I mean, if that doesn’t sound like an adventure, what does?! Truthfully, our seventh camping trip together almost did the Rays in, I think, but in the end, we’ve all agreed we’re going back next year :) Here’s a peek at our weekend away, if you’d like to see!
This year, we chose Lake James State Park for our home base. Our side-by-side tent sites were close to the wash house, which was perfect for our frequent visits! The park itself was perched up on a hill without any lake views, but it was a quick drive to the beach — which we took advantage of, as you’ll see below!
Sometimes we camp in the spring and sometimes in the fall; this year we chose August to give the December baby a chance to grow up a bit! We’ve each camped with a 9-month-old in our family, and know it can be a tough age (limited mobility=frustration). That, in addition, to coming in with a sleep deficit, pretty well summed up the challenges for the Rays.
Of course, there were a million delights along the way, too! Conversation around the campfire, “dance recitals” in the road next to our campsite, a beautiful hike, time in the water, yummy meals, and lots of sweet moments.
We ventured out to revisit an old favorite hike – Lower Catawba Falls – and though it was a beautiful day, we were a little disappointed: we were sharing the trail with so many others, it felt like we were at Disney World! It was a shocking change from our first visit to these falls 8 or so years ago, when we maybe saw three other hikers. Still beautiful, but I wouldn’t recommend it at this point if you’re looking for solitude. (It is, however, a mostly flat hike with a lovely payoff at the end, so it remains great for families.)
Since it was Labor Day weekend, it was also warm enough to enjoy Lake James itself, and we had a perfect day for it! It feels like the scene below could be from 1980 or 2019, doesn’t it?
There are many things I love about camping, but I’ll sum up this post with two of my favorites.
First, camping, in our lives, is the pinnacle of the slow pace of life I aim for, and particularly, the slow parenting. One of my favorite memories from this trip is the hour or more the kiddos spent digging in the gravel of our campsite. Literally just spoons and plastic cups and rocks, and they could have stayed there all day.
Our world is so often not set up for exercising a longer attention span or enjoying simple activities, but the world of camping is. I’m thankful for these trips, because they give me new ideas and a renewed desire to add this kind of space to our normal lives.
Second, I love how new locations and the time to sink into them allow us to get to know someone in a different way. I’ve alluded to this trip giving me new insight into Shep’s personality, and it’s true that I feel like I saw a whole new side of it. I had a conception of him as moody, often grumpy for no reason, and with a short attention span.
Camping showed me that he is perfectly content and perfectly able to sink into an activity for an extended period as long as he’s given freedom of movement and free access to materials. As a mama, one of my most important duties is to know the hearts and minds of my kiddos so I can speak into them and love them well, and I’m grateful for anything that gives me more insight. Sometimes, all it takes is a change of location for a fresh perspective.
Friends, thanks for graciously accepting this very un-Christmas-y post so close to Christmas, ha! As always, my hope in sharing these camping recaps (in addition to recording our memories!) is to encourage you to take YOUR family outside. If I can answer any questions or cheer you on as you consider it, it would be my delight. Our past archives might be helpful, too…
Being the nosy curious Enneagram 5 that I am, I loved this post from Everyday Reading about what she’s actually getting her four girls for Christmas. While gift guides are so helpful, seeing what others actually choose for their own kiddos from the sea of options helps me to narrow down my own list — and is just fun! In that spirit, I thought you might like to see what June and Shep will find under the tree this year.
We don’t officially subscribe to the want / need / wear / read philosophy of gift giving (though I do keep it in mind), and some years we give more gifts than others. At my children’s current ages, I’m also not at all concerned about matching amounts spent or number of gifts given. They already both have more than enough, but these are a few things we think will delight them this year!
Sorry not sorry this is the actual cutest photo you’ve ever seen — Anagram, you are my hero!!!
June (who is almost 4) will be receiving: — A rock polisher. She LOVES collecting “crystals” everywhere she goes (she sounds like a bank vault because of the rocks constantly jangling in her pockets) and I predict she will be obsessed with shining up her finds. — A book about rocks, gems, and minerals that we picked up from our Museum of Life & Science. — A set of 10 My Little Ponies, similar to this. This was a total spur-of-the-moment purchase at Costco (of all places), but I think she will love it. My all-time favorite activity from the ages of approximately 3 to 8 was making “pony houses” for (you guessed it) My Little Ponies, so there is a good deal of nostalgia at play. Shout out to my BFF, pony-house-making accomplice and across-the-street neighbor, Emily – I know you’re reading! :) — Light-up sneakers, because they are the number one item on her wish list. Found a pair that is not too garish :)
I also have my hopes that a loved one will get her a doctor’s kit, and if I see no one has purchased it a few days before the 25th I may snap it up – or might wait for her birthday :)
Shep (who is about 1 and a 1/2) will be receiving… — A dinosaur backpack and dinosaur lunchbox for his big upgrade to preschool! — The most adorable apple sweater. Since I buy 90% of my kids’ clothes secondhand, I don’t mind splurging every so often, and I thought this top was so cute! Heirloom-worthy :) I’d been eyeing this for months and snagged it on Black Friday. — A photo memory game with all of his grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. We made one for June around this age and she loved looking at the cards even before she could play the game! — The Christmas version of his favorite book, because he is OBSESSED.
As well as stockings, of course! Below, tell me what you’re getting your kiddos this year — I love seeing people’s actual lists!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with delicious food and the people you love! We celebrated with our dear friends and their parents, as has become our tradition for the last many years, and today we’re headed to Charlotte to be with my family! Then we get our tree on Sunday :)
And in between, we shop a few sales! I’m so glad my gift guides — for ladies, men, and parents/in-laws and your favorite kids — have been helpful. As promised, here are a few suggestions for kiddo stockings. I’ve mostly linked to Amazon, but this is an instance where I’m actually quite practiced at picking up little treasures throughout the year — another great opportunity to shop small and local!
Plus we always include basics like toothpaste, a new toothbrush, sweets and snacks (bunny grahams are a favorite!), and my Mom always adds chocolate gold coins to everyone’s stocking :)
Happy shopping, friends! And psst — I collected a few grown-up stocking stuffer ideas here, with the hopes of adding a few more over the next few days!
So happy to hear this year’s stripped-down gift guides are helpful! Two things I wanted to note before we dig into kid ideas today:
First, they’re not as conducive to internet gift guides, but don’t discount the joy in giving experiences. I actually went back and added a few ideas to yesterday’s grown-up guide, and have included a few here! Some of the best gifts I’ve ever given or received have been carefully-selected adventures (bonus points for a surprise element!).
Second, if it’s important to you, shop local when you can! Of all the categories, I find kiddo gifts especially easy to score at my favorite local boutiques (because everything is just so cute!!). Similarly to shopping from an online small business, your local purchase makes SUCH a difference to those business owners, especially at this time of year!
Gifts for your favorite girls: — A caboodle. What is it about storing treasures neatly that gets kids so jazzed? — Dreamy castle pajamas — A beautiful blanket for her bed or a picnic in the yard (unicorn-esque colors but amenable to mama, too!) — Herd Your Horses, a board game I was OBSESSED with as a girl! If you have an equine lover in your fam, this is a slam dunk. — THE CUTEST slippers! June has the rainbows and I also love the shooting stars! — A friendship bracelet making book. You had and loved this as a kid, yes?? — A perfectly pink fleece — A horse-print top — The most MAGICAL play mat. The price is hefty – maybe a good grandparent gift? Or maybe they’ll have a Black Friday sale? June would flip over this. — Non-hideous light-up sneakers. One of the three things on June’s dictated Christmas list this year, ha! — A fabulous red cape for dress-up
Gifts for everyone: — A sweet peg nativity set — A rock tumbler. This is one of June’s gifts this year :) — A marble race track — A play kit or subscription to Loveverybaby. A few family members chipped in for the 13 to 15-month kit for Shep for his first birthday and it was a HUGE hit! — A book – always a book! Lots of favorites here. — A cooking class, sewing workshop, or other fun activity — A doctor play kit (on June’s wish list!) — June and her weather-loving daddy would love this weather station. I could see us doing it at the breakfast table! — A children’s museum membership (the Museum of Life and Science, if you’re in the Triangle!) — A cute hat. I just bought a pom pom number for Shep from this company at Tiny! — A checkout register with endless possibilities but no beeps — A Kiwi Co. Crate box or subscription. (June would LOVE this and we are considering getting for her birthday!) There’s a Black Friday sale, too! — An ice cream scooper set. June’s cousin has this and she has spent HOURS and HOURS and HOURS playing with it every time we’re in the vicinity. — Tickets to a performance, like a ballet, concert, or ice skating show — Sleeping Queens, a card game you’ll actually enjoy playing together :)
These are loose categories (mostly just to break it up a little!), so of course feel free to mix and match for your favorite kiddos! And check out my past kiddo gift guide for even more ideas.
I’ll be back with kiddo stocking stuffer suggestions on Friday, but until then, Happy Thanksgiving, friends!! I am thankful for your thoughtfulness, good humor, and smart ideas each and every day! I’m lucky to have you here.
Psst–gifts for your favorite grown-ups are here!Affiliate links are used in this post!
