So... THIS happened.

I can't specifically pinpoint where or when the idea of us becoming a 'camping family' actually happened. The first I recall was at Easter dinner at my parents' house when Jason, Zig and Libby ganged up on me to say that we ought to buy a camper. I quickly and definitively dismissed the idea. And then, over the past month or so, and somewhere wrapped up in a million cherished memories of days spent at Poe Valley with my Pap and cousins, and tangled in between desperate dreams of wanting to give our children the gift of those types of memories, the talks got more serious. Before I knew it, I was giving input on travel trailer layouts and then was actually AT a dealership standing in several.  And before long, it seemed, we all came to the conclusion that perhaps this wasn't such a crazy idea after all.

On Friday afternoon, Jason and I made our maiden voyage home from Milroy with our new camper. We pulled it up to the side of the house where Joshua was shooting baskets (shocker, I know).  I only wish I had snapped a picture of his face when he saw it. The kids were very quick to check everything out and start making plans about how they are going to enjoy it. They absolutely loved their bunk beds!

Our first trip is planned for this coming weekend at a campground in Bellefonte. It has full hookups and is a pull through site- a real blessing as we get used to how this is all supposed to work. Although I am officially scared out of my mind about being in over our heads with this...I am also loving learning something new together as a family.  Lots of adventures to follow. 

For now, there is lots of prep work to do. We have been shopping fools lately getting the things we need to stock the camper.  But also high on the priority list was a batch of these whoopie pies-- just like Mom used to always make sure we had before a camping trip. We made a double batch so that there are lots in the freezer for upcoming trips this summer.  To me, camping is about making memories, and there is nothing I will cherish more.  

Throughout this whole process, I just keep thinking that Pappy Fred is smiling from Heaven knowing that the bug has bitten us.  And I'm betting the official 'Mayor' of Poe Valley still gets a noticication when a reservation is booked there, so he knows that we're following in his footsteps.  I only wish he was still here to meet us around the campfire for a blackened hot dog and a spirited round of "There's A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea" with his ukelele.