A camping we will go

Jessie had the brilliant idea yesterday to have a campout in our backyard. After we took down the tent this morning he said, "we didn't get any pictures! For your blog! Because I know you're gong to blog about this." So now I feel sort of obligated. But you will have to imagine the sweet visual evidence of our adventure. I know you can do it. We set up our tent and made s'mores on our camping burner, then watched a movie in our tent on the laptop. Super creative and awesome, I know. It also served as a sort of dry run for camping with two kids, checking our camping gear, and getting Madeline psyched up for future adventures. Here are the awesome things we learned from our practice:

1. Madeline should never stay up past nine. We knew that anyway, but I guess we forgot. And we're both college graduates. Go figure.
2. Our couch cushions and a bedding set are way more comfortable than an air matress and sleeping bags. Unfortunately, they would fill our whole car. So next time we'll have to rough it.
3. Madeline doesn't like the dark. She does like Jessie. More than me. I'm currently nursing my bruised ego and wondering why I spend all that time feeding, cleaning, and entertaining her when Jessie gets top billing. Something about dads and daughters. Or that's what Jessie claims.
4. There is a reason the girls sleep in separate bedrooms. So that when one wakes up screaming at 5:20 they don't both wake up for the day. I'll let you guess which one did the screaming.
5. Jessie treats tent directions like other men treat driving directions. But now he knows how to do it for when we go camping for real.
6. S'mores are really yummy. This is only significant because I only started eating them five years ago when some college friends insisted I try one after a lifetime of insisting I didn't like them. I only ever ate the chocolate. But when I had one, it was a green eggs and ham moment. And now I love them. Thanks, Amanda and Jordan. My life is forever changed.
7. It takes serious brain power to set up a pack and play. Even if you've done it before. Even if there are idiot proof directions right on it.
8. Tent bags are not designed to actually fit the tent they accompany.

Overall, a good and worthy family outing. If you enjoy sleep deprivation, junk food, windy nights, and stepping all over each other. Which we do.