Camping in the backyard ... never again

We have a small back yard. Perhaps you remember what it used to look like. Well it is exactly the size of our monster tent (which comfortably sleeps 4 adults and is 6' 2" high in the middle). So it's not difficult to imagine how I got the idea to camp out there.

So, because I wanted to camp out before it got insanely hot, I made the decision last weekend to camp out with Elizabeth under the stars and planes flying to LaGuardia. 

Kate, who has never been camping (despite the fact that the tent was originally a present for her because I promised to take her camping one day), wanted to make Elizabeth's first camping 'trip' as authentic as possible, so we grilled hotdogs and marshmallows and ate outside.

Kate and Henry stayed inside for the night. Elizabeth and I read a scary story about mermaids (google Jenny Greenteeth if you don't think mermaids can be scary) and closed our eyes at about 9:30 p.m. Although the sleep was fitful, sleep we did until about 4:30 a.m. when Elizabeth woke to pee and then noticed the sun was coming up.

The next morning, Henry was eager to play in the tent. Unfortunately, because of the way Henry plays, the 'front door' of the tent no longer zips closed.

Elizabeth got her first (and second and third) pairs of clip-on earrings this past Saturday. Also on Saturday, we went to a festival in downtown Brooklyn where Henry played with juggling balls, Elizabeth got a mermaid painted on her leg, and we saw a very entertaining band called the Hungry March Band.

On Sunday, which was Father's Day, I tried to sleep in, but Elizabeth was so excited to show me the cards she made me that she couldn't keep her eyes closed past 7:15. We then went to the Staten Island Children's museum (and had a nice picnic there) and followed that up with a movie (Tangled) and homemade custard.

Except for the lack of sleep, it was a great father's day weekend.