Before kids JP and I camped quite often . . . . we went for a long weekend in the Chiricahua Mountains or a week to Zion or just one night on our way to Colorado. Once The Boy came along we had big ideas of taking him in the tent and heading out on many adventures but we were just never sure of the right time or right age to start. Then Pickle arrived and things got crazier and then came New Kid and the thought of 5 of us in a tent was just plain scary. I would often lament our fear of family camping when talking with other parents and finally met my match in our friends Dave and Donnie. She would not stand for my tales of woe and kept gently pushing until we agreed on a weekend and then they booked the campsite and we were locked in for this adventure! They are well-practiced campers and integrated their boys right into the process so we were being led by masters of family camping.
So Easter weekend found us at Dead Horse State Campground in Cottonwood, AZ; a "high desert" environment with lots sand and scrub brush where the days were hot and the nights cold. We borrowed a 10-person tent that was nearly big enough for JP to stand. It was definitely large enough for the pack 'n' play which I think was key to getting New Kid to stay put at bedtime. The Boy decided he wanted to sleep in his own tent so he would not be bothered so he had our smaller two-man tent all to himself. Of course it was him that disturbed the rest of us including at 1:45am when he asked if he could get out of his tent. Me, "Um, no it is the middle of the night; please go back to sleep." He was also the first one up on Saturday morning dressed and unzipping his tent at 5:30am only to realize it was bitterly could outside of his sleeping bag.
Overall it was a very successful adventure! We now know it can be done and everyone had a good time and can't wait to do it again.
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