The girls were on April vacation the week before last (good thing, too, because the weather last week sucked!). At the end of their vacation, while I was in Yoga National Guard, they decided to try to convince Daddy to set up the tent in the side yard so they could go camping. His response was that they come up with a list of reasons why he should comply, and gave them a little bit of information about David Letterman and his top ten lists to spark their thinking. Here’s what they came up with as a result of that lesson in pop culture (I’ve transcribed the list exactly as they wrote it, by the way - it was printed on paper that’s too big to scan and post as an image… sorry):
Top 10 why we should sleep outside
1. Heat is reflicted - the body heat we give off is reflected by the walls of the tent. That means we will be nice and cozy.
2. April vacation. April vacation is almost over! We want to have as much fun as possible in the time we have left.
3. Last night you said that Carrie and I could sleep outside (Mommy’s note; Carrie is a friend of Punkin’s who came for a sleepover. Beanie was at HER friend’s house so the big girls could be alone together). We said no but now I want to.
4. We want to get outside
5. It’s gosh darn fun!
6. Practice for away from home camping.
7. Fresh air is important for growing kids.
8. You won’t have to deal with us for a whole night (Mommy’s note - SO not true - Daddy sleeps out there with them for now because the very last thing on Earth we want to hear is screaming children in the middle of the night. Mr. Chili would kill himself running down the stairs, so he just sucks it up and sleeps out there with them).
9. better than using mind sucers (electronics) (Mommy’s note - I think that’s supposed to be “mind suckers” and they’re saying that if they weren’t camping, they’d be playing video games, which is also SO not true, but I think, by this point, they were reaching for good reasons).
10. we’ll be bundled in our sleeping bags.
I love that they gave up the editorials after only two list items, but you’ve gotta admit that this is pretty gosh-darned cute, no? They got their wish and spent Friday night into Saturday in the tent.
Happy Tuesday, Everyone!
It still gets pretty cold out at night! I am super proud of them for sticking it out! Good for you for letting them too! I would have said no to outside but I would have set the tent up in the living room.
Cool! Right now, the thing around here is for the kids to take their sleeping bags and sleep out on the neighbor’s trampoline.
Love that list - how could he have said “No” after all of that work?
Thank IS gosh-darn cute! And kudos to the parents for enduring the great inconvenience!
I certainly miss back yard sleep outs with my boys. They used to LOVE that stuff when they were younger.
Being boys, they didn’t want Dad spending the night out there with them, but they sure appreciated snack deliveries around midnight.
Good memories.
I’m really glad you’ve posted this for posterity. They might not otherwise remember all that was involved in getting their goal of sleeping outside. SO much cuteness and enthusiasm!
When did they go to bed and when did they come inside?
Ah, camping in the yard. I remember well. I don’t think I ever made it through the night without going in to sleep in my bed.
In later life I did a bunch of backpacking, and sometimes long to do more.
Mind sucers…
That was a convincing list. I might have had to say yes, too, and I hate sleeping in a tent.
Very cute stuff. Gosh-darn cute, even.
I LOVE the mind sucers!
Lots of good thoughts in that list, though. Way to go, girls!