camping fun

For our third camping trip of the season, we headed up to a place called Hermit Park this past weekend. Always good to get out into nature. Always good to get out of the house. 

At the same time, I don't think sun and Benjamin's skin mix very well. He has eczema issues and put some sunscreen into that mix along with unavoidable sun and ... well.... I don't think he was always comfortable. A good sport, but not always happy. He's also newly into real food and it's a bit of a guessing game as to what his whines mean now that we have the added one of "I want something solid in my mouth!". The kid loves gnawing on things. Loves it. Carrots, cucumbers, cheese sticks, zucchini fritters, dill pickle, bacon... you give it to him and he loves it. Gotta watch him like a hawk because he will take chunks out. Even though he's getting good at mashing things, he still doesn't understand all about chewing and swallowing. 

oh, those s'mores!

awesome brother moment

Camping with kids (and a baby at that) is definitely a bit of work. Fraser and I get to the end of the evening and feel like, "Oh, hey there... who are you?" The days consist of, what are we going to do all day; oh my gosh, it's hot in the sun; Jacob, stop being so crazy; can you hold the baby; no, you may not have another sweet; can you get me a beer and all sorts of other parenting moments.  

But in the midst of all that, there is still time to just sit and do (mostly) nothing. To laugh with my baby, read to my boy, watch clouds materialize in the sky and then fade out of existence (a lovely pass time, by the way), enjoy some s'mores myself and be mesmerized by the amazing night sky (complete with shooting stars). All in all, I don't have too many complaints. The benefits definitely outweigh the trickier parts.