Leave No Trace Camping

Camping should be on everyone's bucket list.  Growing up our parents never took us.  So we made sure that our kids did not miss out on this outdoor adventure.

Thanks to Latino Outdoors, Texas Outdoor Family, and Texas Parks and Wildlife for extending an invitation for our family to join them for a weekend of camping at Garner State Park through the Texas Outdoor Family Program.  We had never been camping alone.  Our yearly camping trip is always with family and friends who are experienced outdoors men/women.  This trip we would not be alone either.  We were in good hands with Park Rangers and Volunteers. 

Our session of Camping 101 started right after check in.  TOF provides everything you need for camping including tents, cots, and even a stove.  Though we had been camping before, we were taking notes from the very prepared Rangers who taught us how to pitch our tents, build a fire, and how not to leave a trace while camping.

Leave No Trace-"take only pictures, leave only footprints"

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare 

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

4. Leave What You Find

 
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 

6. Respect Wildlife

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Our daughter had an amazing time earning her Junior Ranger badge.  Mami and Papi learned a lot about camping and we are so excited for our next trip.  Here are more fun pics from our adventure:

For more information, go to tpwd.texas.gov.  

My Little Pony Equestria Girls - Legend of Everfree Review

When I was little I loved My Little Pony.  I collected them.  I like how the ponies are still around to bring my daughter joy.  It is so cute to see all the little girls her age going crazy over something that I went crazy over when I was little.

Thanks to Shout Factory for sending sample for review.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Synopsis-

What Could Be More Fun Than A Field Trip To Everypony’s Favorite Camp?  When Canterlot High School goes on a field trip to Camp Everfree, they're surprised to find a magical force is causing strange things to happen. Twilight Sparkle , with the help of the Mane 6 and especially Sunset Shimmer (who refuses to give up on her), must confront the dark "Midnight Sparkle" within herself and embrace her newfound magical abilities to save the beloved camp from closing down for good!

Bonus Features

• Audio Commentary
• Bloopers
• Sing-Alongs

My daughter loves these girls, camping and sing-alongs.  This is the perfect movie for any little girl or family movie night.  It is really cute and has become one of my daughter's favorite.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls - Legend Of Everfree, is now available in a Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital Download combo and in a DVD + Digital Download combo from Shout! Kids. 

For pony fans ordering their copy directly from Shout Kids, a free poster is included. Copies of the film for sale in Walmart will include a pair of Twilight Sparkle barrettes!  Copies at all other retailers come with an adorable “Camp Everfree” sew-on camp patch.

For more information, go to www.shoutfactory.com.

Tips to the Best Camping Trip

I am going to start by saying I am not an expert but I have learned a thing or two from our camping trips.  Camping has become a part of our summers.  We all love to be one with nature.  Experiencing the great outdoors together has brought us closer.  It is something we do that we all enjoy.

1)  Location-Our first camping trip was to Canyon Lake, not too far away from us.  And now our goal is to visit a different campsite each camping trip.  We are discovering new places each time.

-research your location
-fees or cost
-reservations needed

2)  Tent or Cabin-Camping is camping whether you do it in a tent or stay in a cabin.  We like to do real camping and really enjoy pitching our tent.  Even if we happen to put the rain guard upside down.  The first time we went camping, we didn't even have our own tent.  We stayed in our friend's tent.  Another different time we even spent the night in our truck because it rained so hard our used tent leaked.  Lessons learned.

-find a tent or cabin that fits your family's needs
-if you go with a tent, make sure to get a rain guard or scotch guard your tent.
-follow the directions, even you think you know it all.

3)  Fire-Are you going to be grilling?  charcoal or wood?  What's camping without a campfire?  We tried to Bear Grills it with a flint but had no success, we would have died before we had a fire.

-check to see if your camp ground allow grills
-is there a burn ban in effect?

4)  Food-The first time we went camping we learned that camp food does not suck at all.  You can make anything in a Dutch oven. 

-meal plan each meal for the entire trip
-make grocery list      
-pick your favorite foods or get creative

5)  Discover-Shelter-check, Food-check, now it is time for you to enjoy yourself.  The first time we went camping my son went fishing for the first time and caught his first fish.  There is so much to discover in the great outdoors.  Have fun!

-fishing
-hiking
-swimming

Make the best of every trip.  It does not have to be perfect.  You will forget things, even if you make a checklist.  Things will go wrong  It may rain everyday you are there.  The memories you make together cannot be replaced.  The time you spend with the family is precious time they will treasure for ever. 

Here are some more pictures from our camping trip this Summer at Garner State Park:

 

Trail Walking Tips

So I have found that I like the great outdoors.  I like to walk the trails any chance I get.  When planning a trip, I look for close trails that the family and I can walk.  Walking or hiking a trail can be great for any age.  There are so many things to see on a trail and it is a great exercise.  It can be better then walking the treadmill staring at the wall or watching TV.  

We recently traveled to Guadalupe River State Park.  They have several trails to be enjoyed by the park visitors.  I decided to go for a walk on one of trails.  Here are some of my tips to trail walking:

1)  Research your trail.  How far do you want to walk?  Does the trail bring you back to your starting point?  Is it a marked trail?

2)  Stay on the Trail.  Follow the trail markers.  They are there to guide you.  

3)  Read any posted signs.  These signs could be important especially if there are detour or closures to the trail you are currently on.

  4)  Remember you are in the great outdoors.  Animals and plants live in this environment.

  5)  If you get lost, always look for the road.

6)  Don't hike or walk alone.  You can have a wonderful conversation.  In case of an emergency, the other person can go for help or be able to assist.  It can be a great way for you to be able to talk to someone without a lot of distractions.  The more the merrier, right?  They can also help keep you on the trail because they may be better map readers than you are...lol

Enjoy the view.  Let go.  Breath in and breath out.  Happy Trails!

Have you ever been trail walking or hiking?  What has been your favorite trail?  Do you have any tips?

Travel Tuesday-Guadalupe River State Park

There are many beautiful state parks and I am on a mission to visit as many as possible.  Guadalupe River State Park is in Spring Branch, Texas.    

The park allows their visitors to canoe, hike, fish, swim, tube, picnic, and camp.  We decided to take our kid's on one last road trip before Summer ended.  It also has been a long time since we have been camping. 

I like being out in the great outdoors.  We got to disconnect.  Really, I had no cell service.  Disconnecting was so much fun.  Our phones were turned off and put up.  

We got to see animals.  We had armadillos just walking around our campsite.

We got to roast marshmallows, and make S'mores.

We went tubing for the first time.

Someone got to jump in muddy puddles and we didn't care!  It started to rain but she did not let that ruin her fun.  Jumped puddles until the sun finally came out.

The great outdoors wore some of us out.  So we took naps.

We had an awesome time.  We will be returning to this park again.  We are already planning our next camping trip.  I was so worried about going camping with our toddler but it turned out great.  The biggest rule was there were no rules!!  This trip was a big success.

Camping Packing Tips

Have you ever been camping?  Camping is a fun experience that should be on your bucket list.  It definitely on our summer list of things to do.  Camping takes you out of your element.  You become one with nature.  It can help you and your family reconnect.  It can also help you disconnect from the world.

When planning a camping trip it is important to pack all the essentials.  Imagine being out at the campsite and you are missing essentials you may need.  We are guilty of that.  Even though I try to be prepare there is something I have missed before that we did not think of.  We are not experts, but have forgotten a thing or two.  So I came up with a checklist of things you may need that can help your camping experience:

1)  Checklist-If you make a checklist, it will be easier for you not to forget items you will need.

We have never ventured alone.  The more the merrier right?  This trip we will be joining my husband's family.  Since we will all be at one campsite, they made one list of items we needed.  They marked the items they already have and will be bringing.  No need to bring two of everything.  Leaves us more room in our vehicle for other things we will need.

2)  Toiletries-You do not need to take your full size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash with you.  Trust me, you will survive.  And this is not a hotel, so you will not receive a set of toiletries when you check in.  I bring the bare necessities.  I do not need to do the 5-step face washing system when I go camping.  Depending where you camp, you may not even have a shower.  Ever taken a bath in a lake or river?

I use free samples that I receive in the mail.  If I do not have any, then I refill the small travel containers.  I label the bottles and clip them to a lanyard.  These are the same lanyards we used last year on our Disney trip.  The containers I have saved have a hole so they are easy to attach to the lanyard.  You can wear the lanyard around your neck if you are grabbing a bath in the lake or if you are lucky enough to be camping at a place with showers, hang it on the shower head.

3)  Medicine Kit-So yes, everyone knows to have a first aid kit but what about a medicine kit?  Have you ever gone on a trip and gotten sick, yes-ME.  Have allergies come out of nowhere?  Your body may not be use to the great outdoors.  All those trees, flowers, and unknowns.

Make a list of symptoms you and your family suffer from or have suffered from.  Is anyone in your family on regulatory medicine?  Those items need to be packed in your Medicine kit.  You do not need to bring the entire medicine cabinet, but make sure you have things your family will need.

 I like to go to health fairs, children's fairs, races, etc...  I like getting free samples like band-aids, hand sanitizers, etc...  I keep all the freebies in my medicine cabinet.  I take an inventory of all the items I have right before our trips.  I pack what I need.

  I like this plastic bag because it has a clip.  I like to use the band-aids that already have anti-bacterial on them.  I stick different size band-aids in the clip on bag to take on hikes.  I just clip it to my belt loop and am ready to go.

 Head ache medicine, allergy medicine, and tummy medicine is a must for us.  I have a toddler so I have to make sure I have medicine she can take.  I also bring a digital thermometer and cool forehead strips.  All of the medicine and first aid kit items fit into this hang-able bag.  This bag can hang in your tent or on the canopy at your tent site for easy access and ready to use.

4)  Food.  Make a Menu.  We do family style breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Snacks are grab and go.  Don't forget the snack for the actual drive.  Don't pay the oh-so-unconvenient convenient store/gas station prices.

 I pack each person a bag of goodies and snacks for the road.  No need to cut, slice, or refrigerate anything.  I also stick a bottle water on each drink holder.

Food for the camping trip is placed in plastic bins.  This way no critters will get into your food.  The items that need to be refrigerated will be in the coolers.  I stick them in plastic baggies, so they won't get soaked once the ice starts melting.  Not sure where my husband heard this tip, but he adds salt to the ice that is used in our coolers to make the ice last longer.  It always works works for us.

5)  Clothes List.  On a sheet of paper, write down how many days you will need clothes for.  Be specific on the items you need.  I have over packed several times.  I lay out the clothes, check them off the days, and then group them together.  I do the same thing for the toddler, but I actually do pack extra clothes for her.

I tuck my bra, panties, and socks into the pockets.  I pick light wear clothes.  Camping + outdoors - No AC = HOT You!

Then I roll this entire outfit and pack it into my bag.  This way you don't forget a piece from your outfit, you have what you are wearing daily, and you have enough room.  I keep my shoe fashion simple; flip flops, water shoes, and pair of old tennis shoes.  We love to go exploring or hiking so I always bring tennis shoes.  Pack what make since for you.

6)  Itinerary.  I am OCD about certain things and an itinerary is one of them.  It does not have to be very specific but just so you can plan your outfits, menu, and next adventure.

Do you have any camping tips you want to share?  What is your must have item?  Things you never leave home without?

    

Hershey S'mores

***Disclosure-Sample product was received for review.  All opinions are my own based on my personal experience.

When I think of September I think of the time we went camping.  We had so much fun.  We had never been and every experience was wonderful.  We have not been camping in forever it seems, but i know it has been since we had our daughter.  I did not want to go camping with a baby and now she is only a toddler.  This heat is preventing me from being out with the elements.  But it does not have to stop us from having fun.  One thing I love doing is cooking S'mores on the fire pit.  But since we are not camping were can I light up a fire pit, not in my back yard.  I don't think so.  I have a better idea, bring the camping indoors and the let the S'mores galore begin.  How you ask?  All you need is:
-graham crackers
-masrshmallows
-Hershey bars
and????????

Let me show you how you can make S'mores in your house with these easy steps:

With all these rain, I think we are just going to camp out in our living room and eat S'mores all weekend long!

For more recipes, head to hershey's.com