Little Nature Lover

When I see photos like this I think, "I'm so glad we're taking them camping now so they can grow up with an appreciation for nature, and beauty, and wildlife and the rugged outdoors. They will think about how much water they use, and be careful not to litter, and to be kind to animals. I love that they already show a love for nature like their parents."

Then again, he could just be thinking about that Spider Man fishing pole he threw into the lake last time we visited. Either way, I love my little man, and have lots of fun camping with him.

Here she is, our 2008 Winnebago View J, or as we fondly call her, "Winnie." We love to explore in our little rv, and get out as often as we can. 

Rainbow Popsicles

Need a delicious, healthy (ish) and pretty cool snack for summer? I did too, so I decided to make "Rainbow Pops" as we call them in our house. Very easy to make, and a big hit with all of our kids.

Rainbow Pops

San Francisco: Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge

All geared up and ready to ride. AACCKKK!!!...was what was going through my mind right now if you're wondering.

Well, when my husband suggested biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, I thought he was kidding. Or crazy. Or both. But he was serious. And he was excited about it. And our 7 year old was excited about it too. And I didn't want to be a stick in the mud. Have I mentioned I'm afraid of heights? Anyway, I swallowed my fear and agreed to go. More realistically, I semi-hid my fear and agreed to go.

San Francisco: Cable cars, Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square and the BART

Today was our first whole day in San Francisco! And what a full day it was. We drove to the closest BART Station to our campground and parked the rv for the day there. We can easily fit into one parking space, but they do allow larger rv's to park in multiple spaces (as long as you pay for each spot). We walked into the station and purchased train tickets for the BART. It was kind of confusing, but we eventually sorted it out and got on the correct train. Our kids were thrilled to be on a train of any type. I was less than thrilled with the sleeping guy in hospital socks sprawled out on the seat behind us, but none of the regular-looking commuters seemed to pay it any notice, so I tried to just "go with the flow." The majority of passengers appeared to be commuting to work. The kids were excited to watch the sights flash past us, and it was fun to see the colorful San Francisco style houses all over the hilltops on our way to the city.

San Francisco here we come!

We left Big Basin a little reluctantly but were very excited to see San Francisco! Having never stayed in an rv in San Francisco, we relied on internet information to try to find a park close to the city in a (hopefully) safe area.

Banana Slugs, Big Basin Goodbyes, and Brownie Sundaes

It's our last day in Big Basin State Park, and we are all making the most of it. We've been biking around the park, the kids have been exploring all of the hollow trees, and of course discovering the banana slugs. Now I love nature, but even I, was a little taken aback when I first spotted a banana slug. But they are harmless, and actually very beneficial to the forest. Still a little gross looking...dontcha' think? The kids love them!