Campfire Stories

I have always loved camping.

Growing up, I used to go every summer with my Great-Aunt and Uncle. We had so many good memories that we made together over those summers.

We went to a few different lakes but we primarily stuck with one about two hours away from where I live in Saskatchewan. It was beautiful. My cousin and I would go swimming everyday whether it be raining or sunshine outside. I spent so much time hiding in the tent reading books and eating candy from the convivence stores.

I still remember the smell of coffee in the morning with my Auntie's special hazelnut creamer. She called it coffee crack.

I remember my first beer. I was eight years old. We were watching a movie in the dark, and we had Coors Light beer and Diet Mug Root Beer in the cooler. Because it was dark, I couldn't really see. So I accidently cracked a can of beer open instead of pop, took a huge swig of it, realized I was drinking beer and panicked. I mean come on now I was only eight years old. My Auntie just laughed at me and said don't worry, I'll drink it. She made fun of me for years though.

Now I have passed this tradition of camping along to my children and I make a point of taking them every summer. I have pictures of both kids bathing in the camper sink when they were just little babies. I can't wait to pull those ole relics out come graduation time.

We are currently in the middle of a week-long camping trip and these are some of the things I have noticed about my three and five year old children.

• Meal times don't seem to matter when camping. Snacks galore apparently. That is how I will remember camping this summer with them.
• My son now has grand plans to live in a camper. He even thinks we can put the tv from home outside.
• My son also isn't much of an outdoor kid so it was awesome getting to watch him experience time at the beach and at the playgrounds making friends and enjoying some fresh air. Also, no idea if he would even last one night in a tent. That is how much he hates being outside.
• My daughter is afraid of bears coming to eat her because of the berry plants that surrounded our campsite.
• And also, she now is afraid of spiders after this week.
• Squirrel traps are interesting to my kidlets.
• Bush pies with just marshmallows and chocolate were not succesful.
• More board games for rainy days. There is only so much Uno a person can take.
• My kids do not care for Rugrat's the movie. This has been a camping tradition for myself to play for the kids every year since I started taking my son camping with me as a baby. It was one of my favourite movies growing up and I wish it was as brightly coloured as the television programs they are used to. The SpongeBob movie however was a big hit though.
• Bring a pool for in the campground. If you have access to water, which I did, I always found that a pool cools them off just as much as a crowded beach does.
• Fries and ice cream- no matter where the place is, I always have to make time for fries and ice cream with my kids. And yes I taught them to dip their fries in their ice cream.
• My kids loved sitting around the fire pit as we don't have one at home so it was a treat for them. Also my son thinks its cool watching sticks and leaves burn.

I hope they enjoy making memories with their mom as much as I do.

Camping was always the highlight of my summer growing up and I hope it becomes theirs. Maybe they will continue passing down the family tradition with their own children.

What are some of your favourite camping memories?

Chloe Rose Violet