outdoor camping, swimmingThe best and most vivid memories of my childhood are those of my family and I going outdoor camping.  Every morning, Mom would use her camping cookware to whip up a meal fit for kings while we snuggled deep into our sleeping bags to escape the crisp chill in the air.  There was just something about the calm and quiet of the forest that melted all my cares away.  While Mom cleaned up around the campsite, my Dad, brother and I went swimming.  There is no better rush than swinging on a rope from one side of the river to the other, never knowing whether you will drop into the cool water below.  It brought me back to life and awakened my senses.

While outdoor camping, the smells are what entice me the most.  The campfires at night between the sharp pines are the most wonderful smell in the world.  Even the smell of the dirt and bug spray on our clothes after putting them back on from swimming is intoxicating and wonderful.

I can't wait to share the love for outdoor camping with my own family!