Tugman State Park, OR

We finally made the plunge and took the kids camping... but we cheated just a little.  Thank goodness!

Each summer we try and meet up with one of my favorite people, Anna, and her family- Tyler (husband), Madeline (2 1/2 yr), and Ben (10 1/2 mo). Last year we spent the 4th at their house outside of Portland.  This year, we decided to meet halfway between our homes and camp out on the Oregon coast.  Instead of trying to deal with kids and tents we rented yurts for three nights.  Thank goodness we did because it ended up raining on us while we were there.  The yurts came equipped with beds, a table and chairs, lights, plugs, a heater, and a nice covered porch.  The only thing it lacked was a bathroom (which, sadly, I had to venture out two nights in the rain to use).  The yurts made what could have been a stressful time (wet, muddy, cold, bored kids) into a very pleasant and comfortable adventure.

We camped out at Tugman State Park not too far north of Coos Bay.  The campground was a hop, skip, and a jump from Eel Lake, a quiet lake with a swimming hole and boat ramp to launch our new-to-us canoe.  We were also close to Oregon's magnificent sand dunes and some nice hiking trails (minus the mosquitoes).  A short drive to the north and a short drive to the south provided additional activities to partake in.  With four kids- ages 4, 2, 2 and 10 mo.- naptimes, and rain we were a little limited in the amount of things we could accomplish in a day, but we managed to get out and about anyway.

Day 1: Set-up camp, community meal of grilled basil, tomato, and cheese sandwiches, and an early bedtime.

Jonah, all packed up in the sleeping bag tote.

Cairo was really excited about sleeping on the top bunk.

Day 2: A hike around a small lake (which we couldn't quite finish due to a flooded trail, mosquitoes, and short-legged, tired kids).  Playing in the sand and kite flying on a very Humboldt-feeling beach.  Lunch, naps, and a trip to the Tugman State park playground and swimming hole (we put our feet in).  Jonah bonked his head on the pavement (some how he got a scratch, a goose egg, but no bruise).  Dinner- pasta with summer veggies.  Dessert- 'Smores around the fire.  After we put the kids to bed, us adults stayed up late talking around the campfire and enjoying the beautiful night.

The pond/lake we tried to walk around

Anna and Madeline

Cairo, checking out the trail...

Group shot (minus Anna who's taking the picture)

At the beach

Trail to the ocean

Nap time for Daddy!

Jonah could spend hours playing in the sand...

... so can the big kids.  Tyler dug a big hole for the kids to play in.

Jonah enjoyed collecting stuff...

... and more stuff, like crab shells.

The big girls

The only person who enjoyed the sand more than Jonah was Ben.

Our yurt

The baby pen- somehow Jonah made his was into Ben's baby enclosure.  Madeline was there to keep him company, though.

Cairo, collecting stuff.

The happy camping couple

Ben did a whole lot of this...

Trouble anyone?

Ring around the rosie

While Erik was climbing the tree, Jonah tripped and donked himself on the head.

Dippin' our toes at the swimming hole at the lake.

Concentrate on making those 'smores

J made the 'smores, but he couldn't eat them... that's what you get when you don't eat your dinner!

Day 3: A cool day that really never warmed up.  Breakfast- biscuits cooked by Tyler in the dutch oven and scrambled eggs.  A husband and a little boy who slept in until 8:30 (wow!).  A trip to the lake and a paddle in the canoe (it was too cold to go swimming).  Lunch and naps.  A trip to the Umpqua Lighthouse.  At this time it started to drizzle, so we went back to the camp ground and while I entertained the kids in the yurt, Anna and Tyler cooked up a fantastic meal of grilled veggie burritos.  We ate out in the rain/drizzle and then Anna and I were very brave and took all four kids to the showers while the boys cleaned up.

The showering was quite an event.  We had to walk a little ways to the showers (in the rain/drizzle) and somehow wash the kids (of who not all wanted to be washed and not all wanted to get out of the water) and make sure the things that should get wet did get wet, those things that should be dry did stay dry, and those things that shouldn't touch the community bathroom floor didn't.  It was an amazing amount of noise and activity, but in the end we had four kids all squeaky clean and ready for bed.  Anna and I both agreed that the boys wouldn't have been able to handle with the ease, finesse, and patience we did.  :o)

Getting ready to take the canoe out.

An over the shoulder photo

At Umpqua Lighthouse, looking out at the ocean

Day 4: Our last day.  We spent the morning packing the cars and then we headed south for one final adventure- off to Shore Acres (southwest of Coos Bay) Botanical Gardens and Sunset Bay.  The botanical gardens were set right up on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  The views were amazing.  We wandered around the gardens doing all we could to keep Jonah from picking the plants and flowers (one of his absolute FAVORITE pastimes), then we headed for a picnic lunch on the beach at Sunset Bay.  The bay was nice and protected and the sun came out and warmed things up for us.  We took advantage of the nice warm weather, changed into swim clothes, and played in the ocean.  As kids started to get crabby, we packed up, said out goodbyes, and headed back home.

Botanical Garden entrance

more trouble

I told Cairo and Jonah to strike a pose.  Jonah had more fun with this than Cairo... she was concentrating too hard.

A beautiful white fuchsia.  I want one.

At the Japanese garden

The view from the cliffs

Picnicking at Sunset Bay

Running from the waves

We had a great time camping out with the Hohl family.  The kids did a great job entertaining each other and gave us adults a chance to do a little relaxing.  Though Ben was the odd man out this year, I know that when he's walking next year he and Jonah will have as great of a time as Cairo and Madeline had.  We had so much fun that the only questions that remain are- when and where are we going to do this next summer?