Mother's Day in New Bern

*Mother's Day weekend (May 6-8) 2016*

The speed of life has been catching up with Ian and I more and more lately.  It seems like every time we blink our eyes another one of the kids outgrows another pair of jeans or turns another year older.  In recognition of this phenomenon, we've vowed to creating more experiences rather than accumulating more stuff. whenever we can.

One example is Mother's/Father's Day.  Rather than hunt for and exchange gifts for these days, we give each other the gift of unplugged family time wrapped up in a tent.  After all, is there a better way to start a weekend than with s'mores around a campfire?

Mother's Day camping calls for "camping on the posh side" with little planning and effort required for me.  We typically start our summer camping season in the ease and comfort of a KOA...just in case I forget to pack something on the first trip of the year.  (this time it was the chocolate...thank goodness for the "kamp store")

While the destination of New Bern provides many opportunities for entertainment, we never leave the campground once we get settled.  We started our Saturday sifting sand through our fingers and challenging one another at chess.

Next the kids showed their skill as the crew of the SS KOA.

We tested the jump pad to make sure it was safe for the kids.

It was.

And of course there was a little fishing.  No one caught a thing.  But catching isn't always the point...

Add a bit of swimming and a round of mini-golf and you have a summary of our day.

  Of course when camping, dinner over the campfire...and getting the campfire going...is part of the activity.

"it's a shame our middles don't have a bit more personality"
said no one...ever

They broke down firewood, set up the logs, and patiently tended the fire until it caught.

We started with hot dogs and finished up with banana s'mores.

And this year, on Mother's Day Eve, between dinner and dessert, Ian and I shared some exciting news with the kids.  It was that night that they first learned about Nicholas.  Thankfully each child was on board with the news and they whole heartedly embraced the thought of adding one more M kid to the bunch.

Sunday morning didn't hold much more than breakfast.  It may not seem like much, but when camping breakfast is more than just a meal...it's an entire process.  Wood has to be chopped down, a fire has to be started, kids take turns rolling sausage links around in the skillet, pancakes are cooked one by one...

By the time we were finished it was time for camp breakdown and a quick dip in the pool (close enough to showering for my standards).  We had plenty of food left for a picnic lunch and decided to enjoy it on the waterfront in New Bern on our way home.

We picnicked...

...played a little football on the green...

...and posed for a few pictures before piling back into the van for the trek home.

We may have come home with a pile of dirty laundry and smelling like a campfire, but there is no place I would have rather been.  Camping with my peeps is the way to spend a weekend for this Mama!