Camping at Hamilton Branch State Park

 

This might have been the best weekend so far this year.  Perfect weather, gorgeous scenery, good friends and conversation, hours of laziness, and a cozy snuggly tent filled with my favorite people.  The second annual October Coon Camping Weekend was a huge success.  Our campsites at Hamilton Branch State Park were completely secluded and offered stunning lake sunset views and the surrounding forest was the ideal place for Kate, Luke, and Laing to roam and explore all day long.

It was such a lovely escape- two days without phones, news, or seeing any other people.  The kids click so well with Laing, and their imaginations were in overdrive making up a secret place called "Kid World" full of unicorns, singing, and their hammocks.  Adam, Sarah, Matt and I sat around the campfire most of the day chatting and snacking.

The shirts say it all

Of course we roasted marshmallows and started the chilly mornings off with hot cocoa by the fire.  

Matt and Adam 

Happy campers doing a skit they proudly created to advertise for tours of their secret world

Now that we have camped a few times and worked out what gear we need and the best time of year to go, it has become such a fun fall family tradition that I know we will continue it for years to come.  Escaping all of the distractions and chores of normal life to gaze at a star filled sky or listen to a crackling fire is such a nice reset for the mind.  Waking up in a nest of sleeping bags cuddled close to the kiddos on a crisp morning will be one of my favorite memories of their childhood.  We all agree that 2020 has been a stupid year, but then there are weekends like this last one, that make me forget all the hard things and put into perspective the only things that matter, and I am so thankful for this sweet time together.