Hangin' Out

A few weeks ago we decided to celebrate the arrival of spring with a family campout.

We had to backpack in--it was an ENTIRE MILE.

Danny made sure we stayed on the right path. He loves to touch the "blazes" on the trees.

When we got there Turkeyboy strung up everyone's hammocks.

Here is the set up for the twins, double decker style:

This is a view of their hammocks while I am laying in mine. It rained all night and all morning, so it was a good thing Turkeyboy put up the tarps. We all stayed as warm as little caterpillars in cocoons.

Danny, below, looks like he loves hammocks, but don't let that happy smile fool you. In reality we bring an entire tent just for him. One of these days he'll catch on to the hammock idea.

Hammocks are a great place to read. This is Sophie late that night, reading.

She looked just like a little glowing ember.

Then, over Easter weekend we took another camping trip. This time to a swamp called Merchants Millpond. Instead of backpacking we canoed into our camp site.

We saw turtles and herons and frogs. They say there are alligators there, but they were all hiding from us. Too scared.

The water was a blackish reddish brownish color...kind of like paddling through root beer. It even made fizzing noises when you paddled into the floating green stuff. I don't think it tastes like root beer, but I can't be sure, since I didn't actually try it.

Turkeyboy hung up the girls hammocks in a little triangle and they spent a long time swinging into each other, and making up songs about Easter.

Since we canoed in we could bring more gear so we brought a popcorn popper to make popcorn over the fire.

Worked like a charm.

There was a great big shining full moon outside that was so bright we could see our shadows. It was frrrrrreeeeezzzzzing, though, and on this campout most of us migrated at some point in the night to the tent. (All except Sophie who displayed true pioneer grit by hanging out all night. Luckily we didn't have to remove any of her toes in the morning.)

Part of the problem was that the girls don't have under quilts beneath their hammocks and they still use wimpy "princess" sleeping bags, so it isn't good camping out in nights under 50 degrees. (Remember how a ice forms quicker over a bridge than it does over the road? Hammocks have the same problem....no matter how much you put on top, it gets COLD underneath! So serious hammock makers sew sleeves under the hammock where they slip in "quilts"--not the patchwork kind, but down quilts made of 100 % goose feathers.) Turkeyboy and I are looking in to fixing that little problemo. I am pretty sure the girls and Danny will have quilts for our next Easter hang.

It was a busy night! For in addition to all the moving around and changing places, the Easter Bunny (whose name, I was informed, was "Egg Buster") came to our campsite and decorated it with his colorful eggs filled with chocolate, proving that the Easter Bunny really CAN find you, no matter where you are.

I wish I had photos of the eggs, but, alas, they were discovered and gleefully collected before Turkeyboy and I had risen from our beds! You will just have to imagine how it was.

It was a great way to spend our Easter weekend. Here is a parting shot of the sunset on the swamp.

Bet you didn't think swamps could be so fun.

Veni Vidi Vici

Here we are, ready to begin our adventure.

Notice that only one person is smiling.

We hike one mile in to our camp sight.

The girls had to carry their own sleeping bags, and they were not allowed to bring toys.

Note the stowaway.

Our campsite. It kind of looks like we are camping on a parking lot, but that is actually a tent site, meant for a nice big tent. We, however, are hammock people. Scott made all of these hammocks himself, and he can string each one up in less than five minutes. We looked quite festive against the grey background, don't you think?

Syrena's hammock

Sophie's hammock

Naomi's hammock

Danny's hammock

Actually, this isn't really Danny's hammock. This is my hammock. Danny slept the first third of the night in the little tent, the second third of the night with me in my hammock and the last part of the night back in the tent. Perhaps that gives you an idea of how much sleep I got.

Scott checking the score. Of what game? It doesn't matter, all that matters is that somewhere in the world there is a game and he can check the score.

Double-decker hammocks. Sophie and Syrena probably slept the best out of all of us. They just curled up in their hammocks and snored the rest of the night.

Naomi, however, had a harder time sleeping. She woke up more than Danny did. And guess who had to answer her call? I'll give you a big hint: it wasn't me. Yes, Turkeyboy got less sleep than anyone else.

This is what morning looks like in a hammock. Dawn at last!

Danny wakes, to the delight of his adoring fans.
My hiking shadow. It looks like I super-glued my baby to me.

Going back home.

This was our first "backpacking" trip as a family. We had some challenging moments, but I think that it was a success. If success means we made some great memories for our kids, than we achieved our objective.

Veni, vidi, vici.

Trial Run

Last night Scott set up the hammocks in the backyard to see if the girls would be able to stick it out all night. This was in preparation for our mini backpacking trip we are taking them on tonight. Scott made each girl their own hammock (pink, blue, and lavendar) and set them up double-decker in the trees. I wondered if they'd be able to actually fall asleep, but before Scott even had his PJs on they were snoring away, cozy as caterpillers in their cocoons .

Tonight might be a different story, though, for we will have our wild card: Danny.

To be continued....