Camping!

Three years since our challenging camping experience (http://thesandersseen.blogspot.com/2009/09/great-outdoors.html) - we decided to go further afield up to New Hampshire. It was well worth the drive. 

First to pack all the gear. Backpacking in this is not!

The boys were super excited about their new sleeping bags. We also needed a second tent. Nathan came home with a backpacking tent to "keep the dream alive." 

We were so proud of our meal: chicken and vegetables, baked potatoes, corn and of course smores - all cooked on the grill. Nathan even deemed my prepared chicken "very good." Our site was fairly secluded and the kids were beyond excited. They even helped me get the larger tent up. Unfortunately, I did not pack enough warm clothing. Everyone was frigid. Especially after Nathan lectured us on the importance of not wearing anything we cook/eat in in the tent due to the fact that bears have super sniffers and the scent of our dinner on our fleece may result in a bear attack. Really?!? That doesn't scare a 9, 6 or 4 year old, or frankly a 37 year old. 

Cute pic - darn, it's blurry. The boys crammed into the new tent. 

Maddie and I luxuriated in the big one. Everyone slept well. The stars were some of the best I've seen. And we cooked paperbag breakfasts in the morning - bacon, hashbrowns and eggs in a paperbag which didn't catch on fire or leak! 

We stopped at Wildcat Mountain, where we have skied in previous years, for a ride up the gondola. It was 35 degrees with wind at the top of the mountain. Brrr.... we went on a very short hike and had lunch. Everyone slept on the drive home!