Camping...Haak Style

After 9 1/2 years of marriage and talking about getting a tent the whole time, we finally did it. Luke and I bought a tent a couple of weeks ago! I am so excited.

We broke it in just a week ago on one of the (seemingly) hottest days of the year.

Luke and I took the kids to SAM'S Club and picked out the one Luke had looked at on-line. We wanted one big enough for all of us right now...plus our stuff.

8 man tent for six people (I like my space and most of the people are little--for now).

We decided to start out our camping easy.

The front yard.

(A few of us were excited about getting to sleep with their cats....or so he thought).
Being boys and having that innate ability to turn even a sandwich into a gun or weapon, the tent stakes were a huge hit.

Luke and I have had one real experience camping since we were married 9 years ago. We took Precious Jewel to Silver Dollar City as a 6 or 7 month old and camped with our former pastor from Nebraska. It was fun...if you don't mind not sleeping for 2 days.

Precious Jewel was very happy; she just hardly slept the entire time we were there and when she did sleep was not when we needed her to.

Needless to say, we kept saying we wanted to try again, but have been a little scared....until now.

Our 4th is almost 3 and it's time to step out of our comfort zone.
So, let's start at the very beginning.

A very good place to start...

and starting in the front yard just 10 feet from the front door and the comfort of our beds seemed like a good place to start.

And what would camping be without a campfire?

We've used the fire pit many times before, just not in 95 degree weather. The kiddos weren't all that happy about the heat mixed with the in-your-face intense heat. Not to mention, the little roasting sticks you buy at Walmart are so stinkin' short you might as well just put the hot dog or marshmallow on your finger, but we sure liked the results!

Next time I'll not be so hasty in my spring cleaning and save a handful of those horid wire hangers.

hmmmmmm......gooey yummy goodness!!

I love the little pinky flair!

All their personalities came out even in their style of marshmallow eating!

Mr. Smiles said he'd never had one before. I know (at least I'm pretty certain) he has. Either way, his eyes lit up when he took the first bite.

Good Lookin', being the sensitive and perfectionistic child that he is, was not happy that his cracker broke in half. After that, he just ate marshmallows and chocolate.

Much less distressing...don't you think?

And Nater Mater, well, he doesn't like marshmallows.

Seriously! Who doesn't like marshmallows?

He wasn't interested in the graham crackers either.

He went straight for the Hershey's chocolate bar and ate half a bar before we caught him.

Now that's my boy!

The evening's entertainment was provided by daddy and the Happy Hollisters.

I am loving introducing our kids to all the "old literature."

Some of us were a little young for the Hollisters, so the 1950s The Happy Man and His Dumptruck and a cup of milk kept him entertained.

And did they make it? Amazingly, all but Happy Man boy. And I was quite happy to walk the 10 feet to the front door and tuck him back into his own bed.