Backyard Camping

Oh my, I have so many pictures and updates to post, but alas...it's just not going to happen.  The short version is....baby.  How in the world I manage to do NOTHING all day and still feel busy and exhausted is beyond me.  Keeping Albert alive and fairly happy while two screaming girls run around and trash my house is HARD WORK, people!  So, the blog suffers.  Oh well.

I did want to hop on and post about one awesome event that took place at our house recently: Sylvia's first "camp out!"  She got a sleeping bag for Christmas two years ago - not a slumber party princess sleeping bag, either.  She got the real deal, 15 degrees below zero, zips all the way up and around your head sleeping bag!  So far, all she's done is dragged it out of her closet and filled it with her tea party toys.  But she's been begging to go camping for months now, so we decided to pitch a tent in the backyard and see how she fared.  If all went well, she could go on a real camping trip....someday.  If not, that was okay, too. 

Helping Daddy prep the fire

Albert, Margot and I were there for s'mores, but we all "slept" in our own beds!

Hiking

 When Sylvia wanted to walk in the creek, I told her she was welcome to try it, but I was staying in the grass.  Margot was determined to follow Sylvia.  When her tiny cowgirl boots kept tripping and getting stuck on all the foliage between the path and the creek, I said, "Margot, why don't you just stay over here with Mommy?"  She said sternly, "No, Mommy.  I go with Sil-ya."  Sigh.  There goes my baby, following that big sister and leaving Mommy behind.  I have a feeling it'll only get worse from here!

Sylvia found her marshmallow roasting stick

aaaaand Margot found a Harry Potter wand.

Carving the roasting sticks

Sylvain says this next picture completely captures our summer: new AC unit, garden, toys and a tent.

 
She was pretty darn excited about the whole event.  

Margot got to play in the tent for a while

Discussing the rules and procedures for a successful night in a tent.

 After I put Margot and Albert to bed, I went out to check on the campers.  Here's what I saw:

Apparently it was really hot in there, even though it was one of the coolest nights we've had all summer (eventually it got down into the 50's!).  Sylvain took his shirt off to sleep, so of course, Sylvia had to take her nightgown off, too!  Silly goose.

Sylvain sent me a text around 10:00 saying Sylvia wanted her dou dou bunnies.  They came inside at 11:30 to pee and went right back out.  I thought for SURE they'd be back in their own beds at some point in the night, but NOPE, they stayed out there all night long.  I know it sounds silly; they weren't really roughing it by any means - but I was so happy for our big girl to spend the night outside with the crickets under the stars/clouds, right next to her Daddy in her very favorite sleeping bag from Grandpa!  The next morning she was bright eyed and bushy tailed, and she didn't skip a beat all day, so I guess she slept pretty well out there!  I suppose she's ready for a real camping trip, but I don't think I am.  I like having her right outside my bedroom door while I sleep inside!  However, she's dying to go camping with my dad and my brothers, so maybe this fall or next summer she'll get the chance.