Sometimes when we're feeling grouchy we just need to shake things up a little.
Coming home from a few days away takes a little getting use to. For all of us. The kids were frustrated, I was grumpy, and things weren't well for us yesterday morning. So I went into the basement and pulled out an old tent that the kids can easily set up by themselves. I dropped it on the picnic table (where they were sitting, being frustrated with something else). And they lit up.
The two of them spent the entire day setting up their "forest home", complete with a kitchen (made of our camp stove and a picnic table bench), bedrolls laid out, and wood gathered for a campfire. We walked to the coop and bought hot dogs (I know, I know.) to cook on the fire. (Pudgie pies use to be our go-to, but being gluten free makes for some challenging pudgie pies.) Sage whittled down sticks to roast them on.
Lupine and I juiced some of our foraged apples into cider to warm over the fire while Sage and Pete lit a fire without a match (using a magnesium fire starter and some cattail fluff).
The sun set and we and we ate a late dinner outside around the fire in our backyard in town.
And we crawled in and slept in the cool fall air in a tent, listening as town evening noises changed to quiet country noises during the night. (Viroqua is small. From my backyard I can hear cars on main street as well as cows and coyotes beyond the edge of town if the night is quiet enough.) When I woke to take Lupine to the bathroom in the middle of the night the stars were amazing. We stood and stared in disbelief. So. Many. Stars.
Sometimes we just need to shake it up a little. I'm so glad we did.
Backyard tenting is wonderful together time—away from all the distractions of the everyday. And just a little adventurous enough to be so much fun. Our daughter shares some backyard camping books here…for your next backyard camp out:
http://www.wordplayhouse.com/2011/08/books-for-kids.html
Happy camping!
Sweet! Thanks for sharing your list.
I think you hotdog comment was really funny, and also an example of your awesome parenting! i think it’s great to break the rules once in a while, especially with young kids. i love the look on my 2.5 year olds face when we let her do something that she thinks is against the rules, those looks i will remember forever!
and we really have very, very few rules, so it’s even funnier to me when she thinks it’s against the rules, but it really isn’t, lol.
Yeah, I think there was a collective gasp when I suggested hot dogs. They were thrilled with the sass of it all. 🙂 Then again, my kids think that raisins are contraband.
Sounds like so much fun!
Sounds like a fun shake up 🙂
The kids must’ve felt thrilled and excited while setting up the tent! Good thing you have a backyard to camp on. The stars could be the best view ever!
This is thrilling especially to the kids just imaging the experience up the tent a good bonding
wow backyard tents are beautiful and give a good experience especially to kids