A Week Away From Reality– RV Camping in James Island County Park
Spring break 2012 was really rockin’! We drove up the coast to Charleston, South Carolina, for the week and camped at James Island County Park, the closest campground to downtown Charleston.
In addition to all the great touristy activities, we had a blast camping. Just minutes from downtown, James Island County Park is a 643-acre oasis. Super-well cared for and maintained, there were countless things to occupy our hours.
The kids spent hours digging in the dirt and catching caterpillars. Those things were everywhere! We were picking them off our clothes all week! There were three great hiking trails we walked numerous times and a gigantic playground. The RV lots were large and semi-private and the camp store had all sorts of neat trinkets as well as bug spray, fishing supplies, and basic food supplies. This may just have been the nicest campground we’ve stayed at thus far!
Text
My brother and sister-in-law and their kids came out to visit us several times and we had a ton of fun camping together. The kids played and got completely filthy. Everyone stayed up way past their bed times, ate lots of sugery smores, and burned off the energy on the trails and playground.
We love camping. It’s way cheaper than a hotel room in a good hotel, plus we have all the comforts of home right at hand. If the kids may a huge disaster, it’s no big deal. We spend way more time outdoors than we do at home and get more family time too. We love our RV!
Escaping Reality One Internet-Free Day in the Woods at a Time
We love camping. Plain and simple. One weekend in the RV seems like a week and sometimes we just need to escape from reality. Not only had it been a few months since we had last been camping as a family, but some unfortunate drama left me stressed and in dire need for a break from the every day. After Hubby got out of work Friday afternoon, we packed up the camper and headed for the beach. Now that is just what the doctor ordered.
Playing Outside is Fun!
Mama's Hiker!
We love Kathryn A. Hanna Park, next to NAS Mayport, and have camped there three times now. It’s less than an hour from home and the campground is wooded with hiking trails, a lake, and the beach within walking distance. Perfect! The kids love the hours of outside play time and exploring and I love the fact that we’re all so much more active than normal. Saturday alone, we hiked for over 4 hours!
Look at those waves! Stormy Seas
It's Windy!
I love you, Daddy!
This weekend turned into an unexpected Internet diet. Once we were settled, I booted up my laptop and attempted to connect to the Internet. I’m doing Weight Watchers Online and wanted to log my afternoon snack. To my surprise, there were no networks to be found. I told Hubby, and he said, “There’s no Internet. Did I forget to mention that?” Hmmm. Not the end of the world. I shut down the computer and recorded my food log on paper. It was surprising how much more family time we spent together with no Internet! An Internet-free diet is exactly what we need sometimes.
We hiked to the beach on Saturday morning but didn’t stay long. While it was merely breezy in the Florida forest, the wind was scathing on the beach. It practically blew me over! We weren’t there more than 5 minutes before heading back inland. The weekend was overcast, breezy, and a bit chilly, but we didn’t mind too much. In the woods, the wind was very bearable. At least we didn’t have to worry about sunburns this time!
Relaxing in the RV
The day seemed to go on forever. We played inside and hiked outside. We all took naps and read lots too. We roasted smores over the fire in the evening and just plain relaxed. That was so nice. Our everyday life is so busy and hectic, we don’t often have the time or opportunity to just relax. That what makes camping so great. Rather than run around getting things done and surfing the Internet, we talked and spent the entire time together. Family time is great. 
This was our first time out as a family in the new RV. We upgraded to a larger camper with a bunkhouse for the kids (4 bunks for 4 kids!). Our first camper had 2 bunks and we thought we could put 2 kids in each bunk. Unfortunately they wouldn’t stop goofing off and kicking each other. The new RV also has a deep slide so that we have a living area. This is so nice! Now when Bella throws tantrums on the floor, we can walk around her rather than step over her. 
The added space makes camping so much more enjoyable. We all slept much more soundly and were less stressed.
Playing in the dirt never gets old
Smores!
Roasting Marshmallows!
Mommy and Derek Lovin'
RV’ing is a blast. If you’re thinking about it, though, keep in mind that it is a lot of work. The inside and outside of the RV require a lot of cleaning and maintenance. Be prepared for washing the outside walls to keep them clean, as well as lots of housekeeping inside. The kids tracked in so much dirt and sand it was amazing. I’m glad that the new couches are leather, though, because they are much easier to clean than the cloth furniture we had before. I had to scrub down the furniture several times during the weekend. There’s also an endless stream of dishes and laundry, plus beds to make, food to supply an prepare, and much more. Camping is fun… and a bit tiring for mom and dad! As we loaded the last of the food, supplies, clothes, toys, etc into the RV Friday evening, my neighbor joked and said, “You guys already look exhausted!” Funny thing was that it was true! It is a lot of work prepping for a camping trip with 4 young kids! I was tired before we even got on the road. Whew!
Is it worth it? Definitely. I certainly prefer going out for longer periods of time because we can spend more time camping and less time on prep and clean up. It took me all morning Friday to prepare all the supplies and then all Sunday morning to clean the camper inside and out. Our only real day to play was Saturday. It was still nice to get out and I’m sure it’ll be easier as the kids get older and can help out a bit more with the chores. Camping with kids can be crazy, but it’s also a ton of fun.
I’d definitely recommend RV’ing to anyone who is up for an adventure. Just don’t expect it to be all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a lot of work and can be frustrating too. RV’ing forces you to work together and overcome challenges, and also opens up a whole new world of exploration and outdoorsy fun. We love camping. It’s one of the highlights of our lives. I can’t wait to see what other camping adventures 2012 has in store. Perhaps a cross-country road trip?
Our Living Room
Ethan stands in the kid's bunkhouse
Day 7: Unpleasant Frozen Surprises and Alex’s Seventh Birthday!
Seven years ago today, we welcomed a tiny, 6 lb 3 oz bundle of screaming, blonde-haired girl into the world on a cold, icy day in Kansas. She’s grown into a vibrant, smart, funny, and sassy little lady. Miss Alex celebrated her seventh birthday today!
Quite fittingly, it was also a cold and icy day in North Georgia. Quite unfortunately, our fresh and gray water pipes had frozen. What does this mean? We could neither empty our sewer or dirty water (sink and bath) tanks, nor get fresh water in. This is not good. Not only is it highly inconvenient and rather smelly, but it adds a ton of weight to the vehicle and we needed to check-out of Stone Mountain Campground. The RV started smelling like an outhouse and the sink was full of dishes I couldn’t wash. Outside, the frigid air registered at around 22 degrees. Brrr! Alex and I hurried to the campground showers for some cleanup time. A plus was that the hot water there actually lasted longer than it does in the RV! When we were fresh and dressed, we secured everything we could inside the RV for travel and hoped for the best.
We got on the road shortly after 9 am, hauling an extra 600+ pounds of frozen water and sewage. The poor truck was really grumbling climbing those hills! It sucked but we didn’t have a choice. We hoped that the warming temperatures would help everything thaw as we drove. The roads weren’t too bad at all and we didn’t encounter any ice.
Hubby wanted to stop at Bass Pro Shops in Macon, Georgia, for a break about 1 1/2 hours into the trip. We pulled into the back of the parking lot where there was a ton of space, shopped for a while, then made a picnic lunch in the RV. After a bit of air freshener, it wasn’t too bad. I opened the windows for air and made everyone sandwiches, yogurt, and milk. One awesome thing about traveling with an RV is that it’s so easy to stop and have a picnic! All the food and supplies we needed were readily available, as well as a table and chairs to sit and a contained area for Bella to wobble around in like a crazy lady. Once everyone was full and ready for a rest, we loaded back into the Armada and hit the freeway once more.
All 4 kids napped a bit on the drive to Metter, after Bella came to the sad realization that she wouldn’t be let out of her car seat no matter how many times she yelled, “Out!!! Mama, Dada, Out!!!!!” Poor baby. We got into Beaver Run Campground a little after 3 pm and were very happy to find that the nasty, frozen mess waiting for us had thawed! We quickly hooked up to the sewer line and drained everything. Then we ran through lots and lots of hot water to make sure those pipes were cleared of ice. Tonight we’re running a bit of water through constantly to try and avoid the same problem. Live and learn, right? Live and learn.
The kids played outside the rest of the afternoon. Alex’s big birthday bash was yesterday even though today is technically her birthday. She played with her Rebecca doll all day long. The highlight of her afternoon today was helping wash the loads and loads of laundry at the campground laundromat and building houses and castles out of pinecones. Yes, we are terribly exciting people. Hubby made a yummy chicken dinner, we all washed in a working shower, and turned the heat on high. It’s amazing how one takes the small things like running water and a working bathroom for granted… until they’re gone. I am very, very thankful for running water and not having to run through 22-degree-morning-air to use a shower!
Alex’s seventh birthday was full of traveling. I think she’s really enjoying a week’s worth of celebrating. It’s a coincidence that Hubby’s Christmas leave period fell on the week of her birthday, but it has worked out well. She’s already asking to spend next year’s birthday in the RV as well. We’ll see. I don’t think I’m overly fond of camping in sub-freezing weather. I guess it largely depends on where we are in the country next January. Regardless, it has been a birthday to remember… for all of us!
Related articles
- Day 2: Stone Mountain, Georgia! The RV Adventure Continues! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 6: A Very American Girl Birthday (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 1: Beaver Run Campground in Metter, Georgia! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 4: A Gorgeous Antebellum Plantation, Long Hikes in the Wilderness, an Awesome New Playground, and Smores in Stone Mountain, Georgia! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 3: Sledding and Snowball Fights, Perching on a Mountain Top, Exploring Winter Village, and Late-Evening Fireworks! Happy New Year from Stone Mountain! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
Day 4: A Gorgeous Antebellum Plantation, Long Hikes in the Wilderness, an Awesome New Playground, and Smores in Stone Mountain, Georgia!
Happy 2012! The campground quickly emptied this morning as weekend campers headed back to their everyday lives. The campground was so crowded yesterday there wasn’t an empty lot… today it’s more than half empty. I like it because the Internet connection is quicker…and because we have a straight shot to the lake now without having to walk through people’s yards. It’s quieter too and we don’t have to feel like the poor kids on the block surrounded by $200,000 A-class RV’s while we hang out in our $15,000, 23-foot Camper. All around, it’s a good day.
A beautiful Canadian Goose on the Lake
The view from our camping lot
Stone Mountain Lake
Our little home away from home!
Our morning got off to a slow start and consisted of doing laundry at the little campground laundromat and cleaning out the dirt and sand packed into our floormats and tile. Ick. Kids are kinda gross and they go through so much laundry, especially when playing in the dirt and forest. Ew. Everyone made their beds and picked up their belongings. When the laundry was done and we once again had spare clean clothes, we headed out into the wilderness on a nice long hike. The kids love, love, loved climbing little rock formations and fallen trees and carefully making their way over tiny creeks. I thought they’d get worn out but no such luck. Derek in particular never stopped running! I love spending time in the great outdoors with them. It’s so healthy and so fun too. Even bitty Bella hiked today!
The boys love hiking!
Explorer Girls
A Family of Hikers
On the drive home, we stopped by the Stone Mountain Children’s Playground. It was a ton of fun! The kids ran and climbed for another hour before we dragged them away for some lunch!
We love a good playground!
After lunch and rest time, we headed out to visit the Antebellum Plantation. Stone Mountain Antebellum Plantation is a collection of historic homes from all over the state of Georgia, built between 1783 and 1875. Each house is completely decked out in period furniture and decorations and is in great repair. I love the Antebellum Plantation!!! Here are some of my favorites:
The Dickey Plantation Home:
Look how gorgeous the entry is!
Now let’s take a look inside this historic beauty. I would like to live here.
Bella and I in front of the parlor
Every Lady Needed a Fine Parlor!
The kids and I in the Dickey House Gardens
The one-room schoolhouse was neat and the kids loved pretending they were at school. Alex makes quite the “Headmistress.” She is bossy enough! ;-)
Headmistress Alex
The farm area was fun, full of goats, pigs, and sheep to pet. I had to constantly remind wild child (aka Derek) to “Stop running! Stop running! Stop running!” Eventually we had to just take him out of the petting area. The other kids were calm and really enjoyed the animals. Bella thought they were super cool. I loved seeing the old carriages.
Here are some more random shots from our time in Antebellum Plantation:
Slave Cabin
Colonial Home
Pioneer Log Cabin
Beautiful Old Home
My Handsome Derek, Age 3 1/2
Our whole family in Antebellum Plantation
Dinner consisted of grilled turkey burgers, pasta salad, and vegetables al fresco by the fire. We roasted smores too and finished our meal by the light of the fire and lantern. These early sunsets are killer! Since neither of the boys took naps and it was showing, they went to bed a bit early. Bella “helped” me with the laundry and dishes while Hubby and Alex went to the last night of Winter Village. They had so much fun, and Hubby brought the camera to get some pictures for me!
Winter Village
Alex next to an awesome tree
Another day down, another adventure done. Tomorrow: Atlanta!
Related articles
- Day 2: Stone Mountain, Georgia! The RV Adventure Continues! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 1: Beaver Run Campground in Metter, Georgia! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
- Day 3: Sledding and Snowball Fights, Perching on a Mountain Top, Exploring Winter Village, and Late-Evening Fireworks! Happy New Year from Stone Mountain! (homeschoolinghelicoptermama.wordpress.com)
RV Adventures! Bugs, Bears, and the Best Time Ever
- Our Little Home Away From Home
One great thing about homeschooling is that you can choose when to take vacations. We did school all summer to beat the intense heat. It was time for a break. Public school started this week in Duval County, but we were nowhere to be found. Instead, the Melville kids were vacationing at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Camping Resort in Madison, Florida!
Since school was in session, we had the resort to ourselves (save for 1-2 other RV’ers). 125 acres of fun and adventures awaited us. There was a giant water slide, many lakes for paddle boating and swimming, trails for hiking, a pool, mini golf, games, two playgrounds, and lots of trees for climbing. We played for hours each day, getting absolutely filthy and loving it.
On our first weekend, the Southern Gunslingers were in town and put on some crazy wild-west shootout shows, complete with costumes and guns that fired blanks. The older kids thought this was great… the younger ones were terrified. Derek couldn’t stop watching, so long as he could do so from the safety of the RV. If we were outside at the time of the shows he would scream at the top of his lungs. Now he won’t stop pretending to shoot things. He’s a “pirate cowboy.” I guess that combines his two biggest interests.
The sandy shores of the lake were a huge attraction to the kids. They loved the playground, and also just plain playing in the sand. The lake itself was awesome, warm and inviting. The kids loved wading in the water and trying to “catch” fish with their hands. For some drier lake time we tried paddle boating for the first time… and second, third, fourth, fifth…. We saw lots of wild egrets and cranes, dragonflies and scores of butterflies.
The bugs were pretty ferocious, but that’s Florida in the summer for you. The bears… well… Yogi Bear did visit our campsite. Derek was initially curious but then retreated. We discovered a couple of great antique shops in the small, historic town of Madison and went on a historic tour of their downtown area. There wasn’t a whole lot to do in the area but enjoy the great outdoors. This was our biggest and longest RV adventure yet… and it was a learning experience. 23 feet of living space gets very, very cramped with 6 people! The little kids were constantly underfoot. This did have one benefit… we spent most of the time outside! Did we get completely turned off from RV’ing because of the close quarters, messes, hot and humid weather, and midnight laundry-mat run? Nope. We’re already planning our next adventure. Are we crazy? Sure, a little. You have to be a bit crazy to have 4 kids… and love the military lifestyle.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Florida: http://yogicampingflorida.com/
A Lovely Shot of the Lake
Mini-Golf Was a Favorite Activity-- We Did It Every Day!
Derek Meets Yogi Bear
Brothers on an Adventure
We Did a Bit of School When It Was Too Hot To Play
