Awe, May. Don’t you just love this girl? She always seems most joyous in spirit as she arrives on our doorsteps with arms full of warmer breezes, long ole stretches of sunshine lasting well into the late evening, booming greenery filling in all cracks where color had once been and brand spankin’ new tax returns filling up our bank accounts with some extra buck, too. She’s a keeper, isn’t she though? What with her here, school days become a wee bit more watermarked and the words care + free become a little more compound. The time to break and to enjoy is now trending and with that, I am quite certain we all shout, “No more pencils. No more books. No more teachers dirty looks!” “Hip Hip Hooray!”
Family time is one most precious during the months we claim away from school yards and that dirty “h” word that proclaims much of the hours at HOME and AFTER SCHOOL. This word is much like “he who must not be named” from Harry Potter. And like the magic that boasts a fanatical brilliance in these high acclaimed films, there is a bit of potion I would like to share with you regarding the outdoors and a economically friendly vacation option. Grab your wands, Moms. With a twist we’ll POOF into the world of camping as a way to make family time super fun without blistering that newly obtained bounty from the IRS we can so sweetly thank May for bringing us.
Camping, people. It’s fun. It’s low maintenance. It’s affordable. And it’s CAP LOCK active for those children who are coming down off of the school time highs. Without further ado, I give your my 5 essentials of the tent life for those out there ready for some low cost and lotsa fun.
1. Set your expectations.
Camping is real. As in one with nature, y’all. It’s important that you wrap your minds around what I like to call the “ERF” {earth}. It’s a time to leave brand new bathing suits and that $130 Estee Lauder wrinkle night mask at home. No Lily Pulitzer, please. I’m sorry, Target. Packing essentials and mentally preparing for the outdoor life for just an elapsed period of time does take some mental prep work for some people. I have full confidence that once you are in your element in living without, you will capitalize on the beauty of feeling completely filled by the fun & simplicity that is camping.
2. Research places.
East Tennessee is the mothership for camping. Beaming down on us with its supernatural beauty, there’s no reason we shouldn’t bask in living in this part of the United States. Here’s a list of the campgrounds located in East TN so you can begin researching amenities, pricing and availabilities for your family. Doing the research to reserve and look forward to a week or a weekend of fun is well worth the minimal leg work required.
3. Get a group together.
There’s nothing more fun than teaming up with a few of your favorite families and camping together. Choose people you just adore being around with kids who are equally as adored by your kiddos. Making camping a success is as much your attitude as it is the company you keep. Delegating and assigning supplies and necessities for your stay is easier when it can be divided among a few families as opposed to just one, too. I am quite certain fireside chats and bike rides will trump the thousands of dollars you didn’t spend on a 7 day vacation to just one more beach & one more year.
4. Don’t forget.
There are eleventy nine thousand items any one family could consider a necessity for camping. I’ve scoured the Pinterest gods and found this list, this list and this list to be most helpful to begin itemizing your MUST HAVES for the good ole outdoor habitation. Some noteworthy on each of these lists are bug spray, toys for the kids to play with around the campground and a spatula. Check these lists out and hone in on what works for your crew.
5. Turn off.
That would be Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. In the words of our homegirl, Elsa, “Let it Go.” We need time away from that slim rectangular device that quite possibly at times owns our pulse more than we do. Better yet, our kids do, too. Make the commitment to allow yourself check-ins for emergency calls and here me when I say this, “YOU CAN TURN THAT SUCKER OFF.” Yes, it’s completely true that the device is, in fact, capable of turning back on. I know. I know. Hard to believe, but oh.so.true.
Now go make some completely cheap memories with some completely invaluable moments out under the stars. My family and I are headed out with a group of our favorite peeps this coming weekend.
May is here. Ah yeah.
