Nature Mom
I didn't survive Cancer to die of stress.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2010
- Messages
- 747
I just noticed my ticker: it is less than a month! Just when I thought it would never get here, it is closer than I thought!
Had a week long camping trip to Jekyll Island (GA) 2 weeks ago to check out equipment again, test new stuff, etc. and I am glad I did. We didn't have the portable a/c yet (DH needed it for work still) but tested it at home. The A/C doesn't work in the tent because of the mesh...using a painters drop cloth between the mesh and rainfly and we are good to go!
Although I will admit that even with the high 90s on Jekyll, with only fans we were still okay. If I end up not having room for the a/c (because it can't be turned on it's side and it has to be plugged into a direct outlet, not an extension cord which is kinda impossible we found out in the backyard) we will be okay with just fans. It is all on how you vent and circulate.
My new-to-me Coleman kitchen was awesome! I got a rolling 3-drawer Rubbermaid type cart and used it for our pantry and I re-purposed a folding bakers' rack I had on my deck with collapsible storage boxes from the dollar store for silverware, coffee filters, etc.; a hanging plant/bird feeder post is perfect for a fan or a lantern. The cheap solar lights you can find most anywhere are perfect for marking the path at night. Will always keep those in my camping box now with my other lights, especially since they don't need even need a lot of solar to provide a night's worth of light. I posted pics of the set-up to facebook from my phone, ETA: 3 posts down have the pics finally uploaded from photobucket.
One thing I have decided is to always take my own folding table. I like how much more room we have in the screen room when we take the picnic table away. I will use the picnic table, just with a different canopy. We liked the smaller table better.
I also decided no more big air mattresses. Very uncomfortable every time someone else moves, and all the flopping down is more likely to make a hole in the seam (after 3 queen mattresses in less than 2 years, I speak from experience, lol). Twins from now on, although next time we will double up one on top of the other for DD11 and I, but when DS and DD16 join us, we will go back to single and let them have the extra mattresses. (Did that make sense? lol)
As you can see in previous photos, I like the rolling carts. We packed our items in the cart and took it with us that way. I had a very small bag our hanging items were in, which we hung on the closet (which is kinda messy in the next pic, but oh well...I was too tired to clean it up before the pic... and I know it is leaning, I was lying down).
I re-purposed a Mary Kay cosmetics hanging travel bag which has separate bags that can be taken off the hanging organizer. This is great for each person's toiletries. They can grab it and go without having to sift through a general bag of stuff or wait for stuff to come back from the bath house before you go. You can kinda see it on the side of the 'closet'. The hanging organizers were mostly for my folding clothes, extra washcloths or linens, etc.
A few things I added to the tent for the first time was a small garbage can, a full length mirror (you know the cheap skinny kind you can get for the closet door) and a candlestick lamp for light other than the lanterns. Next time, I don't even need the lanterns, the lamp is perfect. We also got a Coleman tent fan/light. It works noticeably enough that when the batteries went dead, I changed them pronto. Is it worth the $30? I like it enough to say yes. Those additions made it very comfortable camping.
I also decided to definitely take the little fridge to FW instead of re-icing every other day; to pack less pots & pans and less food (I always take too much food
), and to remember to keep set-up day and take down days at a minimum for other activities. I am going to give in and take a real t.v. this next time too. I just need to get a long enough cable cord and I will be set.
Sooooo....anyone else think I'm ready?
I can't wait!! 
Had a week long camping trip to Jekyll Island (GA) 2 weeks ago to check out equipment again, test new stuff, etc. and I am glad I did. We didn't have the portable a/c yet (DH needed it for work still) but tested it at home. The A/C doesn't work in the tent because of the mesh...using a painters drop cloth between the mesh and rainfly and we are good to go!
Although I will admit that even with the high 90s on Jekyll, with only fans we were still okay. If I end up not having room for the a/c (because it can't be turned on it's side and it has to be plugged into a direct outlet, not an extension cord which is kinda impossible we found out in the backyard) we will be okay with just fans. It is all on how you vent and circulate. My new-to-me Coleman kitchen was awesome! I got a rolling 3-drawer Rubbermaid type cart and used it for our pantry and I re-purposed a folding bakers' rack I had on my deck with collapsible storage boxes from the dollar store for silverware, coffee filters, etc.; a hanging plant/bird feeder post is perfect for a fan or a lantern. The cheap solar lights you can find most anywhere are perfect for marking the path at night. Will always keep those in my camping box now with my other lights, especially since they don't need even need a lot of solar to provide a night's worth of light. I posted pics of the set-up to facebook from my phone, ETA: 3 posts down have the pics finally uploaded from photobucket.
One thing I have decided is to always take my own folding table. I like how much more room we have in the screen room when we take the picnic table away. I will use the picnic table, just with a different canopy. We liked the smaller table better.
I also decided no more big air mattresses. Very uncomfortable every time someone else moves, and all the flopping down is more likely to make a hole in the seam (after 3 queen mattresses in less than 2 years, I speak from experience, lol). Twins from now on, although next time we will double up one on top of the other for DD11 and I, but when DS and DD16 join us, we will go back to single and let them have the extra mattresses. (Did that make sense? lol)
As you can see in previous photos, I like the rolling carts. We packed our items in the cart and took it with us that way. I had a very small bag our hanging items were in, which we hung on the closet (which is kinda messy in the next pic, but oh well...I was too tired to clean it up before the pic... and I know it is leaning, I was lying down).
I re-purposed a Mary Kay cosmetics hanging travel bag which has separate bags that can be taken off the hanging organizer. This is great for each person's toiletries. They can grab it and go without having to sift through a general bag of stuff or wait for stuff to come back from the bath house before you go. You can kinda see it on the side of the 'closet'. The hanging organizers were mostly for my folding clothes, extra washcloths or linens, etc. A few things I added to the tent for the first time was a small garbage can, a full length mirror (you know the cheap skinny kind you can get for the closet door) and a candlestick lamp for light other than the lanterns. Next time, I don't even need the lanterns, the lamp is perfect. We also got a Coleman tent fan/light. It works noticeably enough that when the batteries went dead, I changed them pronto. Is it worth the $30? I like it enough to say yes. Those additions made it very comfortable camping.
I also decided to definitely take the little fridge to FW instead of re-icing every other day; to pack less pots & pans and less food (I always take too much food
), and to remember to keep set-up day and take down days at a minimum for other activities. I am going to give in and take a real t.v. this next time too. I just need to get a long enough cable cord and I will be set. Sooooo....anyone else think I'm ready?
I can't wait!! 
The little boxes on top of the shelves fold down flat too. Found those at the Dollar store. 
Kiddo asked if she could start packing yet last night and I told her she could go ahead and keep things to the side that she knew for sure she wants to take. Helps me too, that way there won't be a last minute clothes washing and drying scramble because what she wanted was in the laundry. Win/win for us both! 
You'll love it there. Just a really nice place to camp, very warm friendly people on the island and great places to visit while there, so many that are free or very, very cheap. We had a great time. 
