cousin campout

In mid-March, we planned a Cousin Campout at Cedar Hill State Park and the kids loved it!! 

The Peacocks arrived first and the Ranger told them about a crazy species of ants that infests tents and will get into cars.  We've been told that before and never sprayed anything, but we didn't want this campout to be the first time for an infestation, so we made a pit-stop at Home Depot to get a spray for the area...

The kids were all great helpers setting up our campsite.  It's a lot of work to go camping, so it's super nice that the kids are old enough to help with all the tasks and make it feel less like a chore and more like a family experience. 

Colby felt the need to climb a tree and was somewhat successful :)

The vibe around the campfire with our little string of lights was magical.  I especially loved watching the kids help with the cooking.  The cooking is always a focus when we go camping, so it was fun to involve the Peacocks as well. 

Grandma showed up later to enjoy to meal with us, but we weren't sure how accessible the campsite would be for Papa and his electric scooter. Grandma scoped out the site and determined that Papa would be alright, so he joined us on night two. 

Lots of marshmallows were consumed that night and Brooke even brought out her ukulele :)

As soon as we were tucked into our tent that night, Colby pulled out a notebook to sketch a few things. I can't remember what he was drawing, but he loved the novelty of doing it by lantern light. 

The next morning, Colby was a huge help with the fire and the girls were back at it with the cooking. Breakfast tacos were even better around the campfire!

Kevin always brings our hammocks whenever we go camping, but Kinley also brought her free-standing hammock as well and Emery was a big fan.

Since we didn't get together for Emery's birthday at the end of February, Melanie brought donuts so we could sing to her. We couldn't get the flame to stay lit, but we sang anyway and she was a happy little girl. 

Nothing beats campfire cocoa...

We gave Emery a fishing pole for her birthday and Colby took it upon himself to teach her how to use it.  It was the perfect activity to keep her entertained while we cleaned up from breakfast. 

Kevin joined in on the lessons as well...

Brooke and I had to leave for an hour or so to attend the Lillard Orchestra tryouts, but everyone else went over to the pond to fish. 

When Brooke and I were done at Lillard, we met up with everyone and played in the water and mud.

The girls were incredibly dirty, but they were enjoying themselves, so that's what counts. 

We ventured over to another section of the park in the Day Use area and the kids played in the sand and at the playground. 

There was a roped-off swimming area, so Kevin, Aubrey, and Colby decided to do a "polar plunge" into the water. 

Hanging out after showers and before we cooked dinner...

Grandma and Papa came up to the campsite for dinner and peach cobbler.  Uncle Jeff commented that it was the best cobbler he’s ever had, so I’d call that a success!

My hair was pretty wild the next morning, so Brooke and I took a selfie...

The boys were still sound asleep...

As soon as Emery was out of the tent, she was back at casting and recasting her line. I felt pretty good about the gift we gave her :)

To say that these kids loved the hammocks would be an understatement! So many fun memories were made!

Our little hike to the bathroom turned into a piggy back ride when Colby’s sandal broke!

It was then time to take down our tents, which is always a bit disappointing because that means the fun is nearly over. Emery wanted to help us, and Brooke even let her "hold" her baby bunny in her shirt while they worked, haha. 

The kids didn’t want to leave, but we stayed until the very last minute at our campsite.

The cousins headed home, but we stayed for an hour or two more just hanging out near the shore, skipping rocks, attempting to fish (Colby), and throwing the football a bit more.

We only live about 12 minutes away, so it was a quick drive back home to start the unpacking process. That part is always a drag, but it was a (mostly) pleasant experience with our good helpers. Then I had to do a thousand loads of laundry, but the memories were worth the extra effort.

I'd say our first official family campout was a success!!  The kids are already counting down the days until we can plan another one.