What is a Camping Ninja?

I've always envied those seasoned camping ninjas.  You know, those campers who suddenly appear one day at a neighboring site.  We didn't even hear them set up.  The next day they are gone.  We might be in the process of trying our 100th match to light a fire in the drizzling rain.  The neighboring camp ninjas have opted for their electric cook stove, which is positioned under their lighted and screened meeting tent.  People can smell their expertly prepared meal from miles away.  I'm not ashamed to admit, I am a "camping ninja wannabe."  I realize that this goal is probably too lofty for me.  As a mother of three kids, and wife to a non-camping husband, the deck is stacked against me.  Most days I am doing well just getting all three children in the car with clothes and shoes on their feet.  On occasion, this has even proved too daunting!  "T" (my middle child) will never let me forget the time we showed up at the mall only to realize that he, then 5 years old, had forgotten to change out of his pajamas.  In my defense, he was wearing a coat.

Still, I am a dreamer.  I dream of that day when we make it through a camping trip without having to substitute a towel for a forgotten pillow.  I dream of the day when my family has become such a well-oiled machine that we can set up our tent, or take it down, without alerting the entire neighborhood.  Yes, I dare to dream.  In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy family camping imperfection.  Really, even with the raccoon invasions and leaky tents, camping is one of the best ways I have found for family bonding.  With the bad, we also get s'mores, banana boats, pink sunrises, lightening bugs, shadow puppets, and campfire stories.  Every camping trip gets a little bit sweeter.   

I invite you to follow us on our journey to camping greatness.  I am hoping that this blog can help us keep track of our favorite camp sites, meals, and camping tips.  If there is anyone out there who shares my dream of becoming a tent camping ninja, then maybe you can learn from our mistakes (and successes).  Since our family only camps in the summer, I also consider this an opportunity to sharpen my writing skills on a fun topic while out of seminary classes for the summer.  Now, where to begin...