Father and son campout

(Josh is writing this one) I've been wanting to take my kids/family camping for a while now, we started buying gear a couple of months ago. Unfortunately it wasn't a family trip, but I did get to take my son camping for his first time (the back yard doesn't count as a trip). It was the annual father and son camp out that our church does and it was a blast.

JJ, Uncle John, and myself drove up together to a farm on the Eastern Shore and arrived around 5pm, with only one other family already there. Not knowing where to set up camp, we parked and walked around. JJ found the chickens and decided he wanted to catch one...I was really impressed at his dedication, that boy chased those chickens for a good 15-20 minutes and stopped only because it was time to set up the tent.

Have you ever set up an 8 person tent for the first time with a 3 year old boy?! That in itself was adventurous. Just as U. John and I were figuring out where the 6 different poles went, we'd turn around to grab one, and JJ had it in hand..."No, I do it". Once it was up, JJ and I climbed in to set up our beds and he insisted on inspecting everything as I pulled it out of the tote.

That night was the fire-side program which JJ surprising sat pretty still for, maybe it was because he knew he'd get to use his new flashlight if he was good. I never knew flashlights were so intriguing. JJ got his first taste of Smores, which was a hit...I just wish I remembered baby wipes!

Sleep was interesting. JJ and I slept on an air mattress together and he was out quick! 3 or 4 times during the night, I awoke to ,"Daddy, I need help. I fell off." JJ would roll off the mattress and was unable to get back up because he was in his sleeping bag...it was really pretty funny.

So, we are trying to do a family trip in the next month or so. I might be taking Kelsy and JJ back to the farm we stayed at in only 2 weeks but mommy won't be able to come due to Relay for Life. Maybe the OBX will be the first of many Farrell family camp outs!!