Backyard Campout

About a month or so ago I made one of those summer bucket list things that you saw floating around Pinterest.  I love summer for exactly the opposite reason of something like this.....having NOTHING to do, but knew if I didn't put some "to do's" on the fridge to stare me in the face each day, these three months would fly by all too quickly.

One of these activities was backyard camping.

I'll be the first to say that I am not a camping girl.

Why would you want to sleep anywhere else but your comfy bed?

But I'm married to someone who loves to camp and we both knew the kids would LOVE it.

So last Saturday we broke out the tent and our little camping adventure began around 4pm with tent construction.

During these two hours (not that it takes that long to put up a tent, but honestly I wouldn't know it since Andy, Addison & Graham did all the work.....)

Andy and I "discussed" whether this had really been a good idea after all.

I'm sure the neighbors got a real kick out of listening to some of this discussion of these All-American stellar parents who were just trying to do something fun for their kids.

Once the tent was finally up, and Andy had made a trip to Sports Authority for an air pump for the air mattress that actually worked. (Yes they slept on air mattresses....this was kind of "glamping").....then the fun really got started....and it was actually, FUN.

   ****Quick disclaimer in the interest of being real....

after yelling at the kids for "please just listen to us for once, stop yelling.....don't hit your brother....now get in that tent and pretend you're having fun"....they actually really did start to have fun.

  

then it was time for floating the river....or swimming in the spa. 

  This guy started swim lessons about 3 weeks ago (just once a week) and is the happiest swimmer dead weight in the water.  I'm so glad he's enjoying himself, but it's let's just say he has a long way to go.

Campout food = take out pizza

 As dusk fell it became time to break out the dollar store flashlights and glo sticks.

Then we tried to attempt another Pinterest item of S'more cones.

We were not huge fans of these.

Next time, we'll do the real thing.

After dessert, we took the kids on a star walk, which was actually great and so peaceful.

When we got back, we read some bedtime stories by flashlight in the tent.

and finally around 10 pm, it was.....