60 miles doesn’t get us to Wal-Mart Or McDonald’s

If we drive sixty miles from our home, we do not reach a Wal-Mart, a Target or a shopping mall of any type. Sixty miles doesn’t get us to a Starbucks or even a McDonald’s. At times that aspect of prairie living can make me crazy. Other times we are grateful for our remote living. It forces us to spend our time differently.

Like this weekend, we did not go to the movies or to the mall. We did not eat fast-food or slurp on a Starbucks.

Instead we drove sixty miles along the prairie hills to get to…

 here.
And it was here we nestled ourselves for forty eight hours of no technology and immersed ourselves in complete family time.

Last night after we arrived home, Nathan and I were talking about the benefits of our weekend together and how much fun it was. Camping is a lot of work but it is like family time on steroids.

(The above pictures have not been altered in any way…until my artist sister gets a hold of them. They are two of my favorite pictures I have ever taken and will be enlarged and framed for my home office and Nathan’s office walls, to remind us of our family summer fun.)

We spent hours this weekend playing outside together,

cooking over the fire and

cooking in the camper. 

We do not tent camp. Keys to our success in having family fun while camping include hot water, electricity and beds in a protected camper from the occasional wind and rain.

While Nathan, Hunter, Gpa Eldon and dog child Charlie caught walleye,

Miss E, Miss A, Gma Carol and I explored. E befriended the local bunnies and learned they cannot talk and live in holes.

We found pretty rocks and threw them as far as we could into the water.

It led us to being tired and dirty but nothing that a good…

bath in the camper kitchen sink could not fix.

We returned happy, relaxed and ready for the week.

There is no doubt we will drive the same sixty miles again this summer to have a repeat weekend of family fun on steroids soon. But right now…it’s Monday morning and I need a Starbuck’s. 

My mug of freshly ground Caribou will have to do. 

Happy Monday!