Lovely Links : Going Camping Edition

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It's that time of year, folks! Few things say summertime to me more than a good, old-fashioned camping trip. We've gone once already this summer and have a couple more on our calendar before the summer is through. I'm no rough-and-tough, super-outdoorsy granola girl, but one of my favorite things is waking up in a tent -- hearing the birds chirp outside, the breeze rustling through the trees overhead, the cool air waking you up. Makes a person feel alive, you know?

If you've got a camping trip on the horizon, there are tons of great resources online -- packing lists, recipes, tips, crafts, games, homemade bug repellents, the list goes on and on. People are just so clever! So, in honor of camping season, I thought I'd share some cool camping links I've found (and, in many cases, used).

I can smell that fresh mountain air already...

Let's Go Camping! 50 Ideas to Make it Easier (and more fun!) :: A Mom with a Lesson Plan
So many good ideas here. May I recommend the suggestions for Rolo marshmallows and the hobo eclairs? We made those on our last camping trip (thanks to this list) and they were awesome.

Books to Read on a Camp-Out :: KC EDventures
Reading a book outside is one of my all-time favorite things to do. Get the kids in on the action and bring some camping and outdoors-themed books for them. It's a nice way to keep kids occupied. During our camping trip last month, I read We're Going on a Bear Hunt at least twenty times (and that's on the conservative side -- he couldn't get enough of it!). This link has a lot good recommendations for a variety of ages and reading abilities.

Tacos in a Bag :: Camping with Gus
We made these on our last camping trip and they were great! Seriously easy to make and so little mess (especially since I cooked the ground beef at home and then just reheated it at camp).  This is definitely going to be in our camping food repertoire for years to come.

Family Camping Checklist :: The Portable Baby Blog
What to Bring When Camping with Children :: Snail Pace Transformations
In the past, we've always gone camping with either my husband's or my family (parents, siblings, and lots of nieces and nephews). It's been easy that way in the sense that Kevin's mom and my mom have been the major planners and packers, the sort of overseeing matriarchs of their respective family camping trips. They've have plenty of experience in organizing these types of things. A couple weeks ago, we went on a camp-out with just our little family of four, making me the said planner, packer, and overseeing matriarch. It's a lot of work! Inexperienced at this role as I was, I forgot a bunch of stuff. Sigh. Next time I'm printing off a list. The first link is a really comprehensive list; the second link is a great outline to help you get organized. Lesson learned.

How to Survive the Weekend Camping With a Toddler :: One Sweet Appetite
This is me this summer. Camping with little kids is fun, but it can also be a bit challenging. Lots of great ideas and reminders here for kids of all ages.

41 Camping Hacks That Are Borderline Genius :: Buzzfeed
These hacks are pretty dang awesome. Except that one for glow-in-the-dark Mt. Dew. I tried that this past camping trip and it didn't work at all. I'm totally trying that one using Doritos as campfire kindling next time we go, though.

Happy camping this summer, everyone!