Backyard Campout

Sanford couldn't make it to the Spring Cub Scout campout, so I knew I was going to have to put up the tent by myself.  I thought it might be a good idea to practice,,,since I had never done it before and tend to have some eye/hand coordination problems as wells as some slight issues with patience and following written directions.

Setting up the tent went as well as could be expected...It was 90 degrees out, I chose to do it around noon and the tent seemed to think it would have a better time if I just left it in the bag.  I feel it was a HUGE personal victory that after having to insert and remove every pole 3 different times the whole thing isn't sticking out of my trash can!

 

Okay...and there's the fact that Connor thought it was the coolest thing ever!!  Sanford was setting up for a dance, so Connor and I made a night of it...

We had treats...

including stove-toasted s'mores...tasted just like the real thing, but without the ashes!

We played a couple of board games and watched a movie (Indian in the Cupboard....which was surprisingly good) with popcorn.  Connor was really excited to go sleep in the tent, so we didn't even make it to the end of the DVD.  We layered up, took the hand cranked flashlight, and headed off to the backyard.  We lasted until about 3am.  Connor had been awake for about 45 minutes and claimed he could hear "EVERYRTHING" and it was keeping him awake.  I realized I'm not getting any younger and there was a warm, soft bed 20 yards away...

We left the tent up all week and the kids played in it every day...so I guess all the sweat and swearing were worth it.

Turns out that the Spring campout was at Balboa Park...the misery of setting up was a little too fresh in my mind to justify resetting up the tent I had just taken down the day before 20 minutes from home so we could sleep out under eucalyptus trees lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of freeway traffic...yeah...we just went for the day.