Camping by the beach

We have found one of our new favourite spots to camp. Some would say it isn't camping because its a caravan park with full bathroom facilities, BBQ's, sinks and playground. It is Fingal, NSW.

We love it mainly because it is right on the beautiful beach with no roads to cross.

In the first half of the year we went twice, once for a weekend and another time for 4 days midweek.

We spent the majority of our time swimming in the surf, enjoying the last bit of warmth from the sea before winter. The days were gorgeous, the nights a little fresh.
Some highlights:

• Body boarding with the kids in the surf
• Walking on the beach at night with the kids, crab spotting with our torches and listening to the roar of the waves. The kids loved this.
• Eating a very tasty, fresh seafood feast and drinking a very nice bottle of wine.
• Relaxing on our camping chairs while Mum (Meme) took the kids for a walk to spend a couple of dollars at the local store and play at a very cool park only about a km away
• Walking to the headland where the lighthouse is....the scenery was just beautiful
• Late night chats with the adults while the kids are snugly asleep in the tent

J(ds 9) was stung quite badly by some sort of jelly fish which we are still not quite sure what type it was and in hindsight going by his reaction we should have taken him to the DR's or hospital to have it checked. A couple of months later he still has the scar's around his wrist of where it wrapped itself around him. HE was quite the HERO for a couple of weeks, ensuring everyone he came across knew what he had endured! He even used it for show and tell at his Public Speaking Class at his distance ed school!

We really enjoyed our first couple of beach camping trips and I'm sure these are the first of many summers camping by the beach....

ready for a swim at the beach





Breakfast time!



Little C(dd2) has taken nicely to the whole camping thing



Easter Camping with friends

This Easter long weekend we went away with friends camping. My good friend B who has an awesome blog found an awesome spot that we will now name: our secret camping spot. We loved it so much and it is so quiet that for now we have decided to not reveal it's whereabouts....selfish I know ;-) us campers can be a little possessive.

Being Easter we had easter egg hunts and consumed way too much chocolate. The kids loved exploring the massive camp ground.

Some of the things the children did:

• went for walks explring the massive camp ground
• tackled
• played board games
• easter art and craft
• paddled in the creek, rock jumping, looking at tadpoles and making a dam wall
• toated masmallows on the fire
• played spot light running around with torches and glow sticks
• exploring the remains of a very old house and rebuilding the bed in one of the rooms

Some of the things the adults got up to:

• 4wding
• collecting firewood and making the fire
• talking
• eating
• drinking
• reading

Perfect weekend in a beautiful spot with lovely company....cant wait to go back again!

NEW Camping Stuff!!!

I am very excited!!!
A few of my good friends gave me a Anaconda Gift Card for my 30th birthday a few months ago and today I finally spent it.

I bought a camping fan(with an inbuilt stand and lamp) which Im sure will come in handy for the warmer months ahead and those of you who know me know I like sleeping with "white" noise :) this will make for a more comfy camping experience.

I also bought a NEW chair. IT is comfy, padded in all the right places, has a zipped up and non zipped insulated bits on the arm rests for keeping drinks and food cold AND it has detachable foot rest-ahhhhhh.....bliss....cant wait to try it out!

And with a few dollars I had left I purchased 2 inflatable mats that we can use in the creek at only $4 each(on sale) I couldnt resist.

Only 5 more sleeps till I can try out my new camping stuff!!!

Day 5 and 6 of the 10 days that was....

These 2 days are combined as we were away camping for 2 days.

It is so nice to wake up on my own terms, I woke at 8am Friday morning.

Once we were packed, we headed off for the 1 hour drive to our campsite at Mount Barney. We stopped in Beaudesert on the way for a bight to eat and enjoyed a nice long chat on the way while the kids watched a movie. The last bit of technology for the next 2 days.

I love it, when we arrive I instantly feel like I am relaxed and our little set up(Which is actually quite a decent tent) has really become a home away from home. It is so cosy, that after I set up our beds, I lay for a while in mine reading some magazines. Another rare treat to enjoy without a toddler around!

We spent time down by the creek, the kids exploring the creek by scrambling on rocks, wading in the (very cold) water and even swinging on a rope that has been tied to one of the trees. I sit in the sun on a warm rock enjoying watching them have fun and play so innocently, finding sweetness in doing nothing(a quote from a movie I watched recently)

This is another challenge I am putting to myself for the remainder of the year "finding sweetness in doing nothing". I need to be able to just sit, or just shower or just lay and not do or think of anything else or what else I could be doing. Easier said than done. I will blog about this again and let you know how I go.

Back to our camping trip.....

We ate some very yummy food, pre dinner nibbles are a popular thing for us to have while we are camping. The kids helped Daddy collect the wood and get the fire going and I prepared a "Tapas" plate complete with quince, garlic nibbles, sun dried tomato, Camembert cheese, basil and Parmesan dip-all the good stuff!!!

Hubby and I enjoy a glass of red and we all sit and talk and eat by the fire....soooooo relaxing and definitely one of my favourite things to do.

R and I did some drawing together with her "how to draw horses book" while J and Dad played Frisbee.

I bought a camp oven about a month ago and have made damper in it, which was a success(yummo). This time I bought a roast lamb and veges to make in it for dinner. We waited patiently for it to cook and could actually smell it after about 20 minutes in the oven....after 45minutes it was cooked perfectly! We enjoyed the rest of our red and a yummy dinner by the fire.

The kids retired by 8pm, Jacob in his own little tent for the first time by himself. It was lovely to sit by the fire with hubby looking at the stars and enjoying doing "nothing".
We had a good night sleep and when we woke at 7 we felt well rested. WE had a slow relaxing morning and went to the creek again, had some yummy ham and salad rolls for lunch and then packed up and get set to go home.

Hubby likes going for drives so we went the long way home(or as he would call it the more scenic way) and drove thru Mt Tamborine and stopped for afternoon tea and a browse at Gallery Walk.

We really enjoy our little camping trips which so far have only been short ones, but time does seem longer and I come back feeling energised and ready to face the world again!

Cant wait to go out again.....

Why I love camping

My new found love.....camping!

Most people who know me find it hard to believe I have taken to camping. I have always liked my holidays that's for sure and till recently have enjoyed many a holidays in resorts, apartments, cabins, houses and cottages.

We decided that we would like to go away more often and knew that the budget wouldn't allow so we decided to invest in camping gear and set ourselves up. Last weekend was our 4th camping trip within 3 months and we had a great time. The kids had loads of friends to play with as we had a few families camping with us and another family come and visit for the day.

The reasons I LOVE CAMPING!

• The kids have an absolute ball! It's so lovely watching them play without TV, computer games and other technology that can distract. They play in the creeks and in the dirt. They enjoy games like spot light, hide n seek and collecting firewood is now their favourite past time.
• Being in the fresh air! so good for the soul. This past week has been a very busy one and particularly stressful for the husband at work, the minute we arrived at our camp site and took a breath of the cool mountain air-we were relaxed!
• NO HOUSEWORK! no washing, minimal dishes, minimal cooking(as I said previously, husband does most of this on the camp fire or gas mate), no washing(well at least till we get back)
• Spending quality time together. Enjoying simple things like talking around the campfire while toasting marshmallows and going to explore the creek and cooking a simple meal are all the more enjoyable when done together as a family away from life's distractions.
• Chilling with other like minded friends. We have been blessed with friends who also like to camp and we love spending time getting to know each other more talking till late at night and sharing a glass or two of red around the camp fire just after the kids crash for the night!
• MY TENT and MY AIR BED-yes I LOVE my new home! It truly is our 2nd home,it doesn't cost much, it requires little maintenance and just asks for a little sweep now and then. I feel so cosy and comfortable in our tent. It really does feel like home. My air bed, much to my surprise gives me a comfortable nights sleep and welcomes me every night when I lay my head down for another night under the stars in the great outdoors. I wake up well rested and ready for another day.
• THE CAMPFIRE-so versatile-you can sit by it, stare at its ever changing beauty for hours, you can cook on it, keep warm by it and cook on it! LOVE LOVE LOVE the campfire!
• TIME-seems when you camp, you have all the time in the world. You can throw your watch out the window and time really doesn't matter. Eat when your hungry, go for  a walk if you feel the need, sleep when your tired, sit when you need to rest....can life get any better than this???

I'm sure Ill think of more reasons but for now this is a good reflection and insight into my new found passion for camping.



God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.
Genesis 1 vs 31

Camping with friends

What a way to spend a weekend! I have been "meaning" to get into camping for many years and have finally taken the step. By Christmas 2010 we had all our camping gear and had a site booked but due to torrential rain(the season of the floods!!!) we decided to post pone our first camping trip as we wanted our first one to be a good one.

April 2011, we went for our first camp and after that I was hooked!!! I am officially a "camper" I LOVE it.

Just recently we camped with friends at Mount Barney. This is the first time our kids have been camping with another family. We surprised them that morning with the news and they were so excited!

Kids love putting the pegs in when setting up the tent. They actually are helpful

Got to love pre dinner nibbles with friends. I have quickly learnt that you spend a lot of time eating or thinking about what you want to eat whilst camping

Nice and cosy by the fire. Sitting around the campfire on a cold night is definitely another one of my fav camping things to do especially with a bag of marshmallows to toast. With friends, great conversation and getting to know you happens. I also like reflecting with the kids about their favourite things from the day.

Lots of teamwork, problem solving, exploring and fun had in the creek. Whilst the adults sat back with drink in hand and eating of course.
Now my kids want one of these boats. I better add that to my list of things we want to add to our camping things along with a camp shower....thanks B and B ; )

A little homeschooling lesson. What can you buy for $2 each at the kiosk? They were so excited that we were letting them go on their own. J recalled when they got back that on their way K said "I feel like a teenager" was so cute that such a small thing made them feel so "big" J was also stocked that the shop keeper gave him a extra lolly for free for looking out for the littlies and helping them decide.

J taught K how to play Monopoly(one of his favourite games)
Sad to go home after just 2 nights but happy that our camping adventures have only begun and we have many more times ahead with family and friends making happy memories.