The Great Sand Dunes 2013

So this post brings me back to the root of this blog's namesake! From the time I was a small child I have found the greatest pleasure in camping: the simple life, no schedule, no technology (well there is a little now), sweet sounds of wildlife and the peace and beauty of nature at its finest. Patrick and I have spent most of our summers together camping. We love laying in our hammock, hiking, fishing and just simply sitting by the campfire. We use to talk about how fun it would be to camp with our kids one day! While camping is joyous with kids, it brings on some new challenges as well. After last summer, we said we would never camp again...well we lied!

This was our first camping trip of summer 2013. It got off to a rough start and we wondered again what we had gotten ourselves into.  My last day of work was Thursday and had our end of year party that night. We made it home later than planned and with a few more drinks consumed than originally anticipated.

After a long 5 hour drive, we finally made it to Zapata Falls campground where we met up with the Mankes. This was our first excursion with the Mankes. Joe works with Patrick and since we live an hour apart, Shannon and I try to meet for play dates with our girls somewhere in the middle. The girls were ecstatic to spend three days with Charlotte and Adelyn!

The Great Sand Dunes

Happy to FINALLY arrive!

We arrived to extremely windy weather and had a couple girls who were tired of the car and sick of dealing with the wind. By 6:00 Charlee said she wanted to go home to her house and go to bed...what were we thinking????

We all had a DECENT night sleep, although our air mattress was flat by morning and Eleanor woke at 6:30! We ate breakfast and packed up and went to the Dunes!  I have lived in CO all my life and have never been there. I was amazed at the size and beauty of this place that, without the backdrop of the mountains, you would never know you were in CO! The kids played for hours in the water and sand! No fits, no fights, no meltdowns! They were in heaven and we were overjoyed to see the happiness in their eyes.


Sand angels

S'mores

After returning to camp for naps and dinner we ventured on a 1/2 mile hike with four kids 4 and under to see Zapata Falls. I thought we were crazy but it ended up being so fun and well worth it. The pictures just don't do it justice! It was almost sunset and you had to wade through ankle deep (freezing) water into a cave. It was a spectacular sight!


Zapata Falls (Deep in a dark cave)

Sunset at Zapata Falls

Ready to go in the cave to see the waterfall!



Best Buds







Although our second night we again were sleeping on the rocks by morning and the wind was so strong that Patrick had to get up in the middle of the night to fix the tent, we couldn't have have asked for a better weekend with great friends! We can't wait until our next adventure with the Mankes and until we meet again Great Sand Dunes...

Leaving our footprints at the Dunes!