Camping Out at Home

I think bedtimes around our house began their summer schedules sometime in May before school was out. The goal is for me to get the kids in bed before 9, but that hasn't happened. Life on the coast can be dreary, and when it stays light outside passed 8, it's a bonus we just can't avoid. Much of July was dreary. The rain came, and when it wasn't raining it seemed like we had many gray days. Our outdoor fun was limited.

The kids had been begging to sleep out in the tent like they did with Adam last summer, but it wasn't nice enough yet. So, Synnove suggested they sleep in their tiny play tents in the downstairs living room. Once I finally agreed that it was a good idea, the kids went straight down to start prepping for their good night's sleep. They crammed their tents with pillows, blankets and every stuffed animal they could find. There was absolutely no room for sleeping when they were done. Because the tents are so small, I said they could choose 2-3 animals and have one pillow. They both had to sleep diagonally in order to fit semi-comfortably, and they certainly couldn't stretch out straight.

Before Adam and I went to bed, we went down to check on them. Surprisingly, Synnove (the wiggle worm) was still nestled diagonally, while Soren was stretched out with his feet out of the tent and under the couch. I quietly moved them out from underneath the couch so that he wouldn't break his little legs in the middle of the night trying to free them.

They woke early the next morning. I asked the kids how they liked it. Synnove had fun, but Soren said "I didn't fit!"


Later in the month, the sun finally decided to show up. Adam and I had been busy for several days down in the shop cleaning and organizing. I came upon my old tent still wadded up and unfolded from last summer's little camp out. I carefully folded it up and crammed it back in it's bag only to see it return to the house a few days later and set up on the deck...*sigh* Even though it was the middle of the week, Adam agreed to sleep outside with the kids. I suggested they take out the little TV and VCR so they could watch movies out there. It was already late, but Adam hooked it all up and settled down to watch "The Voyage of Sinbad" while eating popcorn. Adam was snoring long before the kids settled down. I checked on them again at midnight and they were all sound asleep.

That was about two weeks ago...the tent is still out there waiting for ME to fold it up...again.