Camp out - Take two

Emma is always asking to go camping, but it's just such a pain to have to actually go to a campground, and I don't think Madeline would sleep in a tent.  Last year we tried to camp out in my mom and dad's backyard, and we had a decent time, but it got cold after the sun set, and Emma wouldn't sleep in the tent.  She also complained about the noise of the traffic coming from the road near my parents house.  So, basically we put up the tent, sat in our camp chairs, made smores and played with sparklers.

This year, Emma wanted to try it again.  So, a few weeks ago we decided to try it out at our house instead.  We live in a really quiet neighborhood, and it was looking like the weather would be good, so we just went for it.  Ike helped me, and we spend a good part of the day cleaning off the back porch, getting the tent set up, readying the fire pit, and moving around the patio furniture.  By the time Emma got home, everything was ready to go.  We spent the afternoon and night playing outside in the backyard as a family and it was so much fun.  Emma and Ike slept in the tent, and Madeline and I went back inside to sleep.  I just didn't feel comfortable having her in the house alone.

Here are some pictures from our night.

Our new fire pit/bowl.  It worked out great, and we can't wait to use it again.

Madeline loved playing in the big tent.  

Ike had a great time cutting up some limbs for us to use as firewood.  Ha!

This was Emma's play tent from when she was little. Madeline loved going in and out of it.

Check out Madeline trying to eat one of the GIANT marshmallows that we got to make smores with.

Madeline loves to be outside!

I had to put this shot of her with the marshmallow in her mouth.  It was so huge!  She wanted to do it all by herself.

It was a full moon that night, and I tried my best to get a decent shot of it.

Madeline had a blast bouncing around on Ike's air mattress.

Trying to get a good picture of Emma these days is getting harder and harder.  She never wants me to take her picture, and it's like pulling teeth to get her to smile.