Dollface...CindyC

We have one very similar to this one. http://www.campchef.com/classic-12-dutch-oven.html The pies are the best! I can't seem to get the right flavor when I use the oven.... not sure if that's the charcoal, but they are the best ever.

sure I'm in.

We are doing the YES program in 3 weeks. I'll let you know how we like it.

Gretchen. I use a stainless steel 9" pie plate. For recipes I just use old family ones (pumpkin is off the side of the canned pumpkin). Ken starts charcol then puts 17coals on the bottom (either in the dirt, or on the charcol stove) puts the 10" Dutch oven on top--the thing has little feet) then i put the pie in on top of 3 small similar size stones for air flow. Put top of oven on and put 15 coals on top. Let sit 30 min. Check pie. Move coals to make sure crust browns evenly. Cook 30 min more. Enjoy! Apple Pie 5-6 apples (all different kinds) washed & cut up to cubes-I leave the peal

It's 4am and I'm finally caught up! This really looks like a Dream vacation. I'm a morning person too.

TCD you totally ROCK! thanks for the update.

TCD. Can you use a Disney gift card on the cruise ship?

any more news?? I hope everyone is okay.

Looks amazing already!!! Can't wait to read more.

Thanks TCD for the nice comments. I'm so blessed with Ken's family! His Mom and Dad are amazing! He has an older sister and 2 younger brothers. Michelle (she's the one in the scooter--she has spina bifida, hence the scooter) She's married w/ 3 kids, 2 boys ages 14 & 11 and a 7 yr old girl. David is married w/ one child a 6 yr old girl, and Joey is also married w/ 2 girls ages 6 & 5. So lots and lots of little girls!!! All four of them all had girls w/in 13months of each other!!! how cool is that? So, we all try to camp at this campground the first week in July every year. ne

Bill, Yes Hampton does free concerts in the new Half shell and Fireworks on Wednesday nights! Salisbury does free concerts in the center and Fireworks on Saturday nights. We could see the Salisbury fireworks well from our site, but the Hampton ones, not so much... There was someone on Plum Island that shot off his own private show almost every night and those were wonderful from the roof of our camper.

I feel like I was there!!! Thanks Curt.

Here's a photo of the River. We are on the campground side and you can see Plum Island across the river. That's Ken in the water starting a water fight w/ all the kids.

Great update! made me laugh out loud! Can't wait to read more. :-)

Ohh. and here's a tease for those car fans out there. our 100 yr old 1912 Model T Ford. :-) Ken restored it back in 1997.

Yes, if I have time, I cook a pie almost every night. (or we eat the leftovers if we didn't finish the pie that night. Ha ha ha--didn't finish the pie -- ha ha ha).

Hi Lou! Nope, no amusement park anymore. You would be appalled at how the 'center' has changed! They are trying to revitalize it, but it's a lot of condo's and discount stores now. But a few vestiges of the old days remain. Happy's Fried dough and Lemonade (the best anywhere). Tripoili's Pizza, Cristy's pizza (which were you?) Joe's Playland, Carefree Arcade and Willy's ice cream are among the remaining places. The state reservation now has 484 camp sites and is extremely popular.

Thanks Sommer. The girls are part of the O'Halloran Irish Folk Dancers. It's a non-competitive troupe of all ages. They dance at nursing homes, hospitals and community events only. I love it and so do the girls. We really had a wonderful week at the beach. It's always so great when the weather cooperates!

we'll be there for our first trip Aug 19-31! hope we can meet up! Good question, I'll be checking back for more answers.

Most nights you could find the entire family around the campfire. Roasting marshmallows and eating a freshly baked pie ( Sat was Mixed berry pie, Tuesday was Apple/cranberry pie, Thursday was Pumpkin and Sat was Mixed berry again by request). YUMMY!!! We carry a cast iron dutch oven w/ us and I love to bake. ;D The kids had a great time riding their bikes and doing crafts together. The adults had fun to. Here's Ken and his brother's playing badminton with their dad. When we didn't head to either the river or beach, the kids cooled off w/ the slip-in-side Ken's brother brought along. W

Ok, now that I've got the photo thing down (so sorry everyone!!! ) Back to the report. We usually camp at this state park over the July 4th week w/ my husband's family (His Mom & Dad, 2 brothers & their families & his sister and her kids). There were 5 campers plus one tent all in back to back sites. We had a great time! The girls and I woke early on Saturday morning and went for a quite and peaceful walk along the river. The campground is right on the junction of the Merrimack river and the Atlantic Ocean. So, we have both the river and ocean to play in. The best of both

Ok, trying Photo bucket. Here's Kylie -she's 6 and going into First Grade. She also love Irish Step dancing and is just growing up so fast.