Last weekend was our first camping trip for this year. We were a little slow on planning trips and getting the camper ready to go this year. We’re still hoping to fit in four camping trips, but we’ll see…it might end up being only three trips this year.
We tried Potato Creek State Park for this first time, and it was a great weekend! We had beautiful weather on Friday and Saturday, so we were really able to enjoy the park and all it has to offer! (It rained while we were sleeping – or trying to sleep – on Saturday night, but the rain ended by morning, so we were able to enjoy our Sunday morning as well.)
I only brought my cell phone – no camera – so the pictures aren’t the best. I didn’t want my cell phone getting wet, so there are no lake pictures. We rented a paddle boat, spending 45 minutes pedaling around the lake. The boys each took a turn pedaling, but their little legs just weren’t long enough to reach the pedals very well. Mama and Daddy did most of the work! (Including pedaling our legs off when we got our boat stuck on a tree stump hidden under the water!)
The kids also enjoyed the swimming area in the lake. It’s not super deep, and it’s sectioned off from the rest of the lake, so we allowed the boys a little more freedom than they usually get. With their Puddle Jumpers on, they had SO MUCH FUN swimming all around! Jensyn stuck closer to shore, but she enjoyed herself as well.
We went to a SNAKE class at the nature center. After learning about the snakes in Indiana, we all had an opportunity to touch a Western Fox snake. Mama & Jensyn were brave; the boys didn’t touch it. Alex and Jensyn made this adorable snake craft; Max wasn’t interested.
It’s made from two thin strips of felt and 15 pop can tabs.
Add google eyes and a felt tongue, and you’ve got yourself a cute little snake!
I found directions HERE if you’d like to try at home.
Here’s the snake we touched:
We then took a look at the other animals in the nature center – turtles, lizards, snakes, and more. They also have a viewing window where you can watch squirrels eating.
Jensyn looking at a stuffed osprey – we also saw live ones in their nests outside.
This Little Miss snuck a Hershey bar when no one was looking…she ate NINE SQUARES!
s’mores – yum!
catching frogs in the little ditch next to our campsite
(our camping ‘neighbors’ happened to live near us, so the kids were all playing together)
conked out on the way home
We decided to try bringing the crock pot along on this trip so our Saturday night meal could cook all day while we played. That SHOULD have worked out great…except that Max got a little carried away and knocked over the table where we had set the crock pot. Our dinner ended up in the dirt, and we had hot dogs instead!
Since both boys can ride two-wheelers now, we gave them the freedom to ride around our circle in the campground together…without grown-ups. They were so proud of themselves and their first freedom!
We’re hoping to get to Oak Lake and Turkey Run yet this year, and my extended family is doing a camping trip in Michigan later this summer. We’re looking forward to more fun camping trips! It’s SOOO much work getting ready, but it’s so fun once we’re out there and enjoying family time together!
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