It's been almost two years since I have been camping...and I love camping, so why the absence of a good camp excursion in my life? Well, it all has to do with the addition of a certain little fellow who came into my life two years ago.
Ever since my son was born my husband and I just could not fathom giving up a single night of sleep that had the potential of being almost solid (it took our son forever to sleep through the night...wait he still doesn't!). So, the idea of trying to get our child to sleep outdoors for any extended period of time, and thus losing more sleep in the process, just didn't appeal to us. So, we opted for long day hikes instead of overnight trips.
OK, so fast forward to right now. It's May, and almost Memorial Day Weekend, which in my book is the unofficial official start to summer, and that hint of summer has made my mind all bonkers thinking about the good'ol days when the stars were my night lights and a camp fire was all I needed to make my morning cup of tea.
Fortunately, just as I was biting my nails to nubs trying to decide whether or not to schedule a camping trip for this summer, a book arrived in the mail that put all my parental worries at ease. Shambahla Publications sent me Helen Olsson's The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids.
I read Olsson's book, and it was like she was reading my mind! The book's design is clean with a retro-hip flair. Olsson breaks down the whole process of camping from start to finish. Including information and checklists to consider before scheduling, in preparation for and while on the camping trip. She even has a quick reference "park ranger" character who intervenes throughout the book with useful tips and tricks to consider. My favorite feature of the book are the checklists. Olsson includes checklists for what to pack, gear to bring, and the most useful of all a complete first aid kit checklist. I appreciate the wit she delivers along with her wisdom of how to successfully and easily travel to the woods with kids. She put my worries at ease, and I am now in the process of planning that long awaited camping trip.
In celebration of my taking the first steps to get back into the groove of camping I have two copies of Helen Olsson's book, The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids to giveaway to two lucky readers!
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