30 years and counting...

This year marked my parent's 30th year of camping at Peninsula State Park in Door County! It is our annual family vacation that we look forward to ALL year long. We already have campsites for next years trip!

We were packed tight, with our car and car-top carrier full with bikes on the back. Next year we are renting a camper, so we will have more room! Elle really enjoyed watching movies for the 4 hour drive! Those things are a life saver! ;)


Everyone arrived Thursday, when we all got unpacked we sat down for our first dinner. Our lovely outdoor dinning room - on the menu, camp stew! Yummy. Elle really enjoyed being right at the table with us! Those chairs are the best - Thanks gramma and grampa!

Elle was really excited when we go there. She thought the tent (our changing room) and the camper were the best thing since sliced bread! She was running from one thing to the next, exploring!

We do lots of walking and biking. This was our first walk to the beach (about 5-10 minute walk), I think all three kids were sleeping by the time we got to the beach.

Every morning, we head down to the beach for coffee. There is a little convenience store and snack shop at the beach. So while we were at the beach for coffee and donuts, grampa took Elle down to the water for the first time of the year.

She wasn't quite sure at first, her toes kept sinking in the sand. She would stare at them - watching them disappear, then quickly pulling her foot out. She did get used to it and loved the water!

We headed back to the campsite to get ready for the day at the beach. While on her ride back to the beach - swims suits, towels, toys already to go - she fell asleep! One of many naps on the beach.

Grampa was very excited to buy Elle her first ice cream cone at the beach. Here they are ordering... One twist cone please!

Now trying it for the first time....

Yummy, ice cream is good! Thanks Grampa - your the best!

Everyone gets dirty when camping - so how do you give a one year old a bath? Well, you bring along a plastic tote for her to sit in...of course!?!?! As you can see by the picture, she was a little embarrassed to be bathing in the wide open outdoors!

See, wouldn't you be embarrassed to have all of these people watching you take a bath. The boys did the same thing and by the end of our stay, we had quite the assembly line going!

Most of our days are spent at the beach. Elle really enjoyed being in the sand and water! She loved picking out toys to play with....

She was looking for just the right tool for Daddy to build her sand castle with!!!

So that she could destroy it two seconds later! :)

Elle was very content just walking around the campsite. She played with her dolls, milk jugs, camping dishes, rocks, sticks, dirt, pink flamingos, ice cubes... We didn't really have to "entertain" her that much, just make sure she was safe!

Gramma and Grampa celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary while we were camping. Grampa made Gramma a really thoughtful gift. He put together a picture album of pictures from each year they were married, it was soo sweet! :)

As we were looking at the photo album my dad made, Adam noticed this "thing" on the tent. We watched this bug come out of it's shell/skeleton. The bug on the left came out of the skeleton on the right...it was our science lesson for the week. Too bad we don't know what type of bug it is. 5-6 more did the same thing (on the tent) over the course of the week.

Peninsula State Park is very large, with four different areas to camp. We usually stay in Nicolet Bay which is closest to the beach. Next year our sites are in Tennison Bay, where this wonderful playground is. Elle really enjoyed climbing, swinging and sliding.

The boys got to swing for the first time too, it was too cute and they both LOVED it! :)

As you know, Elle LOVES slides. She must have gone down this one about 30 times! :) We have taught her to go feet first on her tummy and she knows just what to do when she gets to the top of the slide!

She was driving...where to, maybe Wilson's?

When camping, you need to go get water for cooking, washing dishes and taking baths. Elle decided to help one night. First she thought it would be fun to ride in the wagon.

Then she thought it would be fun to walk with daddy. It was a LONG...SLOW walk to the water fountain!

She helped Daddy, well I don't know if you can say helped - but she was SOAKED!!

More fun on the beach...

As I mentioned earlier, Elle entertained herself. She enjoyed playing in the coolers and eating ice...

And this is what your face looks like after the ice cube falls in the dirt and you pick it up and suck on it...GROSS!!! We figure she ate at least a pound of dirt/sand while there!

Another tradition (more recently) is for the boys to go golfing one morning and the ladies to meet them at the club house for lunch. The course is situated alongside the water, with some pretty amazing views!

Elle enjoyed playing on the putting green! Daddy can't wait for the day he can bring her golfing...someday.

Yet another tradition is to go to Wilson's for ice cream. Grampa treated all of us to a delicious ice cream cone!

Of course, he was nice enough to share! Just wait until next year when the boys can have some too -YAHOO!

Elle was sure to try EVERYONE'S ice cream...

It is safe to say, that Elle now enjoys ALL junk food! Chips, cookies, puppy chow, M&M's, ice cream...

Our morning trip to the beach for coffee also includes bringing our beach towels and cabana to safe our spot. Elle was helping Daddy put up the cabana.

But was quickly distracted by the kids playing on the playground....

The water if very shallow with many sandbars. We took Elle out to the sandbars to play, she would RUN through the water. Of course, she would loose her footing and go under, but it didn't seem to bother her.

She couldn't get enough of this floaty! Thanks Jill and Jerry!!

Ashton and Adam joined us a few times out in the water! He was taking notes from Elle, so he knows what to do next year!

Elle thought it was pretty cool that Auntie Amy had a floaty too. She thought she should try it out.

More playground fun, Daddy and Elle; Jill and Aiden.

Our last morning, breakfast on the beach! Nothing better!!!! (Ashton left, Aiden right)

Yummy, sand with your breakfast...

It is hard to believe another year has come and gone.

Our campsite decorations - pink flamingos and a sign showing all of the places we have lived and traveled! It sure gets a lot of people to stop and talk. (Elle is dressed for the picture, but you can't see. She is wearing her flamingo outfit)

It was a very different year having a mobile child, but we LOVED every minute (well maybe not the night Elle decided not to go to bed until 12:30am). Can't wait until next year!!

The cherry background was picked out by David, for Door County Cherries! Nice work David! :)