Tent: $30. Hot Dogs and S'mores: $10. Backyard Camping: Priceless.

For the last couple of years we have been proud of the fact that we have remained active through camping and hiking, even with little kids. Well, last year Landon officially broke us of our pride. What we planned to be a great 3-day trip with our then 15 month old and almost 3-year old turned into a nightmare 24hr. camping experience that we couldn't wait to end. Landon was obsessed with the campfire and chasing him away became a full-time job. We found ourselves wishing we had brought along a collar and leash and tied him to the tree (just kidding....or not...) Not to mention the fact the Brayden (then weighing in at almost 40 lbs.) seemed too big to continue carrying comfortably in our wonderful hiking backpacks. So, we packed up early, headed home, and vowed to never camp again with toddlers.


Fast forward to this year - still remembering our vow, yet wanting to continue to enjoy the outdoors, Ryan decided to do some backyard camping with the boys, and I think it was just as fun as any campsite camping we have ever done...probably because I was in the house in my bed! :) We roasted hot dogs over our tiny camping grill and finished off with S'mores...YUM! Ryan and Brayden slept in the tent, while Landon was more than happy to go into the house and sleep in his bed. Overall, we all had a great time with our backyard camping and I'm sure it's something that will continue to be repeated many times throughout the summer.