Our Life

The view at the top of Ft. Desoto

It is safe to say that camping is now becoming a pastime for our family. Our children love it, and Jeremy and I tolerate it enough to make it into a really nice family weekend :)

This weekend was our long anticipated trip to Fort DeSoto, on the southern tip of the St. Pete peninsula. This campground is so popular, that you have to book a site months in advance. We finally see why. It was a wonderful weekend.

Since it gets dark around 6:00, I knew Jeremy wasn't going to make it to the site before then, so the kids and I went early and set up our brand new, condo sized tent together. It was a challenge, but we did it (mostly with Nicole's help). It did not help that it was threatening to pour on us at any moment, so our work was a little rushed. But we did it...we got our new tent up.

Our Tent!

Just after the tent went up, our friends pulled up to camp beside us for the weekend. Jessica and I have been friends for so long, that we don't even remember when we first met. We do know that we played softball together starting around age 9 or 10.

The kiddos, exploring near the water.

So, Jess and her family joined us. It was their first time camping as a family! It could not have been any better. Our children are all about the same age, and they love each other, so it was easy to keep them entertained.

keeping the little ones busy while their mom and dad set up.

Our first night was quickly met with darkness. I made a tin foil meal, that I happened to think was quite delicious. It was potatoes, carrots, onions, and ground beef, with some Montreal season on top. I wrapped those ingredients up in foil, tossed it in the camp fire, and we had a yummy little dinner. I'll be trying more varieties of these.

My foil dinner- yumm-o!

Of course, we all had roasted marshmallows, s'mores, and the boys ate a 'mallow dog'.

Weird flash, but, having fun with friends.

'mallow dogs!

The next day, after breakfast

Nothing better than camp fire bacon...well, I cooked it over gas, and it got burnt, but you know...it's the experience.

, we went to the pier and tried our hand at fishing. The kids were very excited, but it took nearly an hour and a half before anyone caught anything. However, we saw lots of dolphins (they loved the strong current around the pier).

Finally though, after many lost shrimp, Nicole hooked a fish. Unbelievably, she hooked it on a fresh water lure!

Reel it in!

It turned out to be a very nice sized Spanish Mackerel.

We created quite a ruckus as we all shrieked with excitement, that many others on the pier came over to watch.

Can you see the pride?!?

Nicole was so excited!

I love this picture! Great moment!

Writing in her journal. First it said, "I am not catching anything. I am mad." Late she got to write, "I caught a fish. I am soooo happy!"

After lunch, we went to explore the fort. There is a long history with Fort DeSoto, that maybe we'll try to learn about next time ;) For now, we just had fun pretending to be prisoners,

Help! They've been captured!

playing with the old cannons,

That's Aleyah's little face at the end!

Checking out holes in the walls,

Finally, some young male bonding going on.

Nicole and Ashlynd found a lizard that was hurt. Nicole put a band aid on it : /

and climbing trees.

Although my heart was pounding, and I occasionally freaked out, I really liked that the kids were climbing trees.

Tree huggers ;)

Hannah made it! (Jeremy is standing on the roof of a shelter, don't tell!)

Aleyah made it too

There's Ashlynd

Finally, Nicole made it to the top.

Nate's turn.

Once we got back to the camp site, we needed a little down time, so I did a craft with the girls. We made little bags out of duct tape....it was cute, and fun for them.

They all loved their bags, and put their little lovie animals inside.

We had more s'mores that night, and there was not as much food out for the coons to steal (they actually got into my cooler the night before and ran off with my bacon! Pesky things!)