I have to admit to being slightly guilted into inspired by Cindy's friday post on basically making memories for our kids.  First of all, I am what my husband calls the "reality police"...meaning that anytime he suggests we go do something "fun", I bring up all of the reasons it would NOT be fun for our family, yet.  Anyway, due to my previously mentioned "inspiration" I decided that I would give up our date night and turn it into a weekend of family fun...our first ever family camping trip.  My princess has been bugging us for about 2 years to do a real camping trip in a real forest, but after reading the first half of  The Shack, I have no interest in taking them into a "real forest!"  (thanks to everyone that suggested that book to a parent with a 4 year old girl about a 4 year old girl being taken from her dad on a camping trip and......etc.) anyway, this irrational new fear  of mine was the catapulting factor in my great idea of "camping at grandmas"!   It made a lot of sense really...only 15 min away, a big beautiful piece of property and the best part, running water...PERFECT!  My vision was to pitch a tent for the family, make a little fire pit, roast marshmallows, go on a mini hike, fly a kite, even go to the lake!  Brilliant, right???  Well,  it didn't exactly go as planned, which got me to thinking "maybe we aren't quite ready for real camping! So I made a little list for you all to give your family to check your camp-ability, in order to maybe avoid total camping disaster...



#10...When you have to take two cars on a 2 day camping trip only 15 min away (and you didn't even pack food)

#9...You get there and are unable to fly the kite (your only planned event) because you forgot the string, so your husband gets out his 5ft remote control  airplane (hence the extra car)

#8...You have to move the tent 3 times because your father-in-law is afraid it will kill the grass

#7...When your kids prefer to swim in the hot tub and not go to the lake

#6...Instead of hot dogs and marshmallows over an open flame, dinner is prepared by special order (father in law buys, mother in law makes) and then it is served at the dinner table while the kids watch a movie.

#5...When family time around the camp fire turns into one child knocked out because he decide napping earlier in a tent covered in spiders is not his thing. Child 2 is watching another movie, Mom is sitting on the deck with grandma, reading a book drinking a glass of wine,  and dad is watching Taledega Nights in the recliner.

#4...The only wildlife you come in contact with is a crazy huge mosquito eater on the kitchen wall and a dog that will not stop dropping pinecones on your lap to try to get you to throw them (I kinda think a bear would have been more fun!)

#3...The good intention of a family sleep out in the tent ends when child one is crying because she wants to sleep with grandma, and child two being brought inside by daddy (after daddy sends a text to mommy who is already inside, saying they are coming in because it's not comfortable!).

#2...Your early morning wake up does not come from surrounding campers but by the clanking of dad's  golf clubs being thrown in the back of his buddies car!



and the number one reason your family is NOT ready to start camping is..(drumroll please!)





#1...the only use you have for a flashlight is using it a 3:00 AM to clean up dog vomit off of your mother in laws white carpet. (yup, that really happened!)



So Im fully aware that this whole debacle was of our own doing and pretty much all of you are thinking "what the h$#%, they didn't even go camping...so, I'd love to hear about your camping fun :)...make sure to comment below and give us your scoop ;)