I mentioned earlier that we were in a cabin but I do want to make it clear that this cabin was a small building (about 12x12) with a heater in it. There's one nice sized window and a loft that's too short and high to be convenient or comfortable. There are 2 chairs, also. We put an air mattress on the floor to sleep. Oh, and it has a covered porch. The porch is used for a "kitchen" of sorts - there's a table and we put our bbq there.

No running water, no bathroom, but there is a generator for some short term electricity.

I went back up after church camp was over and stayed over another night. I was much more at ease and comfortable camping with just dh. I guess I felt very intimated by all those professional campers that bro't up a semi-load of gear.

Now I'm thinking I might like it if I could do it a few times and learn a few tricks. I despise taking a bunch of stuff!

I do see the need for a simple multi-use pot and pan and utensils.

I have to have a porta potty. I just can't go in the woods. (The church rented a honey hut for camp.)

What suggestions or favorite tricks do you have to make camping easy?

On a personal note, our camping trip was wonderful. The weather was great, there was shade, the sky was clear for watching the Perseids meteor shower and I saw 31 meteors in 30 minutes! I need to go more often to get a feel for the "fun" stuff like 4-wheeling and hiking.

We're tent campers, but we usually go to a campground with "facilities."

If given a choice, I don't ; )

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http://stuffedveggies.blogspot.com/

Paper products or plastic or plates and utensils from home?

Bathing: (assuming there are no facilities)

tub
camp shower
wet wipes
other

Toilet paper, toilet paper, toilet paper. Easy to prepare foods, paper products, especially if no water available, a shoe rack to keep dirt from being tracked all over and critters from climbing inside... all that said - I do not every camp by choice. ;P

Professional campers with loads of gear? I'd say the less gear, the more professional, so don't be intimidated. We use a tent and sleeping bags, no air mattress (except my mom uses one now). Paper dishes is best, but we've used ours from home, too. Toilet paper and a shovel, unless you're in a campground where there's an outhouse. I kind of have an outhouse phobia, though. I think we've camped a couple times where there are showers. Usually we use the rivers or a faucet. You're not meant to be clean in the woods, lol. We bring as little as possible. Tents, sleeping bags, chairs, a cooler, good food, camp stove, lanterns/flashlights, t.p., shovel and ax, bikes, games, backpacks with snacks and water for hiking.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).