On Saturday after our awesome autumn morning in the city we went shopping for camping supplies (you know, marshmallows and hot dogs – the stuff that matters), came home, took a nap (because that’s what I do), and finished setting up camp.
The other day we took down the pool (that we put up on the back deck during the summer – we’re redneck like that, ask me about that porch couch some time) and we were sad as the water drained away. But since the weather was cooler we immediately began planning a camping a trip. Matt and I have taken the kids camping only once before and it was a blast. But this time seeing as how it was a major camping out kind of holiday (and we’re major anti-socialites) we decided the backyard would be best this time around. We were so right, but more on that in a minute.
For the record, Matt told us all to stand still for this tripod picture. He told us “stand as still as the Statue of Liberty”. That would explain the raised arms of my silly smart alec children.
We did all the camping required stuff even at home. We went looking for firewood. We sang songs. We looked at the stars (while lying on the trampoline – everybody with me now – redneck). And we took goofy ethereal campfire family pictures.
Back to that “it’s good we stayed home” story. Our tent that we only used once (but however allowed to blow up into a tree after letting it dry out from the rainstorm during aforementioned camping trip and got stuck there for a week – we were the talk of the neighborhood) and then neatly put away for 2 and a half years had issues. Like, the poles were broken – we used super glue and electrical tape (we were fresh out of duct tape, we are those people *sigh*). And we couldn’t find the cover thing – see the open mesh in that first picture up there?
So, about 10:05pm when we thought it was more like 2am, it was already getting cold in the tent with no cover on the top. Our air mattress (yes, I’m spoiled like that, I refuse to sleep on the ground) had a hole, and with the cold I was worried about my poor baby’s little cold bald head in the night. So we picked up blankets and babies, transferred them into their own warm beds, we retreated to the couch with our laptops and tv and called it a success!
And my favorite picture of the night that so captures the gentle side of my usually silly husband:
