
For the last several years, I have been wanting to camp.
Even before I moved back to Canada I wanted to spend time hiking and camping. I feel at home in nature.
I lived in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains . . . I should have been living in the woods.
After making a post on Facebook about my youngest child wanting a tent, my cousin offered to give us a couple of tents. We took her up on the offer and we ended up with a six person tent and a giant four room tent. Score!
I may lose come “Canadian” points here, but I loathe winter.
It’s fun for a little bit. A day or two of sledding or snowshoeing… but after four or five months of the gruelling cold — I am over it. It makes me wonder how I enjoyed it as a child and wanted to spend every waking moment outside.
I now believe that this is why summer is so valued here and why everyone essentially lives outside during the summer. We all secretly hate winter.
I am fortunate to live to close to Gatineau Park.
Gatineau Park is a 361 square km conservation park that is located only a few minutes from downtown Ottawa-Gatineau.
As soon as they opened up the online reservations for camping in Gatineau Park, I jumped at getting us a reservation. I wanted it to be early enough in the summer that if they kids enjoyed it. we could return.
Reservations made, tents on hand . . . then it hit me.
I have never been camping on my own, as an adult. And I am taking kids?
What do I need?
What will they eat?
Will they be scared?
How cold will it get?
What did I get myself into?
How will we fit everything into our trunk?
Can I even set up the tent?!
How bored will the kids be?
I have two weeks to plan and get everything together.
I want to try and make this as minimal waste as possible and I also don’t want to buy all kinds of things to take that may only be used once.
I really think the thing that worries me the most is running out of food, or Teghan deciding that she wants a very specific food item that she hasn’t even mentioned in months while we are out in the woods.
I am fairly confident that I can pull it all together.
I just didn’t think about all of these decisions and the planning involved before I made the reservation.

Camping is a great idea right now if you need to get away. There are so many wonderful articles on Pinterest about camping. They should be able to help.
Going camping sounds really fun, cant wait to hear how the trip goes!
I’ve never been camping! I am very far from outdoorsy, and have never been brave enough to give it a shot. But i know my kids would enjoy it!
I have never been camping. Ever. It sounds like a lovely way to get away, although I’m not quite sure I’m organised enough
Ah, I wish camping ground were open here in Hawaii. I hope y’all have fun!
How did you camping trip go? I’ve been considering a camping trip but my son is two so I’m not sure it’s such a great idea!
Camping is something that we really want to do in the near future. Our son is four and he is interested in everything now so I believe it could be a nice adventure for him
#KCACOLS
It’ll be fine – have a good time!
#kcacols
Half the fun is the simplicity so don’t worry about stuff. Having said that i’m not much of a camper myself. Have a lovely time #KCACOLS
I have never been camping only in my back garden. Would love to go camping this summer with my kids #KCACOLS