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One of the things I’ve learned from camping that applies to other areas of life is that the better prepared and organized you are, the easier it is to relax and enjoy yourself. Extra batteries are always good, and knowing where they are is even better. There are plenty of camping checklists on the Internet. But this is what we bring when we go camping. (And thanks to my friends over at parentips.com for asking.) Family Camping Checklist For 2 adults, 3 kids, a station wagon and a seltzer maker. Important Things I.D./reservation info/directions/$ (wallet) Cel phone/charger Camera/batteries Sleeping Tent Tarps and rope Sleeping pads (we use foam mattresses from IKEA) Sleeping bags (kids) Sheets & blankets (grownups) Pillows Bear spray (pepper spray) – I keep this in the tent, figuring most bears would come when we’re asleep looking for food, not when we’re awake banging around Light & Fire Lanterns (battery-operated) Flashlights Batteries (+extras) Candles Matches and bic li...

Anybody know what kind of caterpillar this is? My daughter befriended him yesterday.

Someone left this in front of the house yesterday.

I may have mentioned that we always have steak the first night of camping. Often we just lay a big, fatty steak on a hot grill, season it with salt and pepper and call it a day. But when we have it together enough to plan something nice, this recipe of Pete’s is a great option.  Most of this gets prepared at home the day before! What's easier than that? The meal consists of: 1. Tortillas, warmed 2. Carne Asada (grilled, marinated beef brisket) 3. Pico de Gallo (fresh salsa) 4. Rocoto hot pepper sauce 5. Sliced avocado 6. Chopped white onion and cilantro 7. Ice cold beer 8. Optional: rice and beans Make everything the night before. All you need to do at the campsite is grill and slice the meat, warm the tortillas and slice the avocado. Genius, right? Beef Marinade Ingredients: 5 lbs. beef brisket (a nice, fatty meat) 6 cloves garlic, pressed salt & pepper, 1 t. each 1/4 c. beer 1/4 c. lime juice - the juice of 2 juicy limes or 4 not-so-juicy limes Preparation: ...

Hello, my friend. Allow me to go get my apparatus. Just like grownups, kids need little things to keep them happy, especially on camping trips. For some kids, a simple, wooden car and a pile of dirt will do. For others, something pink and sparkly is in order. Still others maintain a positive outlook with the help of a math workbook and a handful of sharp pencils. Here's a bunch of kid-tested, low-tech gadgets that will help a variety of individuals stay optimistic out in the wild: 1. A Compass.  The eternal question is: “How does the compass know which way is north?” The answer is: It’s magic. No, the real answer is that the needle on a compass is a teeny-tiny magnet and the North P ole is magnetic, so the magnet points to the North Pole. I mean, that’s basically it – it’s really called magnetic north, not the North Pole. But if I said that, I wouldn’t be able to work Santa Claus into the explanation. 2. A Magnifying Glass.  When your daughter befriends a giant,...