stay longer next time. 

The next time we camped was in June. It was right after the rainy season -- and in fact, we had planned a Girl Scout troop camping trip that ended up being cancelled right before this one (or right after?) and I think the rain kinda worked against us this time-- lots of mosquitoes and such. We had to go home early because of allergies. Lesson learned: our family needs meds whenever we're being outdorsy :P

We had a great time, though, and Vee really really wanted to go kayaking, so we planned our July vacation as a combination camping/vacation trip to New Mexico. We were hoping for a change of scenery and to escape the heat and bugs and all that. We sorta did! We were out there for a few days and I think this was my favorite of all the camping trips this season. We want to keep traveling around to fun, cool places like these.

Here are some pictures of the July camping trip. We spent some time at Purgatoire Camp and a little bit of time at a resort. Kids want to go back to the resort. I liked the primitive camping even more, but if we go back we will probably go with what the kids enjoyed, of course. I noticed I do not have pictures of the kayaking! it must have been Q who took those pictures, so I will come back to add those :P

During this camping trip, the kids helped a lot more. We learned knots, used knives, walking sticks, camping equipment (camping stove and cooking equipment, hammocks, stuff like that) and of course the kayaking, the hiking, and all the work of setting up camp and maintaining it for a few days. We plan to acquire more camping stuff--- I really did love our vacation, and I always come back from camping trips with ideas of more fun things we can do or things we can do better, or differently just for fun... haha. It never ends.

kayaking pics

Then in August, we had a council camp- Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Camp. I thought it was very well organized, and we had tons of fun at Camp Kiwanis with our troop and other people from our council. There was tent building, cabin camping, crafting, dancing, dressing up, emergency preparedness, archery, and more.

We also camped and kayaked while on our trip to the Texan Wine Country for my parents' anniversary, and there's been a couple more camps and outdoorsy type events since school started in late August/Sept, but I will post those pictures in another post. Other than that, I think this is all the summer fun we had in the great outdoors :)