Camping at La Manche

 After celebrating Canada day at a St. John's Branch BBQ (in record heat!), we drove straight to La Manche Provincial Park for our first family campout in Newfoundland.

At the BBQ this messy baby tried watermelon and loved it so much she bathed herself in it. Then she found a smashed jelly-donut in the grass and ate that too!

Then it was off to the lovely La Manche, about 30 minutes away. Since it was a Monday, we were just about the only campers there.

Helen happily watched us set up camp from her pack n play. It reminded me of when, at the exact same age, Ian sat in the same pack n play on his first family campout.

While Scott set up the tent, the boys added to their cap collection.

It was still hot that afternoon, so we followed a tiny trail from our site down to the lake. There was a nice little swimming area and the evening was beautiful. Helen sat with me in a shallow area and splashed and raked rocks toward herself for a good 30 minutes.

That night we grilled steaks and made homemade donuts (our best yet!). We set up Helen's pack n play in the van and then taught the boys Charades around the campfire. I won't ever forget Joseph acting out "backhoe" and "tree".

Around the time we put the boys to bed, it began to rain. I laid down in the van with Helen until it was dry enough outside to carry her to the tent, but that time never came! She and I ended up sleeping in the van all night, and even set off the car alarm when I leaned against the tailgate! At 7 the next morning the tent began to leak, so the boys gathered up their pillows and backpacks and dashed for the van. (And found Helen and I eating Oreo's for breakfast.) 

Scott collapsing the tent in the rain.

Even though we didn't get to see all La Manche had to offer, this trip was still packed full of special memories, and was my favorite Larson family campout EVER.

When we got home we started airing everything out. Doors are ideal for drying out sleeping bags!

It took two days of running two box fans constantly to get this tent to dry out in our basement. Then we had to mop up a whole forest-worth of dirt...

We are looking forward to lots more Newfoundland camping trips and hopefully a return trip to La Manche this summer.