Yogi Bear Jellystone Quarryville 2013

So this trip we went with another couple and their 2 kids. Our friends are Mike and Darlene the have a 5 year old (Emily) that is 6 months older them Kenzie and and Michael just turned 1 a couple weeks before we went.
  As you can see we had a very nice site, we had plenty of room for the kids to play and had 3 vehicles on the site. The first day Paul got there with the kids and I drove with Dar and met him later that day. It was like 100 degrees that day so Paul just set up the trailer and took the kids to the water park till dar and I could get there.
We didn't do much that first day just Farm store chicken and the playground at night. it was to hot during the day to really play anywhere but the pool so we just threw some glow sticks on all the kids and let them swing. Bed time wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. Mckenzie and JP tend to chat a lot before bed and we've been letting them stay up and sit by the fire later this season. They're not running around as much and giving me a heart attack, I use to just get fed up and make them go to bed when I couldn't take them running around the fire anymore. Now they sit in there camping chairs and do marshmallows and we put a TV and DVD player outside to give them something to do. Emily slept with Darlene and Michael slept on the dinette while JP slept in the back bed and Kenzie on the swing bunk. Darlene and Mike were on the sofa bed and Paul and I in the front bedroom.
The next morning Paul and Mike went to the Grocery store while Dar and I stayed with the kids. I'm assuming the boys wanted to get away from the craziness of 4 kids in the camper. When they got back we had lunch and mike went to work and we took the kids to the water park.

This water park was small but it was on of the best we've been to. It had 2 small slides and 2 larger slides. There were a ton of interactive cannons and buckets to play with. It had a big water tower that dropped water on everyone around it ever10 minutes or so after a train whistle went off.  Sunday we stayed there till 730pm I think, we were all having a good time watching the kids play and playing  with them. 

They had tractor rides, a bouncy pillow, pedal carts, an arcade, a golf course, a three in a half foot heated pool, and a lake for catch and release fishing. It was over 100 dollars a night to stay here which is more then we've ever payed to camp, but everything was included, and everything was very clean.

The golf course was the nicest we've ever seen at a campground 18 holes with 2 rivers and a water fall. All in all a very good camping trip we had plenty to keep us busy. The second night we had 40 pieces off wood delivered to our site for 25 dollars and had smores. We would of had pizza sandwiches but Paul left the sandwich maker in the fire a little to long and it melted lol.

We left monday the campground was very nice but I really don't think we'll go back just because of how it was so much money. 100 dollars a night is so much money to pay to camp thats like a hotel price.  Our next camping trip is going to be mid August just Paul the kids and me and I'm really looking forward to some alone family time at Rockey Gap state park. Its 96 dollars for three night so very affordable. 

Happy Camping everyone 

Harper Ferry June 2013

If you have been reading this blog you know by now that Harpers Ferry is one of our favorite places to go. It never disappoints us and we always have something to do without having to go to far from the campground. We had a really nice site right across from the playground to the kids could go back and forth as they pleased. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures from there. We got there Tuesday after about a two or three hour drive I'm not really sure. Pauls parents met us wednesday so we had Tuesday with just the 4 of us which was a nice change. I was a little worried about having people with us the entire trip that we wouldn't any along family time but it turned out to be a great 12 day trip. We went to the pool, rode our bikes around, played in the arcade, did some shopping, went to the theatre, and played mini golf. Paul and his father took the kids to Historic Harpers Ferry to walk across the train bridge while me and Mrs Ann went to the Walmart. Im a little behind on my blogging its now august and we went in June so I'm drawing a blank. lol Just know we had an awesome time

Shannondoah Valley/ Skyline Drive June 2013

First let me say that this campground was the most crowded most dirty campgrounds we have ever been to and we wont be going back there anytime soon. When you go into the bathroom to pee and theres poop on the floor thats disgusting. However it did have some good qualities but the bad out weighed the good. They had really good funnel cake and snowballs and everyone was very nice.
We met my parents at this campground we arrived on Saturday and it was so jam packed full of people that we had a hard time getting through the craziness of people walking around. Our campsite was pretty small and we were right on top of our neighbors but they were nice and had a NY Giants flag flying so nothing to complain about them. This campground also had a pool, small golf course, a river you could tube down, a catch and release pond and about 50 rabbits running around that you could feed.

After most of the crowd left Sunday the campground was quiet and not as crowded. The problem was the campground was a good size but instead of having all the full hook up sites spread out within the park we were all in the same area. Paul and the kids got to float down the lazy river and I'm pretty sure neither of the kids liked it to much. After spending 80 dollars on stuff to do it they only went twice. I think the problem was that there were some rapids and where you were suppose to get out was really rough and they almost hit some rocks and a tree. But the water fall at the end was just so pretty. 

My sister and her boyfriend were suppose to meet us there for the day sunday but somehow they ended up at the wrong place and decided to go home because it was to late. That night they showed a movie in the pavilion, Second hand Lion, we sat and watched some of that and then went to the arcade. Most of the games didn't work so that didn't last long we made the best of it though and played a couple of games of air hockey.

So Monday we went to Skyline drive and took our annual pictures. We decided to have lunch in the park this year so I packed a cooler but the bugs were so bad I guess because it was about to pour that we really didn't enjoy it and basically had to keep moving and eat at the same time. It was pretty funny seeing all of us dancing around with our sandwiches and drinks. I'm sure we looked like we were crazy but the bugs were not letting up even though Paul scoped out the area and said it wasn't buggy. At one point Mckenzie saw some "tracks" in the dirt that I'm pretty sure was just where someone was kicking dirt with their foot and swore it was bear tracks. They were so funny and so excited I didn't have the heart to tell them what it really was. We had to basically inhale our food because we could see the rain coming as soon as we were all done it started to pour down rain and it rained the entire time we were on the mountain. Being on the mountain was what we were all looking forward to and we couldn't really enjoy it.

We went to Massanutten indoor water park the rest of that day and had an awesome time as usaul. my parents stayed back at the trailer. We left tuesday for Harpers Ferry I'm really glad my parents could come with us. They aren't really big outdoor people but we try to make them come as much as we can. 

Williamsburg June 2013

This year is the first year we've camped in Williamsburg and the campground we stayed at was really nice and quiet. Paul and I decided to stay there because my father inlaw has two aunts that live there and we haven't seen them since I was pregnant with JP and Paul was in Iraq at the time.
We invited my inlaws to come with us and followed us from frontier town I think it was about a 3 hours drive and we have to stop 30 miles out because I had to use the bathroom. We took the bay bridge tunnel from eastern shore Va and that always a nice ride. I can't believe how long that thing is. If you ever get the chance to go over its defiantly cool.

We got to the KOA around lunch time Paul set up the trailer with his father while my mother inlaw and I took the kids to the " bouncy pillow". This KOA had two, one for 7 and under, and one for 7 and up. I though that was really nice because once the big kids get on them things they send my kids flying. I really wish Harpers Ferry KOA had that, then I wouldn't have to be biting my finger nails the whole time. If theres to many bigger kids on it I wont let them get on at all because it freaks me out.

We were in a row with 5 other campers that were all together and they were all apparently firefighters that camp in 5th wheels. They were all older couples maybe in their 50s or 60s so needless to say our row was very peaceful. I think that was one of the quietest places we've ever stayed, I'm sure we will go back there again.

We all got in the pool later that afternoon and did marshmallows that night. The next day we went to historic Williamsburg where our history lesson turned into a shopping trip. Im not a big history nut I think its interesting but could take it or leave it. My mother inlaw doesn't really care about historic places and thinks its boring. My husband and his father are very big into history and like to go to the places and look at the statues and read all the plaques. So Paul was a little disappointed when we saw a bunch of shops and Mrs Ann went to look. It turned out to be an ok trip either way it was just hot. We bought bus tickets so we wouldn't have to walk the 20 minutes back to the car.

After we left there we did a family reunion at Aunt Frans for a couple of hours and Aunt Abby and Uncle Ed stopped by. I was having a heart attack the entire time because Aunt Fran has a lot of very nice , and breakable, things in her house and I was worried that the kids would brake something. We went to Fridays for dinner and almost froze to death then we went to the Yankee candle store. That store is huge and it doesn't just have Yankee candles in it either. They have a toy store, a candy store, a place to get wax hands, a christmas part, book store, a fudge shop, a popcorn candy apple store, and some random things. It just so happened that Santa Claus was in the christmas part talking to kids and recording their names in a big book with what they want for christmas. It also snows in the christmas part every couple of minutes and they have huge decorated trees.

After that we took a trip to Walmart and decided we wanted to buy bikes for Paul and I to ride with the kids. I was absolutely horrible at riding a bike and Paul made fun of me because I could balance on them. Jp and Mckenzie are better at riding bikes then I am and there 5 and 3. By the time we got back to the campsite Paul was annoyed because he hates shopping while were camping, and it was dark and couldn't ride the bikes after all.

The next Morning we packed up to leave and headed up to the Shannondoah Valley. Mrs Ann and Mr Lee left us to head home and we were meeting my parents there.  Took us about 2 hours to get there

Frontier Town June 2013

So this year we started our 2 week camping trip in Ocean City Md at Frontier Town. We had a good time there even though it rained most of the time. We got there on Monday the 17th of June, our site was in a corner so it was pretty big, and it backed up to a ditch with trailers on the other side. The site was really wet though because it had rained like a week straight before we went down. My husbands parents followed us down so they got there right after we did.




Setting up was easy, after 5 years of having our camper we have a good rhythm down. Paul always sets up the outside while the kids play and I get the inside ready. When we have people come with us its there job to keep an eye on the kids because everything goes smoother when we set up alone.

This year was the first year that I forgot to take pictures of all the sites we stayed it, I didn't many pictures of anything really. Monday we had dinner when we got there. i plan all the meals by day ahead of time and all the simple meals are on arrival days. so Pigs in a blanket was Mondays meal, quick and easy.

Tuesday we went to the water park. The water park is included in the camping price so you just have to get a bracelet. We stayed till 4 it rained on and off the whole time we were there and almost as soon as we got back to the trailer it poured until 7 I think. 6 people in the trailer isn't pleasant but it is doable. we have three TVs to keep people entertained and normally we bring a direct TV cable box but we left that at home unknowingly.  It would have been great to have though because we were stuck indoors a couple of times this trip. After the rain we went to the board walk till 11pm and played at the arcade just about all night. A couple of people gave the kids there tickets and at one point my husband won 200 tickets at the deal or no deal game. We got lucky and on of the machine malfunctioned and spit out 600 tickets, after playing for a couple of hours we have over 1200 tickets and decided to call it a night. We all had a lot of fun watching the kids and playing the games to.

Wednesday we bought the kids and Paul, my husband, ride bracelets and rode rides just about all day. Mckenzie was big enough to get on a lot more alone this year and Paul got her and JP on this crazy ride that goes around and up high. He also tried to take them in to a playhouse that was scary, but the turned around as soon as the went in.

We left for Williamsburg Thursday when we woke up. I took the kids for a walk while everyone got ready and packed up. Frontier town is really a lot of fun. They have a lot of stuff for the kids to do and its always very clean when we've been.

Harpers Ferry 2012

Well first camping trip of the year 2012.We went form Tuesday March 20th to Thursday March 22nd Paul left the decision where to go up to me and instead of Elk neck state park I picked Harper Ferry it is one of my all time favorite places to camp. I really don't think it has anything to do with the campground but more to do with down town historic Harpers Ferry. Since we had decent weather we went to the park for a couple of hours. They have a shuttle bus that drives there its 6 dollars for a 3 day pass and it literally 2 min from the camp ground. The kids had a really good time the town is right off a river with train tracks you can cross a bridge and look at the canal its really beautiful there. We even managed to see two trains they scared the shit out of my kids but my husband and I got a good laugh out of it. we were sitting on the historic tracks that they don't use anymore and my son JP who is now 2 thought we were going to run over. He screamed and ran abandoning his juice on the way it was so funny but cute all at the same time. Tuesday we arrived at the campground around 330 ate dinner (Tacos) then took the kids to the playground and the free golf course on site, the did a camp fire with marshmallows. We fought with the kids for 2 hours to go to bed, they finally went around midnight then my husband and I stayed up till 3am talking around the fire.

The kids woke us up at 930 the next morning I made home made chipped beef gravy for dinner then they played outside for a while. That was the day we went to the park and did our every camping trip Walmart visit. I made chicken Alfredo with fettuccine noodles for dinner that night. The kids went to bed much nicer that Wednesday night fire again that night and woke up at 9 the next morning. We packed up the next morning to leave. The drive to Harpers Ferry from our house is about an hour and a half so its a nice ride the kids are occupied by the portable DVD player and Paul and I can enjoy the scenery.

Pauls suppose to be deployed in a couple of weeks so this is going to be our last camping trip till around the end of the summer. He really wanted me to learn how to drive the camper but I really on't feel comfortable doing it all by myself. Not only thinking about backing it up gives my anxiety setting it freaks me out to. It's to much for me to remember to do, so I'll be waiting untilhe gets home to do any kind of trailer camping. I might attempt to go tent camping with the kids but even that doesn't seem to be a good idea. Maybe I'll ask someone to go with me if I decide to take a 2 and 4 year old camping but if I do you will definitely be reading about it lol. Until next time happy camping :)

Frontier Town 2011

What an easy drive from Cherrystone. I felt like I should of had one of those Staples buttons that say "That was Easy" when you push it. It look us about 2 hours to get there I think easy squeezy. I love staying at Frontier town, it's bit more expensive but way cheaper then renting a hotel room. Plus they have so much to do in the park and in town that your never bored. We always spend at least one or two days at the water park thats included in your stay. its perfect for our 1 and 3 years old only 2 ft of water with 5 small slides. they also have a lazy river and adult water slides. Another thing that is totally included in your stay is the frontier town put put gulf always a favorite among kids and my husband I personally suck at mini golf. In the 10 years that I've been with my husband I only beat him once and that was when we went camping at deep creek lake. Anyway I'm writing this months after this trip so I don't remember to many details but I know we had a lot of fun.