6 Things To Love About Camping

It’s that time of year, again! BEST CAMPING WEATHER EVER! At least if you live in a hot, deserty place like Western Colorado.  This is the ideal time to hit those gorgeous, red rock-ey camping spots that are way too hot in the summer.

Aaaahh… camping.  Don’t you just love to get out there, in the Great Outdoors, and sleep with the wolves, moose, and bears?  If you’re mom, don’t you just love all the work of preparation, packing, organizing, and gathering the needed clothing layers, outdoor gear, hydration and nourishment that the entire family will need on this “back to basics” journey into nature?  (Wait.  Why do I love camping again…?)

We hadn’t been camping in awhile, but finally snuck away last weekend to camp during my favorite time of year.  Hooray for Fall!    And you know, once you’re there, in the moment – it’s all worth while.  So I made a list to remind myself of the things I really do love about camping, and thought I’d share in case you needed a little nudge yourself.

6 Things To Love About Camping

#1 – Having Your Family Out in Nature

This one’s kind of a given, but it really does my soul good to see my kids just *be* outside.  I love that there’s “nothing to do” when we camp, except enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company.  And play with a stick.  And some dirt.

Watching my children play, much more contentedly than if we were at home with all our electronic entertainment options, makes me happy.  And it’s good for them, too.

#2 – Flannel Lined Sleeping Bags

I’ll acknowledge there’s a time and a place for a more technically advanced fabric, and a bag engineered to be warmer and more compact than this… but give me my cozy flannel lined sleeping bag any day!  I really love this sucker.

#3 – Happy Dogs

Do you EVER see your dog happier, or with a bigger perpetual smile, than when they are with the family on a camping trip?  Yeah.  Thought so.

“Why can’t we just liiiivvvvve here?….  Look at this awesome chew stick I just found!?!…  SQUIRREL!!”

So cute.

#4 – Campfires

This smell is hard to beat, and keeping the bugs and cold away from you makes it just that much more wonderful.  Although not the natural born pyromaniac-who-can’t-leave-the-fire-alone which most males are, I could stare peacefully into the hot, beautiful flames of a campfire for hours.

To be honest, last weekend we were at a National Park where they don’t allow campfires.  It was a downer, I’ll admit.  Such a crucial piece of that Total Awesome Camping Package puzzle.  (No s’mores!  **SOB!**)

#5 – Viewing the Night Sky

Taken by a friend of my husband’s at an earlier date, this is a view from the same park where we camped last weekend.  (Which I have to admit, made up for not being able to have a campfire.)

Wow.

I always marvel at how breathtaking the night sky is, once you get away from urban lighting.   See… now this was totally worth all that work you had to go through to get the family here, mom!  (And all the work waiting for you once you return.  So soak it all in now.  🙂  )

#6 – Campfire (or Stove) Coffee

And after that less-than-ideal sleep you likely got in your tent or camper last night… doesn’t camp coffee the next morning ROCK YOUR WORLD?

Fortunately, yes it does.

Rejuvenating you even to the point where you’re ready to tackle yet another camping adventure again someday.

And yes, that’s an *electronic screen* nook in front of me.   Don’t judge me.  Did you see how contentedly my children were playing…?  😉

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That’s my list… what do you love about camping??