One of the best things that I did for my blog this year was incorporating Guest Bloggers.  While I enjoy writing and sharing information here, I have great friends and family that enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.  I am so thankful that each of these ladies took the time to share something special on my blog this year.  As I wrap up this year, my last post of 2017 is my way of thanking each of them for being a friend.  I am actually watching the Golden Girls while I write this.  More than a little fitting I think!

What I Learned About Camping This Year

Legion State Park was our first camping trip of the year.  The historic buildings on this site were beautiful.

Camping is a lesson in learning how to slow down, breathe and just live.  During my regular day to day, I'm rushing from one task to the next.  I'm scheduled months in advance for every facet of my life.  There is no better feeling than pulling into a campground to just shut it all out for a few days.

Top Five Posts This Year

2017 was an amazing year.  I feel a huge sense of accomplishment.  We completed over 80% of our pop up camper renovation.  There were also 5 great camping trips.  Reflecting back over 2017, here is a little review of our top 5 posts from this year.

How to Make Your Own Fabric Napkins with a Camping Theme

When my husband and I married almost 20 years ago, one of our first wedding gifts was a set of white monogrammed napkins.  I still love and use these napkins regularly.  I love fabric napkins.  Making your own is a humble project that works well for a novice.  You can customize the fabric, trim and everything to make your napkins reflect your own personality or decor.

Duraflame Cube Heater - Adding Warmth and Ambiance to Your Pop Up Camper

The Duraflame Cube heater puts out plenty of heat for a 400 square foot space.

Fall and winter camping may seem out of reach to some campers.  In fact, camping may be out of the question during extreme temperatures.  For us, in the deep south, camping really can be done in all four seasons.  Much of this is due to us having two seasons - hot and less hot.  Regardless of your region, how can you warm up your pop up camper if you don't have a furnace?

Camping Review - 2017 Rewind

Enjoying breakfast inside at our table on our last camping trip of the year.

2017 has been a great year.  We didn't get to camp as much as we would have liked.  Working to restore a camper is a huge task.  However, our hard work has paid off.  At the end of this year, I feel like we will be able to camp more in 2018.  And, we discovered some places we want to return to and places that we might not add back to our list.  This is my review of our camping trips for 2017.

Flannel Obsession - Simple Crafts for You or to Share

Henry Glass Woodland Retreat Flannel Fabric

Right now I'm a little obsessed with flannel.  It is cozy and soft.  With lots of luxurious colors and patterns, I keep finding one project after another that works with this fabric.  After finishing my flannel lap throws, I decided that I needed more flannel in my life!

Cozy Up with the Mach 10 - RV AC with Heat Strip

The Mach 10 unit we installed into our pop up camper has a heat strip to chase the chill on cool mornings.

Almost 1 year after purchasing Peggy Sue, we are still working on our camper.  We had three big projects to finish our work.  These projects included:  replace the AC, purchase a new canvas and paint the exterior.  In October, we replaced our existing AC unit with a Mach 10 by Coleman-Mach ®.  During our recent camping trip, we were able to test out the heat strip feature of the Mach 10.  You will be amazed at how warm we stayed on cold nights!

Friendsgiving - Oak Mountain State Park

Taking a walk after breakfast with our camping friends!

When most of us think of a traditional Thanksgiving, it is wrapped into a single day.  Activities and meals are many different things.  One common thread is that it is gathering day.  We gather as a family, group or friends or even a mixture of both.  My family has even included strangers or acquaintances to ensure someone had a place to go and gather.  This year, we celebrated both at home with family and at the campground.  A campground Friendsgiving is the best way to begin the holiday season!