McCarthy State Beach Park: take 2

We thought we would give this camping adventure another try. Last year it was officially claimed a disaster. This year we were beginning to think it was going to follow suit but it turned out great!

The Leppers and the Olsons headed to McCarthy State Beach Park on a 3 day fun filled weekend. We sat up late around the campfire, swam, fished off the pier, played the newly learned game of Old Maid, made s'mores and roasted the biggest marshmallow I have ever seen.

The old 1979 Starcraft Camper proved once again to keep us dry. When the rain cloud would pass over the campground we would all scurry into the camper. The kids in one end with games and DVD's and the adults in the other end with a beverage and a game that involved taking each others money. We figured out last year that the adults have to be at the end of the camper with the hitch attached or it would tip over!

The fishing pier that I didn't even notice last year proved to be a little hot spot. Bear bought the boys a spiderman rod to "share" and a can of corn. Pete soon found out that you can rent poles for free for 4 hours at a time. He would be up and waiting for the place to open at 9 am each day so he could get his rod for the day. The kids were catching sunnys at the end of the dock. Once a Northern came out to eat the sunny off the hook. Parker was entertained for hours, Emmitt was not so sure he wanted the fish flopping around in his face. This year the Park offered Geocaching. We again, rented for free for 4 hours (I was praying it wouldn't take that long!) a GPS unit and went hunting for treasure. It really was fun. The kids didn't mind that the end was just a chained up box where they got to take a Red Squirrel trading card from. They loved it.
The little umbrella stroller we had to buy last year from Walmart proved to come in handy once again. Someday we will get to bring the kids' bikes and let them ride around on those.

We are definitely still learning this whole camping thing. We forget or need something we didn't bring and have to make a list and put it in the camper. But the boys keep getting easier and easier.

The weekend passed quickly but we had a great time. We spent a lot of time at the beach. The beach is still the most gorgeous one around. If you mention McCarthy to somebody, they always respond with "I was there as a kid" or "That's the one with the beach that goes on forever right?!".

Emma lost an earring in the lake and since it's so shallow us 4 members of the rescue crew were able to recover it post and back!