We are a busy midwestern family of 5.
Like most families with young children, we love finding ways to spend time together outside, away from the hustle and bustle of school, extra-curriculars and work.
One of our favorite places to be is the ‘up north’ family cabin.
We love the simplicity of our time there….throwing rocks into the lake, walking down the wooded drive, fishing off the dock, a quick swim or time in the sand.
There are endless collections…acorns, leaves, and rocks.
The cabin is a treasured place for three generations of our family. And, with that, many family traditions.
A trip to the local candy store, a boat ride to the only restaurant on the lake, meals outside on the picnic table and summer birthday celebrations.
Of course, there is one tradition that tops all others….the evening campfire!
Hardly does a weekend getaway go by without at least one evening campfire. At the announcement of a campfire, kids scatter, looking for twigs and branches to be used as kindling.
Recently, our kids have taken a more active role in building the fire itself (the favorite being tee-pee style).
From there, everyone gathers as the huge, red platter is brought to the fire….filled with marshmallow bags, grahm cracker packages and different varieties of chocolate.
Yes, sometime many different varieties! As happens with family traditions, they grow and change with time and generations.
No longer does the standard s’more suffice. Today we prefer S’more Creations and, as you’ll discover on this site, the Smore Tasting Contest is quite an event!
We cherish the memories made around the campfire…the crazy s’mores, the laughter, the silly songs, the great conversation.
Our mission with this website is simple: to encourage more outdoor family fun!
We hope your family and friends will find this website fun and useful as you start or adapt outdoor traditions of your own!