Last Camping Adventure of 2014!

I heard that our pleasant Fall weather is about to come to an abrupt halt in a few days. Something about Polar Vortex, frigid temperatures or something?! I am choosing to ignore these warnings, and to keep my head in the sand, er, leaves. 

One way of denying what is coming, is to relive a bit of our Fall adventures, like our Thanksgiving camping. We have been camping at this time of year for at least 14 years. At first we camped on our own, with friends visiting etc. but they never stayed. Until we started camping with Jenn and Jay. They went with us once, and that was it. They were hooked.

And so for the last 9 years, Jenn and I eagerly pick out our campsites (always being too late to pick out the two we want....you'd think we'd have this down pat by now. Maybe next year?!) and plan the menus. And every year it has been so. much. fun. How we love this family like crazy and thankful for each of them!! So what better way than to spend of all weekends with them on Thanksgiving weekend.

9 years ago, there were 4 adults and 4 kids. We are now at 4 adults and 8 kids (Owen has a friend that has come with the last 3 years and looks to be hooked as well). Yup. Loads of fun! Here, I am sure the pictures will prove it. Between the biking, the playgrounds and fun at the campsite, so many memories were made:

We go to this park every year, and the last few years, Keziah collects acorns and puts them all in this hole in the tree "for the chipmunk, Mom."

Keziah finally conquered her fear, and climbed up and over this apparatus:

Any guesses as to what is going on in *these* pictures?! :o) Hint, we are across the road from each other....one site is electrical. One is not.

Yearly badminton duels. We forgot the net but no matter. I knew there was a reason why we take so much rope with us camping. And yes, making very clear boundaries is also imperative.

Mmmmmm! Pie iron pizzas over the fire!!!

Someone was quite mesmerized by the fire.

Enjoying a yummy Thanksgiving meal altogether. So many blessings in and around this table.

The weather was fantastic. Cool but sunny....

 ...until Monday morning, in which we woke up to rain. That's why we bought a large trailer!! So we all have somewhere to go! With space for the kids to have their own game, and adults have theirs, we are nicely spread out while we wait for the rain to end.

So glad all those shoes were outside of our trailer - can you even imagine the stench if they were also in the trailer?!!?

And that's a wrap of our camping adventures for 2014! We haven't dared to try winter camping yet - have you?! Once the kids are older, we will have to give it a try.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend (my Canadian friends) or will have one in a week or two (my American friends). I have no idea when other countries celebrate (or even if they do) Thanksgiving, but I wish you all many thanksgiving days, giving thanks to our Heavenly Father, the Giver of so many undeserved gifts.