1st camping experience with kids

 Friday night we headed to Blackwell Forest Preserve with a couple of our friends for our 1st camping experience with kids.  The boys were super excited after we explained we'd be having a fire, making smores and sleeping in a tent! :) We thought we had two tents (1 four person tent and 1 two person tent), perfect for a "boys" tent and a "girls" tent but unfortunately the two person tent wouldn't erect so all five us piled in the four person tent.  

The kids were wild running through the weeds which unfortunately led to kookaburras in Alex's hair :(

 our tent and campsite...and Mason

 the kids ready for dinner and being silly

there were 7 kids total, Dylan (3), Will (2), Lauren (2.5 months), Mason (3), Addiyln (2.5 months), Alex (3) and Olivia (3) plus 1 in Mommy Jamie's tummy :)

 Jessie and Addilyn (she is about 10 hours older than Lauren)

 Will found the brownies!

 Dylan roasting his marshmallows for smores

 story time by the fire

 story time and playing with flashlights

 the kids loved the books

 and then it was movie time, Will asked to go to bed shortly after this with Dylan following (pretty rare when they ask to go to sleep :)

 Miss Addilyn's cozy bed

 breakfast and coffee, which was a necessity after most of the parents not sleeping much at all

 Lauren stayed nice and cozy sleeping with me, although I didn't sleep well because I was so paranoid she was going to suffocate because she kept snuggling her face into my sweatshirt.  It was a little cold overnight, around 42 degrees! 

 making composite piles in the morning?  Dylan came up with this idea, apparently I have influenced him a little 

 Good morning Lauren!

 Daddy and Lauren

 And then we went fishing!  The kids were very excited. 

 the daddies getting the fishing poles ready

 they lost interest quickly and started throwing rocks

 Dylan trying to catch the fish

 Alex and Olivia with their daddy Jason

 Mason with his daddy Drew

 And Will's turn...unfortunately, we didn't catch anything. 

We headed home around lunch, fed the kids, gave them baths and everyone crashed for over three hours.  We had lots of fun and the boys definitely want to go again! Camping was a success!