I need all the help I can get. We are going to be "living" in a tent and cooking on a open fire. OMG! You can take the girl out the city...Anyone have any tips on how to make this city girl's life easier with 3 children? Meal ideas and tips, packing ideas and tips. What to bring or not forget? I'm starting from scratch here. Haven't been camping since I was 13. I'm so nervous. A tent for goodness sakes!

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God, Grant me the Serenity to accept that I can't afford this item,
The Courage to keep walking out of the store doors,
and the Wisdom to know it WILL some day be on CLEARANCE!



LisaA346@aol.com

Don't worry, you'll do fine and you'll have fun!!! This should get you started....

Camping for Beginners

(not that you are a beginner, just thought there were a lot of great links to check out from beginning to end)

Here's a link to a camping tip thread that was posted on The Cafe...

spin-off post...camping tips..

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Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separate them,
But they always come back together.

Where are you going Lisa??? We love camping in NY....we will be at Lake Seneca in July and 1000 islands in August. Along with PA, NY is probably me favorite place to be! (we also camp, in our trailer)

Don't worry. I am quite the girly girl and absolutely hate camping. However, I'm married to a man that I affectionately call "Grizzly Adams". He loves the outdoors, camping, hunting etc. so I've been in your shoes.
Here's my best advice: Don't try to bring your whole beauty regimen with you. Buy the Dove pillow puffs to use to wash your face and throw away when you're done. Make sure you don't use any of your perfume, lotions etc. Use a low or no scented soap and lotion to help keep the bugs away. Bring plenty of bug spray and Benadryl cream for bug bites. Do tick checks on yourself and all the kids regularly throughout the day. Those ticks are sneaky. And finally, relax and enjoy the outdoors. It's great to see so many stars at night and hear the birds, animals etc. Tell yourself it's okay if you and the kids get dirty while you're having fun. Oh, and don't drink the water out of any of the streams or creeks. You will get very sick. Found that out the hard way. Have fun!

I find it easier to atleast bring my little gas grill. Is that an option or are you wanting to cook over the fire ? My kids think its fun to make baked beans in the can over the coals of the fire and then you can roast hot dogs over the fire and have beans and hot dogs. We like smores of course, and we sometimes make them now with Recess cups instead of Hersheys. Dont forget the lighter, we did that once!

I had a smores made with Reese's PB cup earlier last weekend and it was out of this world!!!

__________________

Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separate them,
But they always come back together.

Its easy to make tacos with soft shells over the fire....take a sheet of reynolds release, put on a flour tortilla, spoon on your toppings, fold over and close, grill both sides ...YUM

here is some great camping recipe sites
Chuckwagon Diner Outdoor Camping Recipes
Great Camping Recipes
camping | camping recipes | outdoor recipes | campfire recipes | hiking recipes | camping main dish recipes | camping breakfast recipes | camping dessert recipes
Camping Food & Dutch Oven Recipes
Campfire Cooking Camping Recipes from KOA
Camping Recipes
Just Recipes - 155 Camping recipes.
Camp recipes, camping cooking

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Always be a first rate version of your self instead of a second rate version of someone else.[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.

Did you go yet? If so, How did it go?

I save all of the samples I get all year from the freebies board to use when camping ...if we camp in a state park and dont have a full hookup, they boys shower in the bath houses, and the samples come in handy (use then toss)...pack some extra tarps and cord, just in case it rains, you will be able to set up a tarp so you can play cards and eat etc at the table. also, it does not hurt to keep some firewood in the car if it is calling for rain. (all of this is assuming you are tent camping) also, keep food and coolers locked in bear boxes or in the car to prevent the animals being attracted, and destroying your food (we once had a bear drink an entire cooler of beer. Teeth marks in each can. he passed the diet coke by) it is common for skunks and other animals to scavenge the campsite for dropped goodies after you go to sleep so dont freak out, they will leave you alone.
Once we were camping in our rv, on Lake Ontario, and I heard a noise (windows were open, not hot enough for air conditioning)...I turned on the outside light and peeked out..,.there was a fluffy skunk eating some goodie I had thorwn away (and not taken the trash to the dumpster). I whispered "scat" and flashed lights, but then realized what a stupid thing I was doing....the trash was already torn up, and needed to be cleaned up anyway, but what exactly would I do if the shunk sprayed the camper. I decided to let him have his snack.

You are a brave gal, from one city chick to another