Ahhh, The Great Outdoors...

We finally found some time this past weekend to escape to one of our favorite past-times: Camping.

But first I have to clarify. There are TWO different kinds of camping:

1) Princess camping

and

2) Camping camping

If you didn't know that there were two different kinds of camping, then chances are...You're a princess.

I am, at heart, a princess camper. I enjoy knowing that my nearest neighbor is only 10 feet from me and that I'm not surrounded by complete and utter darkness at night and left to the bears and cougars. I prefer knowing that the registration booth is only a paved loup away, and that if I get a little dirty, so are the showers. I also enjoy having all of our camping food in a nifty little cooler, having our airmatress that we can blow up thanks to our battery powered air-blower.

Will, is ALL about camping camping. "Princess camping? What is THAT?! You mean all you have to do is swipe your VISA card and they will deliver firewood to your campsite???" Will atually didn't even know that you could reserve campsites at state parks and camp and have such modern conveniences until a few years ago.

But this past weekend, we went camping the manly way: Camping camping.

We strapped on backpacks that are built to carry up to 50 - 60 lbs. All of our food fit inside, was either freeze-dried or granola. There were no showers where we went - only the icy cold glacier lake if you're brave enough. And you can't drive there. You must hike in - 3 miles in, 3 miles out. And your nearest neighbors are in fact, bears and cougars. (luckily ours were our friends Aaron and Erika).

So the four of us, after getting a late start Friday night after work, hiked up into a lake in the Cascades, pitched our tents, ate our scrumptous dinner of freeze-dried-just-add-boiling-water Chilly and Hawaiin Chicken, and went to sleep under a vast sky of the most brilliant stars you've ever seen.

(Erika and I soaking our feet in the lake....Brrrrrrr!)

(Aaron sunbathing upon the rocks)

(And Will sunBURNING upon the rocks)

P.S. This was not my first backpacking trip, and it was by far the easiest. Last summer Will and I backpacked 10 miles into a tiny lake in the middle of the Olympic Mountains, and I also backpacked for 2 weeks in the mountains with my grandparents, who have both been avid backpackers for 25 years.

But I still prefer the princess camping. :)