Who puts their kids in white pajamas on a camping trip anyway?

I am by no means an avid camper. I plan an annual camping trip out of a feeling of obligation.  I feel like that's what you're supposed to do... take your family camping at least once a summer.  Plus, if you're going to store all that you gear, in your tiny 1,000 square foot house, you might as well use it.

So we went for our obligatory camping trip, and I surprised myself when all weekend long I kept saying, "This is so much fun.  I can't believe how awesome this is."  And on and on and on.

Even Parker, when we first got to the camp site, was very concerned and kept asking "What are we going to do?" 

"Just play outside, look at the trees, go for walks." 

"Yeah, but... what are we going to do?"

Round and round we went.

He loosened up. 

We were up at the rim campground which was amazing.  We haven't camped there before, but definitely will again.  It wasn't crowded, the campsites are spaced far apart, and all the campsites back up to the beautiful forest.  There was ample room for our dog and our kids to roam without worry they'd be trudging thru someone's campsite.  We spent a lot of time walking thru the pine forest and Parker would lay on his belly and find the tiniest creatures; he could watch them all day.  The highlight for him was finding an "iguana".  Which was acutally some small horned lizardy frog looking thing.

The weather was beautiful, the perfect amount of chill in the morning.  (Everyone in Phoenix was being urged to stay indoors for the weekend due to the heat.  Glad we escaped that.)

Something else I enjoyed but (thankfully) don't have pictures of, was teaching Parker how to roll down hills.  He very cautisouly answered, "uh...... no" when I asked him if he wanted to roll down a hill with me.  But he's a believer now.  He gets it. 

His favorite thing was the lake.  He kept referring to it as a pool though, and asked who was going to "take all the grass out of the pool".  Kid needs to get out more.

Our dog loves, loves, loves water.  And he was quite the champ.  Parker would throw those sticks far and in the middle of marsh and he'd go after it.  Never once did he not come back with it.  Both boys got a kick out of it.  And then back at the campsite the dog didn't move the rest of the night, he is 6 years old.  He's no young pup anymore.  I think this may have been the first realization for him.

I know what you're thinking...

"You have a dog?"  Everyone is always surprised to hear we have a dog.  Yes.  His name is Cannon, we've had him 6 years, and he's just about the perfect pet.  Seriously.  Couldn't ask for a better dog.

So, I'm wanting to go camping again this summer.  (Surprisng myself over here.)  Anyone wanna go with us?  This time I will pack old clothes, more socks, butter, and pajamas that are not white.