Monument Valley: Big Butes

Our first night in Monument Valley is one to remember.  We pulled into our campsite at Gouldings which was nestled between large butes of red rock.  The site had lots of trailers and a few tent sites which were close to each other.  The bathrooms were amazingly clean, lots of free showers, wifi, and and indoor pool.  What can we say?  Oh and the closest drive into the park.

Our night was so hot we decided to sleep without the rain fly.  Around 4 am I woke up to some large drops on my face and my husband rushed to get the rain fly on.  By then I noticed lightning.  It may not have been close, but at 4 am and in a tent, maternal instinct kicks in and you're ready to protect those babies.  I watched for an hour to see the lightning light up the sky and also make bolts that hit the ground at some distance.  By 5:15 and some light in the sky I was ready for a run.  Heading down the hill I felt I could have been like Forest Gump and keep running.  It was breathtaking and even at 5,000ft elevation, I was elated.

We spent the morning in the park exploring the butes, learning about rock formations, erosion, and also precious rocks.  The unpaved path in our Prius was doable.  We fretted about it and so we took our box and hitch off and left it in our tent.  It was a good thing since it was quite a bumpy ride but nothing the car could not handle.  I cannot imagine the kids putting up with the open and dusty jeep ride.  The park cost $20 and it was just amazing to drive by all those butes.  However, I will say that if you are strapped on time 163 heading S/ SW is the money shot.  You see a lot from there and this is the movie scene.  Hitting this stretch at sunset is the best.  The park is hot- very hot at this time but it was amazingly green on the valley floor.  I will say that as much as we enjoyed looking up, there was more to see down in the grasses.  The wildflowers were stunning and changed from one location to the next.  Not sure if we got lucky with some recent rains.

The other highlight of our campsite was that we discovered some trails into the rock right behind our tent.  This led to the most spectacular rock arch form which rivals some photos of Arches in Utah.  I'm sure they are amazing, but for a quick campsite hike this was a truly hidden gem.

The kids spent the afternoon cooling off in the pool followed by a fantastic pork massaman curry and coconut rice.  This was one of the pre-prepped packets of food I made before leaving (photo on FB).  Simple steps like this have really helped expedite meals and to also make them pretty great since I would not want to carry all these spices and veggies around for days.  Having it frozen and in the cooler has been a lot of help.  Hopefully I'll have a meal prep/ camping packing post ready by the time we're done with this trip.


If you like what you read, please check out FB for random and occasional photos.  Most everything is done from my phone, so service and spelling are spotty!

Thank you for visiting!

Oh and we stopped at an antique shop where I got an amber cake stand and a blue glass ball canning jar!

The View restaurant. Excellent view Nd break from the heat, ok on food. 

The 'mittens' left and center

An arch behind our campsite.

Dinner of pork massaman curry and coconut rice. Some awesome whiskey from San Fran. But that was a mistake considering our drive to CO. 

Notes from a Recent Campout

We went camping this past weekend and I realized I'm still waiting on updating my Camping with Kids 2 post.  In the meantime I wanted to share some notes on why it's so important to just get out and be in nature.

Last week, SD county was ravaged with 9 fires.  We evacuated our school and were closed for a day.   The heat in the city has been brutal with almost 100 degree days, and about 90 in the house as we don't have A/C.  Getting ourselves ready to leave after work on Friday seemed near impossible.  But we did it, and I'm so thankful we forged ahead and left our home behind, an utter mess.

With that, here are my "notes" I'd like to share.

• Book a site and go
• Plan ahead, but if you forget something, you will make do.
• The more frequently you get out and go camping, you can fall back on the "usual" necessities
• We have our camping clothes, so packing gets pretty easy and fast
• Always be prepared for cooler weather.  
• Going with friends helps in motivation and having a back up in case you forgot to bring things
• Pack lots of drinks and snacks (adult beverages included).
• Be flexible- things never go as planed and you just have to adapt and move on.  It's the best skill to be learned as a child and an adult and being in nature is the best test to this.
• Take wipes and hand soap- I don't buy wipes for daily use or even around town. I hate the waste, but for camping, you just never know and it helps to have a small pack to rely on.
• Head lamps and lantern are a must.
• Pack a few books for bedtime.  Nature based books while out really ignite the imagination.  We read about monarch butterflies and we now hope to plant lots of milkweed plants.
• Have a few dollars in quarters in case there are hot showers- helpful for kids who play in muddy ponds.  
• Nature journal with pencils and colors for writing and drawing.

As difficult as it was for us to get out, it was worth it.  Watching my two run around with their friends and seeing how much fun they had getting dirty was worth it.   Being woken up to birds and woodpeckers- priceless.  Having my daughter wake up saying she didn't sleep well and the hawk woke her up- memorable.  Watching them play in the tent pretending to be princess astronauts - Ridiculous! Having them both brood and complain that they didn't want to go home- Worth it!

Nature discoveries that are impressionable lessons:

• Baby dragonflies stuck to our legs 
• Eared grebes only a few feet away from the children
• Colony of ladybugs that have newly hatched and discovering them in the larva stage (click here for life cycle activity)
• caterpillars in various stages of growth 
• Baby lizards
• Moss and lichen and the symbiotic relationship with fallen trees
• Wild flowers in the spring

'Tis the season to get out and play.  Hope you find time to do so this summer.
p.s. I hope to get that second post out on camping soon- I promise!

 The children discovered a wild chamomile.  The flowers and smell were identical. 

 Some one had made a pretty cool house of bark and branches.

 The group we went with was almost 100 people. It was one of the biggest groups we've gone with but we shared a site with our friends and the kids had a blast hanging out together.

 Foil pack smores.  Let it be said that the 365 dark chocolate makes for excellent melting chocolate!

 Even when camping the children can help with chores.

We still need to look up what kind of caterpillar this is.

The Adventures of Camping with Kids

This is a post that has been long time coming.  Each time we go, I think oh goodness, the stories I could tell.  All is forgotten days after our return and only the good memories last.  Well, that's just it.  You have to endure it all and only the good and fond memories will remain.  Those that seemed troublesome, well, those will also add humor and be remembered as an adventure. 

My husband and I have been camping with each other since we met about 12 years ago.  I've camped with my family and he with boy scouts.  Together, we learned how to camp with each other.  We mostly did car camping and just when we were ready to take a leap into back country/ backpack camping, we decided to start a family.  We traded one kind of adventure for another, and I do believe we took the greater and more rewarding route!

I suppose we had a routine and a level of comfort camping before having children, so it wasn't that difficult to think of taking them with us.  Our first trip with the oldest daughter was when she was about 7 months, and the second one had her first trip at 5 months.  They both LOVED it.  Living in southern California, we're privy to lots of beautiful places and most of the year to camp in, however, we also experience cold nights that are trying with young children in tents.  It is also an ordeal when you are still nursing at night.  Oh the stories I could tell you on this one, but let's not.  I do believe the most comical and arduous adventure to be the campout with family in Texas while I was 6 months pregnant.  You see, we still only use tents, sleeping bags and those pocket warmers.  Not until a few months ago did we invest in inflatable pads to go under our sleeping bags.

We have enjoyed camping all over the country and even in different parts of the world either in tents, cabins, or our only RV trip for our honeymoon.  This has been a source of excitement, adventure, and a lot less expensive when planing our travel budget.  Taking the kids on these kinds of adventures has added a level of stress, but the overall outcome is far greater.  Now as they are getting older, they remember some trips and want to go back an recreate them again and again.  Last year we camped out for a night in Maui and waking up right by the water was one of my daughters favorite memories of the trip.

Both girls love the tent.  To them it is a small home that is their size.  They love pretend playing in there as we set up and unpack.  Often, we hope to get out for a hike soon after setting up, but the kids would rather play in the tent.  Our most recent camping trip was a few hours north along the coast.  We stayed a night at a beach site and then went inland to stay in a yurt.  Both kids, enjoyed the yurt, but insisted that we pitch up the tent next to, so they could play and spend their time in there instead.

So, how do we do it? Lots and lots of planning and prepping.  Yes, it is fortunate that I'm at home to prep a few thing in advance, but as they are getting older, nothing gets done until the night before anyway, so really it's all the same.  There are a few basics which I think are key to how we get out, eat well, and have a good time outdoors.  We have enjoyed camping just the two of us, as a family, as an extended family, and as groups ranging from 15 to groups as large as 25.  It's all in the organization, the people you go with, and mostly the attitude you have throughout.

How to Plan Ahead:

• Plan out your meals (I'm trying not to be so elaborate anymore)
• Prep and freeze most meals in ziplocks or tupperwarre
• Have a set of dishes, cups, utensils and other items ready to go just for camping
• Have the children pick out their clothes and help pack their bags
• Pack games, activities, books, maps, binoculars, and anything else they might need (have them help)
• Buy what you need 3-4 days in advance to prep, cook, freeze, and pack up.  You will need more than you think.
• Pack snacks and dry good early and keep apart
• Frozen food doubles up as ice for your cooler, portion out your veggies per meal, or in portions just for the trip (ex: peas, corn, chicken, etc). 
• Double bag all meats- you'd be surprised how water gets into everything.

Things you need to have:
Cooking

• Basic kitchen items (cutting board, knife, utensils, bowl, can opener, etc)
• Sices, salt/pepper, olive oil, or spray (I've stopped using this)
• Foil, ziplock bags (various sizes), paper towels, napkins, dish towels, matches, and lighter
• Small bottle dish soap, brush, bucket or container to wash things in.
• Nut butter for (just in case), soup, mac and cheese, or rice boxes for last min meals, pancake mix, beans, etc.
• Pot and a fry pan (I love my cast iron). 
• 2 burner stove or backpacker burner. (we started out with a backpacker and then bought a 2 burner when I did my cross country trip with a friend, the time it saves is worth it, especially with kids)
• Gallon water jugs

Extras: marshmallows and things to make smores.  Griddle. Charcoal or grill.

        *Firewood should always be bought on site!
 
Sleeping and Clothes:

• Sleeping bags for each, or a few you can open and cover with blankets.
• Pillows for those who need them, or roll up your clothes into a pillowcase.
• Pads, or yoga mats to go under, or an inflatable mattress (to get fancy:)
• Enough clothes for 2-3 days (if you go longer, take small packs of laundry detergent and stop to wash)
• We tend to have our "camping clothes" so it's usually the same ones we pack. Layers, socks, hats, gloves, thermals, long pants, and short are all good options.
• Winter hat. I've found that no matter where we camped, a winter hat was essential when we camped.  
• Hiking shoes, and and easy slip on shoe for around the campsite
• Bikes, balls, games, things to do around the campsite
• Wet wipes, or wash cloths
• Bar or liquid soap for washing hands at site or in the bathroom
• Toiletries (I'm amazed how many people bring make up and hair dryers, wow!)
• Quarters for showers- if available.  If we go for the weekend, we just come home and shower on Sunday, a little extra dirty is all part of the fun.
• Extra bags for dirty and wet clothes!

Food Menu Ideas:

• Hobo packs (anything all cooked in foil packs in the coals, or on the stove)
• Chicken tacos/ fajitas
• Pancakes or french toast
• Bacon and eggs
• Salmon filet (prep and freeze ahead) cook or campfire on foil or on griddle on stove
• Muffins or breakfast toast cups (make ahead)
• Oatmeal (usually on the last day for us, so packing up is fast and less clean up) or cereal which I don't buy.
• Stuff to make sandwiches when hiking or at the site
• Arroz con pollo
• Chilli (make there or we make ahead in crock pot, freeze and then reheat at site)
• Kababs (kids love to help with this)
• Salads (wash, prep, cut and bag before, or bag salads)

 

Since joining our Family Adventure group, we have gone camping with some larger groups.  This has been nice since everyone is independent for their own things, but we come together for large hikes and a potluck meal.  The kids have had a blast running around with other children and wandering off.

We still love our small family trips, and those with just another one or two families.  These intimate gatherings bring us all closer in how we parent, manage our stress, live with minimal items, and think in critical times.  Being outside is not as primitive as it should be these days with all the gear and amenities.  However, the basic need it fulfills in each of us is a primitive need to connect to all that is in nature.  Children and adults need this time outside.  Often, we believe we need the comforts of our bed, but 1 or two nights without is not going to harm or hurt us.  Unbeknownst to us, we have had friends who were first time campers who pulled through and joined us at various times.  Some may never return, but I do believe they all remember those trips one way or another!

Even if you think you will never make it camping, I highly encourage all of you to join in this year's Great American Backyard Campout. It's a nationwide movement that is slowly growing and helping families get outside, even if it's in your own backyards.  There are many things we do for the sake of our children, I hope that getting outside for a hike and at least 1 campout while they are young will be one that you put on your calendar for this year.

I'm no pro and don't claim to be, but just like many families that get out often, it's on our list to go camping at least every other month.  In an ideal life, we'd go every month, but life just doesn't allow for this.  We have added this to our New Year's Resolutions for the second year, and so far, so good for both years.  Sometimes, it's a tent, and in the cooler months, it maybe a cabin, or even a lodge as was the case for Zion, but no matter what, the destination and the time outside is the goal. 


Here are a few picture collages from all our trips over the years starting from before kids to after.

Along the 1 all the way to Olympic National Park- when we were getting started. 


Joshua Tree to Death Valley- pre kids.


Road trip to Grand Canyon, Brice, and Yellowstone- pre kids.


 Around the country before the kids.
 

 Norway, Yosemite and some in between.

 Texas, Portland and some here and there.

 Return to Death Valley
 



 The last two years nearby and at Zion.

 And finally one of our more recent trips this January when there was still some snow left in the mountains.

For an amazing outdoor blog with kids check out this site: The Big Outdoors.

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Gardening and Camping

The past two weekends have been a rush of outdoor activities.  Last weekend we had our friends over for an annual (since it's our second time) gardening event.  We expanded the yard with boxes, pulled out the rusted rose bushes, and got a few seedlings in the ground.  With all the new babies and growing kids, it was a rush of activity and LOADS of fun.

 Making homemade finger paint for the kids.

 The garden "To Do" list.  Still lots to do.

 Next year, we may need an adult size wheelbarrow.

 Before, or in the process of.

 After, and still more to come.

The beets that got pulled out to make room for the beds.  Not fully grown, so slightly on the bitter side.  Golden Beets and Chioggia.

This past weekend, we went camping with some friends for two nights.  Our departure times was quite a few hours later than planned which left us with cranky kids while packing, cranky parents trying to pack, a tired family heading on the road at 4 pm on a Friday, and getting to the campsite just before sunset, only to have to unpack and get kids fed ASAP before the freezing weather set in.

This had to be one of the more memorable and miserable trips we've had in the recent years.  Memorable since the kids had so much fun, on their bikes, hiking, and playing in "the wild".  The set up their own fort/camp just behind our campsite in the bushes under some old oaks.  They ran around getting ready to build campfires and have their own adventures.  It was about 10 minutes after they left their "wild" that we heard the cracking of a branch and about 30 seconds later a HUGE limb of an old oak came crashing down 10 feet from where the kids had been.  Well, what can I say.

 Hiding in the "wild"

 See that giant limb on the ground to the left, that's what fell.  See the sprigs of a bush on the right, that's from the picture above where they were hiding under.

California lilac bush that blooms this time of year.  Just gorgeous!

The misery came at night.  The cold was tolerable wearing 3 layers of clothes and 2 jackets, a hat, gloves, and 2 pairs of socks including Himalayan yak wool ones from India.   But no, this is not what was truly miserable.  It was my 1 year old who decided she wanted to nurse about every hour and screamed so loud the entire campground could hear her.  Since we only took our sleeping bags and lots o blankets for under, inside, and 1 for baby and me to go over, she was nice and toasty.  I on the other hand, had only my feet tucked into the sleeping bag and the rest hanging out.  Getting the top half of my clothes partially off to nurse her every hour and then have to get it all back on and tucked in to keep warm all took approximately an hour, so as you can do the math, I would just about fall asleep when she was about ready to be at it again.  2 nights of this and I was about to go insane.  The day time, on the other hand, made up for it all, and I suppose I'm ready to do it all over again in a few months, like in April, oh wait, that's next month.

 A mix of greens from our garden and homemade anchovy dressing, my new addiction.