Indoor Camping

I don't know where you live, but here in the midwest....winter has gone on for TOO long!  My Kindergartener has worn a hole in his snowpants, we've gone sledding a few times, we have built a snowman, my toddler has developed an unhealthy obsession with marshmallows....spring needs to get here.  Soon. 

This past weekend, we decided to take advantage of the weather that had gone from bad to worse.  Snow turned to rain turned to miserable.  We went camping.  Indoor camping.  Perhaps, the best version of camping in my opinion.  We cleared out the dining room, set up a four person tent where our dining room table usually stands and started through the first of three bundles of firewood. 

 

The advantages to indoor camping.  NO BUGS, temperature control, indoor plumbing, real mattresses (yes, we hauled their mattresses from their bedroom and put them in the tent...posh, I know), the list goes on and on.  My boys ceratinly enjoyed the laid back feel that only an afternoon camping can provide. 

Yes...there were electronic devices on this camping trip.  We had to fill the void that was left from the lack of outdoor activities...no fishing, archery, or canoeing were allowed on this trip!

Oh, the forced smiles...

The close quarters of nylon and netting provided my boys hours and hours of fun.  Some hours were quiet and some hours were spent jumping from one mattress to another while screaming, but all hours were fun. 

Our meals were "a la campfire" and included the options of hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches cooked in our campfire pie thingie, fresh cut up strawberries and potato chips.

The boys even got a full night's sleep (and so did I, in my very own bed).  :-)

The next day, brought about Sunday School and then S'mores by the campfire.  We had set-up our camp chairs next to the fireplace and I think we all enjoyed "relaxing" by the fireplace.

My oldest was the only true S'more eater...my middle guy only ate graham crackers and the toddler kept running off with handfuls of marshmallows.  I think they all enjoyed their own versions.  :-)

In addition to the much needed R&R...a loosely coined phrase in a house where most of your dining room furniture lines the hallways and general chaos lies abound...I did plan a few "campy" activities for us to try.  We did make one pretty fun craft that helped the boys light their night...you can find that tutorial here.  (I think it would be a great summer craft or a project for little ones who are worried about nightime.)  A package of pipe cleaners and some pony beads provided some fine motor practice and a fun bracelet to remember the weekend from after the visible remnants were gone. 

Did you know that you can buy glow-in-the-dark beads!?!  I grabbed a bag in addition to our regular multi-colored set. 

Even Miss Baby tried it out.  Disclaimer: This was completely not part of my original plan...but she has gotten pretty good at pointing and pouting when there is something she wants and can't have.  We decided to give it a whirl...SUPERVISED TO ENSURE SHE DIDN'T EAT HER CHOKING HAZARD OF A PROJECT...and she was pretty content to sit for awhile and work on picking up beads (a challenge in itself) and placing them on the pipe cleaner with her daddy.

 

 

 

The tent has been taken down and sent home with Auntie and Uncle, the sleeping bags rolled up and stowed under beds once more, and the fireplace is empty...but the memories linger of a rainy weekend spent camping under the glowing lights of a dining room chandelier.  Oh...and no one is complaining about mosquito bites.  :-)