"Camping virgin", no more!

Summer has always been my favorite time of the year...could be the Jamaican blood in me. Either way, I look forward to a time when lunches are no longer on the top of my grocery list consideraion and getting up at the same time every day is just not a priority. Having said that, I like to pack as much into summer as I possibly can and this summer was no exception. I decide that it was time to take the kids camping...something I don't think my sanity could have withstood when all 6 kids were living at home and were young. Now, when I decide to do something, I plan it all out in my mind and create countless lists. These lists are generally in notebook-form and become quite ragged by the end of the trip. I had a list for camping supplies, one for food, one for clothes and one for "DO NOT FORGET" stuff. As it came closer to the propsed date, things started to go wrong. Our 2nd vehicle was disabled and my husband was not going to make the trip. That was huge for me, since I have never set up a tent before or lit a camping stove or anything that I would have normally left to my hubby to do. The perfectly planned camping trip became a daunting task. Still I decided that I needed to do this more for my kids than anything else. The good news was that the Drage Family was accompanying us. They are experienced campers so I felt that all was not lost. All in all it was a fantastic time. At one point my son Angus looked at Lis and I in our campsites and commented that we were like single-mothers since there were no husbands on this trip. Hopefully the pics will show that for my first time camping and alone with 4 kids, I can no longer consider myself a camping virgin, lol!

We decided to stop at the Drages's cottage to check out the renovations.  It was breathtaking.  About 250 acres of rolling country-side with a spectactular view.  There were outbuildings to explore and lots of places to roam

.

It was a great way to begin the trip.  The only thing missing was a finished bathroom.  There wasn't even an outhouse.  Needless to say, the long uncut grass was a convenience, not to mention, tickly, hehehehe! 

We arrived at Risser's Provincial Park and promptly set up.  It wasn't as bad as I imagined but it did take us a little while to set up the tent, lol.  Angus and Chelsea took care of that.  It wasn't long before we were comfortable.

Between the Drages and the Frasers, there were 9 children.  Somehow they manage to amuse themselves...thank goodness, lol. 

The kids thoroughly enjoyed the evenings at campfire.  There were unlimited marshmallows and lots of comfy seating. 

One of the things I love most about Nova Scotia is the beaches and Risser's was no exception.  It was stunning.   The white sand was warm under our feet and the view was incredible.  However as is typical in NS, the water was extrememly cold, lol!

We had a wonderful visit with James's Dad, Grandpa Drage as my kids lovingly called him.  He was so sweet to my kids and they promptly asked if he could become their adopted grandfather.  Fortunately for them, he liked them enough to agree.  What a lovely man!

It just so happened that while we were camping, Bridgewater was having it's annual exhibition in town.  It had a bit of everything, including farm animals.  Apparently Angus was having issues with smell of the angus cows behind him, lol!

There was lots to see and do.  It was a beautiful day and the temperatures were in the high 80's. 

It also happened to be Dollar Days.  Every ride was a dollar to get on and some weren't even taking tickets, so the kids got to go on even more rides.  What a treat!

I was feeling pretty sick by the time we were leaving, ugh!  A word to the wise, never eat before going on the rides, yuck!!!!  

Back at the campsite we had some entertainment in the form of acrobatics...Ethan loved it.  Lis was okay with her son being thrown in the air but I was a little nervous at the prospect of Angus dropping him.

Of course no campsite would be a real campsite without your friendly neighborhood squirrel, lol.  This one was well-fed by all.  If I had to rate myself as a camper I would give me an A-.  I think my children were impressed with the meals adn the fact that I did all the dishes and kept the campsite clean, leaving them to just have fun.  Either way, I enjoyed the good company of my friend Lis while having some peace and quiet in a very beautiful part of Nova Scotia..