Halloween Camping Trip 2018

Halloween Camping Trip 2018

First off, this was our first camping experience with the Halloween Camping Weekend and it was a blast.  The consensus from the family was...BEST CAMPING TRIP YET!

The trip couldn't have started off any better.  I was able to get home right after school, beating the buses out of the building.  Kelly picked up the boys from school.  I was able to get home throw the last couple things in the camper, hook up, put the dog in the back and we were off.  We have never been able to get on the road before five o'clock before. 

The road to Lake Wappapello State Park is best of all state parks we have been to.  It is straight as an arrow until the last 15 miles.  It was cloudy when we got there, but the boys still wanted to run around and play.  Paxton of course, wanted to go down to the water and throw rocks.

The first evening at the campground is usually not that eventful.  I set up the camper and start getting the campsite ready while Kelly makes the beds and sets up the inside of the camper and the boys run around and explore.  I made a fire and we ate some hot dogs.  

I must say that the shower house at the Asher Creek campground at Wappapello is small, but it was very clean and the boys said they really liked it.  It has actual shower inserts instead of just concrete floor with a drain.  The boys and I showered and we came back to the camper for bed.

In the morning, I woke up and started cooking breakfast.  I try to make a hot breakfast for everyone when we are camping.  Bacon and eggs for Kelly and me, and waffles and bacon for the boys.  After eating it was time to head out.  We had a full day of adventures ahead of us. 

Right off the bat, the boys saw a big flock of geese.  They grabbed their iPads to take pictures and videos.

The view from our camp ground was AMAZING.  The camera DOES NOT do the colors justice.

Coffee and Chill

The boys and I went on a hike while Mom enjoyed another cup of coffee in peace.

Paxton was the Map Master on this hike.  He kept saying, "According to the map..."  When did he start saying all these adult phrases?

Best buddies...especially when we camp!

It was so beautiful!  Once again doesn't do the colors justice. 

Lake view all along the trail!

Love them!

When we got back from our hike, the camp hosts were driving around and delivering the questions for the scavenger hunt.  I love doing the activities at state parks.  I am kind of a nerd like that.  This is one of the reasons I will always vote for The Parks, Soil and Water Sales Tax to fund Missouri's State Parks.  This was just the first page.  There were 57 questions that took you all over the park to find the answers.

We started with a picture at the Welcome sign and what it said on the back.  We went to the park office to look through a bunch of brochures and get some buckeyes.  Then to the nature center to answer questions about animals found in the park.  

We also had to get a picture with a park employee.

We also had to hike a trail to an old family cemetery and take a picture with the angel.

There were lots of creepy old tombstones from the 1800s.  Camden was acting goofy and talking a hundred miles a minute.  I honestly think he was a little freaked out by it. 

It took about two and half hours to finish the scavenger hunt.  We had time to kill before the fall fest wrap-up party, so we carved some pumpkins!

This picture was taken right as a bee (attracted to the pumpkin guts) stung Paxton on the hand.  He was a trooper though.  Mom got his hand washed up and he wanted to get back to his pumpkin!

Pumpkins carved and off to the party!  I didn't really think to take pictures while we were there.  They had a big, hot bonfire and all the hot dogs and s'mores you could make.  They gave the boys a nice Halloween bucket and they got to go around and pick all the candy they wanted from other buckets.  Paxton went though and got all the M&Ms and spider rings, Camden, of course, was embarrassed by this.

They went over the scavenger hunt answers and we got second place.  With second place and answering some random trivia questions and distance traveled to the park, we walked away with some serious State Park Swag!

We won two free camping coupons to any State Park.

A Bass Pro Sleeping Bag

Lake Wappapello coffee mug

Lake Wappapello can koosie

Two big buckets of candy and glow sticks

Chocolate Bars and Marshmallows

This definitely made running all over the park worth it!

We headed back to the camper to light up our pumpkins.

I put together a special treat for the boys.  I rigged up an outdoor movie to enjoy.

While we ate candy, drank hot chocolate, and watched Monster House, I added a package of Mystical Fire @mysticalfiresa into the fire for some added spooky effect!

One package of this lasted almost 30 minutes!

Perfect evening!

Off to bed!

In the morning after breakfast I took Winston on the full two mile trail next to our campground.  I really love hiking and I like to take longer hikes that the boys just can't quite do yet. 

He was an excellent trail buddy!  He walked in front of me right on the trail the whole time!

Asher Creek Trail is one of my favorites that I have ever been on!

This pile of rocks is new.  I added my rock to the top for posterity.

Just amazed at how beautiful and peaceful it was.  I love getting away by myself for little bit to talk with God. 

After getting back from the hike the boys were doing puzzles in activity books they got from our scavenger hunt.  Kelly and I talked about how this is another reason we love camping.  Normally we would have just thrown something like that out, but in this setting, away from TV and video games, little puzzles and word searches become something they want to do.  

We finished the trip with another quick hike along the lake to soak up the view.  We went down to a point on the lake and the boys threw some more rocks and then it was back to the truck to head home!

Both Kelly and the boys say that this was their favorite camping trip that we have ever taken and I agree!  I feel so very blessed to be able to give my family these opportunities.  We have spent more quality family time since we started camping.  I love that we get to make these memories and hope that they are traditions that they pass down to their families some day!