Yes, you have to take three showers to get the campfire smell out of your hair, and you freeze at night when the temperature drops, and you have nightmares about what things live in the bottom of the outhouse toilet–then your daughter drops her flashlight down there because she needs to know. Yes, all these things happen but still, nothing beats camping!
Aside from all the freaking, amazing, beautiful photo opportunities
here are my Top 10 Reasons to Take the Kids (and a Dog) Camping!!
#10 Dogs love to play with your kids in the river too-and unlike you, they NEVER get tired of playing! 
(I never, ever, ever thought we’d be the family to bring a dog camping. I’m not sure why, but I was wrong. Wow, Rosie made this trip AWESOME! Prior to leaving, I thought for sure today’s post would be Top 10 Reasons NOT to take your dog camping! Little did I know!)
#9 Your SON can throw sand all over him without getting in trouble. (But still, I’m so confused. Blaze said he did this b/c Rosie kept shaking off next to him and getting him wet. I don’t think Pascaline, Rosie or I understand. Does this make sense to anyone? Is it just me?)
#8 Cooking Blueberry Pancakes at sunrise in the Great Outdoors w/little helpers!
#7 She gets some independent “alone” time.
Until he floats by.
Since we’re shooting with a 24.6 megapixel camera, let’s zoom in on her expression for a minute.
#6 When you bring a dog camping, we discovered that you can leave food out all night because the squirrels and birds don’t want to mess with the dog. Amazing!
#5 Silly campfire games! All day and
all night
#4 Kitchen Tent Acrobatics are allowed!
and let’s be honest, setting up the tent and tearing it down are so much better when the kids help!
#3 Brian has a reason to rent a UHaul trailer and feel even more MANLY! (something about “hauling” stuff)
#2 Our Gas BBQ never worked so well! (Yep, we brought it! Can you see it in the trailer image? I mean shoot, we had ALL this room with the trailer, why not! And now we’re sold! We’ll never camp without the trailer, BBQ and Rosie again!)
#1 THE TOP REASON to bring your kids camping! The Great Outdoors seems to bring out the Barbaric Yelps in all of us!
This post was inspired by my September 2007 blog post; 10 Reasons to Take the Kids Camping! Check it out!
Was that fun or what? What are your top reasons to take kids, dog or yourself camping?!
xoxoxo, Me Ra
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THIS FRIDAY is the deadline to get the Early Bird Registration price for our upcoming Minneapolis Workshop! I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the East until next Fall, so if you are near Minneapolis or on the East Coast , come join us! To find out more details and get yourself a spot, CLICK HERE!
Want to learn more about Framing, Composition, Blurry Backgrounds and Lighting? Check out our Award Winning DVDs, Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), or discover our popular 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography, click on the titles of your choice!
Precious…It looks like you all had a much deserved break from civilization…Time to breathe the fresh air…Ahhh. LOVE the light on Brian’s head…Soo Professor Towsend (sp)!!!
Tracey that is so funny and so true! I love it! Me Ra I Love these shots! What an amazing trip together and so many memories to hold onto forever! I love so many of these…gorgeous as always! And I love the reasoning of little ones…he did it because Rosie kept shaking off on him…so funny!
Maybe he was hoping the sand would soak up the water she was shaking off? lol Gotta love the thought process of kids!
My theory is that Blaze was tired of getting wet and getting shaken on, and so all he could find find was some sand for pay back
PS… Please tell Brian that I am eating yummy berry-peach cobbler left overs for breakfast!
oh i love the last one!!! love! How funny. I also love the first one and the ones floating on the water – how fun.
Eric and I want to take kayden camping when the weather gets nice… so… november
I SO need to go to one of your workshops. Your images are amazing!
OMG, LOVE it. I so relate to every reason!!
I was the same way about “dog camping” now I can’t wait to go somewhere they can go, it is so much fun with them!!
Pictures are amazing as usual!!
Every photo was fantastic!!!! Looks like you all had an absolutely great time!
brian….what is that on your head?
mera…so, i have been able to fend on my kids from camping for years…well….almost since they were born, but now….they are getting big enough that they can join forces with sharon and gang up on me. it’s just all the dirt….you know what i mean??? it’s tough for me to take. so…we’ve been 1.5 times this year already….i have a feeling it’s going to continue. we ventured out with paddy (our golden) this time too, and it was a blast…dirt and all.
super cute story and pics. glad you guys had fun!
Ok, you may have inspired me. I’m not a camping kinda girl, and I’m not sure if there are such gorgeous places around my neck of the woods to camp.. but I think I should start looking. I know my kids would love it. I know my dogs would love it. I know my husband would love it. So why am I being so selfish? yep, thanx me ra for getting me off my butt again!!
mwah!
I am soooo glad you showed the Uhaul! That is the best part of your camping story! Totally cracks me up.
Oh the luxury of that U-Haul! You should have seen our last camping trip. We did a hike in – so everything had to fit in our backpacks. I would have killed for something off the BBQ! Maybe even a little blackberry peach cobbler warmed up?
I wish you guys had a way to post a pic in comments – because I have some great ones of Griffey (our Bernese) camping and playing in the lake. Dogs are the best!
My #1 reason is the uninterrupted quality family time.
Love all the pictures! You guys camp in a BEAUTIFUL place.
A family after my own heart !! Could you please send me your email address. The address I found keeps bouncing back. My address is shepleyfive@cablerocket.com. Thanks. Looking forward to your next post !!
OK, if ONE more person says they’re going camping I’m going to SCREAM!! I so want to go. hey Me Ra, I’m going camping NOW!! for a few months, that’s all….you’ll get along without me, won’t you?. ..;P Strong urge to wear a headlamp too.
What a CRACK UP you and the fam are! And what’s up with Blaze on the trailer? The lighting on Pasc is incredible. And I bet Prince Philip is between so jealous and so happy to have the house to himself. Cooking under cover in the wild? Only you…lol! Hey, I know, take the cover and BBQ to Thailand!
Jeramy – I can’t even imagine loading up your crew to go camping – you must need a 16 wheeler! and now you have to take the bbq…unless that’s old news to you.
camping 1.5 times, hmmm
Everybody looks like they had such a good time! I just went camping this past weekend! (Dont scream Genie… i said i WENT camping- not going =]) Except… we got there after dark, had to set everything up and start the fire with no light, the car battery died and we didnt have cell phone service. haha. But overall we had an amazing time!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the shot of your guys cooking inside the tent.
P.S. We just got back from Ireland and I am having a heydey with the photos. It’s like reliving the trip all over!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greeblemonkey/collections/72157621970470875/
Oh! We went camping too, but I didn’t bring my camera…I wanted to be “granola” and leave the technology out of the experience…but now I am TOTALLY bringing it next time after seeing your shots!
genie…you are killing me right now…AND reading my mind, because i’ve NEVER taken a bbq camping….i’m a “grill on the dirty fire pit grill” kind of guy. but as i read through this post i feel a level of pressure to bring my bbq the “next time”….whenever that may be.
oh….and yes….we are a traveling circus….we just rent a tour bus and pull in to the campground….people clear out when we pull in.
That last one made me laugh out loud!!!! I could even hear a war-cry in my head when I look at Blaze. =) The background music of “He-man” also played its way through my head. =)
your family and it’s togetherness is so very beautiful.
MeRa, These pictures are STUNNING!
I love to camp, when my boys were young, we took them and the dogs
The midnight poop incident, with us ALL spilling out of the tent as fast as possible… Poor dog, all the travel and camp food (that she wasn’t supposed to have) upset her tummy – well that’s still one of the favorite stories when we all get together. Those boys love that one.
Great memories that you’re making with your family.
MeRa – I have camped many times as a child, but didn’t really care for it. I know my family would love it. I am inspired to try it out as an adult. We live on the Eastside. Please tell me where you went camping! It looks gorgeous!
Linda
P.S. I am one of your original workshop attendees and am inspired by you weekly!
So great!!! I can’t help but smile at the packing difference between hometown camping and Thailand
first I have seen of your camping trip. What a wonderful time for all of you. The Uhaul was being so open!!!! Good for you Brian.
Love, Grandma
Hope this goes thru!! Loved tjhe camping shots. What fun and Brian you are really something. I have never seen a UHaul camping before!! What a guy….
Love grandma
You would not believe how long ive been looking for something like this. Scrolled through 10 pages of Google results and couldnt find anything. Quick search on bing. There this is…. Really gotta start using that more often
Hi there..Great Site you’ve here! Just wanna leave a short info for you about how to blow the girl’s head at the next Bbq-Party!
[...] Did you see The 2009, Top Ten Reasons to Take the Kids (and the Dog) Camping! [...]
Thank you, I have just been looking for information about this topic for a while and yours is the best I’ve came upon till now. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you certain in regards to the source?