My biggest concern about going camping with Brooke was how she was going to do during the night. We ended up zipping our sleeping bags together at night and she slept between us and we were all plenty warm. We also had little pads under our sleeping bags so she was pretty comfortable. She woke up a few times for just a minute or two and went to bed at 9 and woke up with the sunrise. It was perfect and her awesome morning hair always makes us extra happy.
You just can’t wake up grumpy when you see this first thing in the morning:
We walked around the area for a little while (ps I think her coat is my new favorite thing she wears)
And I did my morning yoga on a rock in my very attractive pajama pants. PS are pajama pants a Utah thing? I have at least 10 pairs and wear them daily but none of my friends here own any ‘pajama pants’ and just use leggings or sweats.
This is where things got crazy. I guess it is something that boys just do. They think it is fun to jump in the water when it is still freezing outside. I was cold in the morning on land with 3 layers on and Brooke had about 6 layers on…. Billy on the other hand thought it was perfect temperature to go swimming. I have never heard him scream so loud.
After he warmed up we made breakfast (oatmeal and it was delicious and I promise it tastes even better than normal when you eat it camping.
I was already sore going into Saturday’s hike. My legs were burning on the three miles of UPHILL and then the last two miles were rolling hills.
It really warmed up and towards the end we finally saw other human beings which was perfect because I am the queen of asking other people to take our picture for us.
A look from about half way up the mountain.
The last .1 mile was up stairs. As I was taking this picture Billy told me to take Brooke and leave him behind…..
After we got home we had lunch, took a nap, did laundry and then went to a friends house for the best green enchiladas in the universe (I usually say world so you know I am serious about how good they are when I say universe).
There were also these amazing cookies. I am waiting for the recipe from my friend and as soon as I get it I will be posting it.
Hope you are having a great and relaxing Sunday!
I’m in Utah and guess what I’m wearing?? Heck yes, pajama pants!! Isn’t that what everyone changes into after church?
Haha I would NOT Have jumped in that water! Granted I would have been more concerned about soaking wet hair for the next few hours!
Looks so amazing! Those views are incredible! Billy would have rocked the Polar Bear Plunge on the Bachelor ;-)
that hair. oh my, too cute! love camping, wish there were more areas around here to do it!
Billy is BRAVE to go swimming in March! I’d be freezing (even if you do live in Cali). It’s the idea of it. I think you have just convinced me that hiking can be fun. Not sure you’ve sold me on the oatmeal though. That still has no appeal to me.
haha I live in northern cali, and have owned many a pajama pant in my day! ;) Although I do love me some sweats and leggings, too. And I would def not wake up grumpy if I woke up to that little sweetie, too!! Looks like you guys had a blast!
xo
Pajama pants are awesome. Sweat pants = for sweating, not sleeping. :)
Brooke’s hair is so so cute! And those enchiladas look deliciously cheesy. :)
We are going camping next weekend on our way to Ireland. Hopefully it doesn’t snow if Wales (like it is snowing here right now!!). Our favorite vacation EVER was just the two of us in Zions. We would go hike all morning and then come back and eat lunch and read books and then hike again all afternoon. Best way to spend our “unplugged” time!
So crazy you had to walk UP the next day. I am so used to going up the first day or two and then coming down. I feel like down the reward for the hard work up, not the other way around. Brooke bedhead=adorable. And I basically only wear yoga/sweat pants now, don’t have many pajama pants anymore.
Billy is cuhhh-razzzy! That water must have been freezing. I guess the enchiladas make up for it! And Brooke’s morning hair is adorable :)
Those enchilada’s look bangin’! I have a “sweet” spot for yummy mexican dishes. It may just be one of my favorites! We are having a fantastic weekend and at least today it is quite relaxing!
Brooke + Brooke’s hair=adorable! The views from your hike are amazing and Billy is CrAzY!!
Love love LOVE Brooke’s morning hair. That photo made my day!
I have pajama pants… they are definitely a “thing” in Wisconsin too :)
At least now you know what to get your friends for Christmas/birthdays…pajama pants! I swear I don’t sleep as while in anything but them…yoga pants/sweats are for working out.
wow… those mountains are beautiful! you’ve officially inspired me to go camping this summer.
i’m in southern california and have several pairs of pajama pants! i can’t sleep without them (and socks – they’re a necessity for me).
brooke’s morning hair is adorable! speaking of pj’s, i’m kinda jealous of her cute panda footie pajamas! =)
You make camping look so fun!! I love how Brooke is always so happy and smiling for every picutre :) Loving her panda bottoms!! Mmmmm those cookies look good!
I definitely wear pajama pants and not my leggings or yoga pants. I live in southern Maine. I love Victoria’s Secret pink brand boyfriend sweats! Looks like you had a lot of fun!
http://www.brittsrunningstyle.blogspot.com
You are brave to go camping like that with Miss B. I am too scared about animals and thunderstorms ;-) Somehow the car being there during car camping means that I am a little less scared….
People like you guys – who have kids and still go on living and enjoying life and outdoor activities – give me so much hope! Please keep sharing…maybe someday we’ll move beyond having just a cat! ;)
This look totally fun! I can’t wait for our hiking trails to dethaw and open back up!
Sarah
http://www.thinfluenced.com
I ROCK pajama pants in Ohio and I also rock leggings and yoga pants as well! Ive actually NEVER been camping! O that food looks amazing!!!
Aww how FUN! It looks like you guys had a blast. I must say, I’m pretty darn impressed that you and Billy went on a backpacking/camping trip with little Brooke. You guys rock!
I remember you saying you were going to post your mom’s lasagna receipe? Did you ever post it and I missed it??
Oh my goodness, I totally forgot! I am so sorry! I will put it in my next post!
I have some pajama pants and I grew up in IL! I call my sweats “pajama pants” as well though, so maybe that’s weird. I had chile relleno enchiladas last night and was SO excited for them until they came to my table and had ground beef in them, even though I ordered the vegetarian version. I was SO sad because the waiter didn’t come back until the end of the meal, so I couldn’t even get a replacement meal. The picture of you three that you had a stranger take has Brooke looking like she’s a bandit (her mouth and lower face are covered, so I think of an armed robber from the cowboys and indians era).
Yep, I think that is a boy thing. But he sure looks like he enjoyed it! I bet it was an amazing rush.
Brooke makes morning hair look adorable. I wish I looked that cute in the morning. Yikes.
Billy is crazy! Polar Bear Plunge hiking style!
PS. I love the color of your top in the photo taken by a stranger!
I live in pj pants at my house (I’m in Florida). I love all of these pics. Brooke seems to have done better than I do while camping. I’m up all night waiting for a coyote to attack lol
Looks like you guys had some beautiful scenery to enjoy. I can’t wait to go camping this summer, though it’ll be at least a couple more months til it’s warm enough to go.
I have multiple pairs of pajamas and I am from PA! I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t have them! They are the best!
No pj pants for me.. it’s yoga pants or leggings for everything.. sleeping, working out, cleaning you name it.
Love Brooke’s hair… crazy cute.. reminds me of the Pampers commercials..
I love that when u go camping u actually tent it. My husband won’t go without a trailer and it drives me nuts!! I can’t wait until it gets warm enough here to camp!!!
This brings back fond memories of backpacking with our kids in Utah and Colorado. You MUST MUST try our favorite backpacking recipe – chicken and stuffing! So easy and SO yummy. One box Stove Top Stuffing, one can of chicken and some oil. Follow the instructions on the back of the box and you will think it is Thanksgiving on the trail!
OMG That bed head is adorable!!!!!
Ramblings of a Suburban Mom
My husband has never jumped into ice cold water while camping, maybe it is a Billy thing! Except when both of us jumped into a mountain lake once which was very cold. Also, Michiganders definitely have pajama pants!
It is definitely a boy thing. My husband always does that on our backpacking trips, but you couldn’t pay me to jump into those mountain lakes! As a result, he’s usually a little cleaner than I am on those trips ;)
It’s a boy thing….my husband does the same thing. Pajama pants….mine are on approximately .04 seconds after I walk through the door at the end of the work day. I thought everyone did that?!?
That looks like a great trip and some good family time :)
Recommendation: Ditch the Bjorn and get an Ergo. It’s so much more comfortable to wear and Brooke will be able to use it until she’s much older. It’d be a better fit under the packs you guys have, too.
Looks like such a fun trip- I have an itch to go camping now!
We definitely wear pajama pants in PA. I keep mine at home, but people wear them in public like they’re jeans…
I live in NY, I am 24 years old and still wear PAJAMA PANTS! I never sleep in leggings or sweats! They have to be pajama pants!! :)
I own a million pairs of pajamas and think they’re the greatest thing, ever- Georgia girl here.
I always change into PJs when I get home
I’m in New York and pajama pants are a favorite of mine…no sweatpants or leggings of me.
Your trip looks like so much fun! Such wonderful pictures.
OMG. In a couple months I will be going to Montana to be working in the mountains doing some serious hiking, backpacking and all that jazz…and I’ve never been “real” camping/backpacking! I still have to get all the stuff… What kind of gear did you get? And where/how did you get everything? You should do a post on it :)
Billy is CRAZY! Never ever ever!!
We wear pajama pants in Vermont :)
Looks like you guys had a great time! I would love to do something like that but would probably have to be tranquilized before bed, being out there in the dark…..my imagination would be going CRAZY!!
love it :) I would never jump in the water either…men always seem to overestimate how tough they are just by a little bit haha
Everyone I know here hangs out at home in their normal clothes, I’m starting to think it’s weird that I change into PJ pants, yoga pants, or sweat pants if I’m not going anywhere…
Your trip looks so fun! Ah I want to go hiking so bad! I definitely could NOT carry Kate while hiking though!
Those look like Honey Lime Enchiladas, we make them all the time and they are awesome! We actually had them tonight for dinner :).
GREEN ENCHILADAS ARE MY FAVORITE EVER!!
What a cute pic of your sweet little family! Also, I think you might be right about pajama pants being a Utah thing. I don’t think I even own one pair, I usually just sleep in shorts of yoga pants.
Looks and sounds like you had a great time! I wish that I had motivation to do that!
I live in CT and I am always in my pajama pants. I love them!! As soon as I know that I am not going anywhere, I put on my pajama pants and my husband does too!
Brooke is so cute! She is going to be so easy going because you take her everywhere! I love to see pictures of her. She is just about a year younger than my daughter. Brings back the memories. Thanks!
I am SO impressed with the camping. We usually do drive in camping and it’s not the same…now I want to try proper backpack camping! Glad you were warm enough in the night…off to check out campsites for my next 10k
I wear pajama pants and have only lived in NY and California. If I come home from work any later than 6? I’m in them. In fact Target has some on sale for 10 dollars this week and I was thinking of boosting my wardrobe
It looks/sounds like you had such a blast! Good for you =)
I own a ridiculous amount of pajama pants. Live in Oregon. I have, to the embarrassment to my kids, worn them in public. Old Navy flannel are my favorites.
I think…the East Coast (at least New Jersey) calls them “pajama pants” (at least, that’s what I was raised calling them). I own at leave 8 pair, but most are in storage, since it’s sort of impossible to wear pants around here without sweating.
Major kudos for taking Brooke out on such an awesome adventure! I’m a wuss about camping (afraid we’ll forget something, or get lost, or somehow get into some other kind of trouble), so I’d probably be a basket case trying to bring a little one along. You’re sort of my heros for managing it all! :)
Okay, weird question, but it looks like there are orange-colored bits in those cookies. What are they? I only ask because I’ve recently been increasing my Clif Bar intake, and I’ve noticed that they, took, have orange-colored bits in them, and I can’t think of anything on the ingredient list that would be that color/texture. Perhaps your friend can solve my mystery?
In regards to your PJ pants question, they are totally universal. I think at some point people decide they are “too grown up” to go out and about in PJ pants, so they choose the more adult option – sweatpants. Because grey sweats are sooooo much classier than cupcake printed hot pink PJ pants or something. =)
We definitely wear pajama pants around here….I have too many to count! Mostly from Target and Old Navy:)
Glad you had fun and made it back safely! I can’t believe Billy jumped in the water! Yikes!!
and seriously I have no less an a bajillion pajama pants. Maybe they are a Utah thing??
Pajama pants are definitely not a Utah thing! I have at least 5 pairs and my favorite are my polar bear jammie pants :) Yours are super cute !
I am Northern California born-and-raised, and I am all about pajama pants. I even have what I consider to be “fancy” pajama pants that I don’t actually sleep in, they are just for house wear! (Okay, and occasionally outside the house wear, too!)
I love pajama pants. I also love your backpack, which one is it? If everything I own could be purple, I would be such a happy girl.
I have pajama bottoms, and I love them. I try to put them on as soon as I get home in the evening!!
Wow, I can’t believe you guys trekked up a mountain with those huge backpacks and Brooke. Jeez. You really are hardcore. I would have been huffing and puffing without the backpack or the kid. LOL. That fact that you are literally holding her in your arms is even more impressive because you can’t even get forward momentum from swinging your arms.
I go trail running with the running club at school sometimes and that alone is pretty difficult. Maybe I am just super uncoordinated, but I find almost every branch, root, and hole to trip over. I can’t imagine trying to balance a kid at the same time!
Billy is one crazy SOB. You’re right though. It is such a boy thing to do.
I LIVE in pjs!!! (at home at least :D). This looks like a great time!! I’m a big camping fan also :)
Brooke’s hair is simply THE BEST! I love that you did yoga on the rocks by the stream. What a beautiful way to start your morning!
My husband would’ve done the exact same thing, so yeah I guess it must be a guy thing!
oh my goodness what a FUN weekend! ya’ll are so adorable. I cannot wait to take a weekend hiking trip this fall with Tyler. Hopefully he gets stationed in hawaii so we can do hiking all the time :)
I went to the Boundary Waters in NORTHERN Minnesota for my first camping experience. I was scared at first (kinda a girly girl!) but ended up loving it. Want to go again real bad.
I rock ‘pajama pants’ here in WI like it’s my job-you’re not alone!
Sounds like such a great weekend! I totally rock pj’s pants, I love when they have funky and colorful designs!
I wish I made people happy with my insane morning hair, but I think I just scare them. Love the crazy baby hair though.
I loved your camping recaps!! The place you went looks so beautiful! This really makes me want to go camping/backpacking asap!!
Looks like a beautiful place to camp!! Too bad you couldn’t have a fire, hopefully it wasn’t too cold out there! I need to get backpacking soon!
Boys are crazy!! I would never jump in that water!
Okay, I think you should do another post on camping gear because I am clueless about what I would need to do a trip like this. If you did, I would SO appreciate it! :)
Congrats on the 2 bedroom!! How exciting!
I thought everyone wore leggings all the time! Maybe it’s a California thing…?
Marylander’s like their PJ pants too!!!
I have pajama pants and you can buy them at Target, so it must be a thing.
Those cookies look so good… And the enchiladas, too… yum! You guys make me want to go backpacking so bad!
Heck no! I LOVE pyjama pants! In the summer I switch to pyjama shorts/capris.
Hahah! I can see Mike and I daring each other to jump in the water and swim, but neither of us actually doing it.
I don’t have pajama pants, but I know plenty of people who do.
It looks like you had a great time hiking! Brooke’s coat is too cute!
That sounds like a wonderful trip!!! Makes me want to go camping and I am NOT a camper! ;) Glad you had a good wknd!
i switch into pajamas as soon as i get home everyday. either pj pants or boxers :] (and i’m in VT). also soooo jealous that you’re already camping!!! we’re only just starting to have snow leave… xx
Ok. I just moved to Colorado Springs a few months ago and this little camping adventure is exactly what I want to do here! How did you find out where to go and plan the trip? Did you spend a ton on gear? Any details on how I can plan this for my little crew (hubby, 3 yo and 5 yo)- I would appreciate!!!!! Your pictures are gorgeous!!!!!!