Camping Out

Last spring as I was meandering around our neighbors yard sale I noticed there was a tent for sale.  It was bundled up in a package but it looked like it could be pretty big.  I asked W how much it would cost.  He looked at his wife and they shrugged at each other.  He then turned to me and said "$20?" to which his wife exclaimed "Twenty??"  So W quickly revised his answer to "$10?" I said "Hmm.  Is it in good condition?"  and he said it was, it was just missing the cap that goes over the top to keep the rain out.  I figured surely we could get by without that.  Afterall, we were only planning on using it in our backyard.  If it rained, they could just come back in the house.  Sold.

W carried it across the street for me (keep in mind this was last spring when Aren was still a bulge in my belly).  I showed the package to Biju when he got home and then we put it away. 

And away it stayed for the whole blistering summer. 

Finally, with Fall knocking on our doorstep, we figured it was a good time to set up the tent and give the boys a tamed-down camping experience.

Biju went out and bought the needed groceries.   Hot dogs, buns, graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate.   Then we tried to set up the tent.   There were no instructions. Biju had never been camping before and I was just trying to remember how we set up tents in our yard when I was growing up.  I'm sure if you could've peeked over our fence you would've giggled at our attempts.

As you can see, we did get it put up.  There was even a topper - it certainly looks like something to keep the rain out.  Too bad we never figured out how to get it all put together the right way.

It ain't pretty, but it was sturdy enough to get into.  And to keep the wind off - the wind that wrapped the sheets around the line there in the background!

With sleeping arrangements in place (Biju would sleep in the tent with Ajay and Alex while I slept in the house in my comfy bed and Aren would sleep in his crib.) we headed to the garage to turn on our gas grill.  Time for s'mores.  (That's right, we were really roughing it!)

Ajay loved his S'more.  Alex didn't care as much for his. He ate a bite or two, got some on his PJs and gave me the rest.  After changing jammies, we got some paper, books and flashlights to go inside the tent.  We read a couple books, played shadow puppets and made some paper crafts - like this hat that Ajay made.

And Daddy made some airplanes for the boys to toss around.

Then it was time for bed.  The true test.  Would the boys actually sleep outside?  Could Mommy and Daddy keep their patience as the boys waffled between if they were brave enough or if they wanted to be inside.  Alex chose to stay in the tent, Ajay decided he wanted to sleep inside.  Then Ajay decided he wanted to go ahead and try sleeping outside.  Then Ajay and Alex both decided they were afraid of the wind and nighttime noises and they wanted to come in. 

So we set up an indoor tent.

But for some reason even this just wasn't right.  I'm thinking Ajay thought there wasn't enough room for both him and his brother. 

In the end everyone slept in their beds like any other night.  But at least we had fun while it all lasted and we can now say we tried our hand at camping.