Monday, August 2, 2010

Now THIS is How You Camp!

I took my oldest three kids to church on Sunday so they could join several other youth and adult chaperones on a mission trip to Michigan to work for the Grand Rapids Area Service Project. The junior high kids (Jackson) are coming back Tuesday. Austin and Savannah will be staying with the rest of the senior high kids until Saturday. The kids weren't allowed to take their cell phones on this trip. I understand why. I mean, my kids would do nothing but text friends all day if they had their phones. And they're there to work and bond with the other kids and spread God's love through service to others. It would be impossible to concentrate with their phones constantly buzzing. But as a parent, it's a little hard not being able to check in on them despite the fact I know they're in good hands. Actually, one of the chaperones left me a comment on Facebook saying all the kids were doing well and Jackson wants to get up at 6:00 tomorrow to help him make pancakes. I guess I can see that. If he'd said that Austin or Savannah wanted to get up at 6:00 and cook, I would've known that something was very, very wrong.

Anyway, I've had several people tell me, "Oh, how nice, you'll be getting a break with only half your kids at home." Are you people nuts??? There is no break! I've lost my three helpers! I don't have any extra eyes watching the little ones. I don't have anyone to mow the lawn or take out the garbage or help pick up after the mess-makers. I've been busier the past two days than I ever am with all six of them home!

I wanted to make these days fun for my little ones though, so yesterday, I told my them, "Let's have a camp-out!" They just stared at me, eyes wide and mouths agape.

"But you hate camping, Mom."

"That's true. But we're going to go camping mommy style!"

Their interest was piqued.

"First, we have to really clean up the family room," I informed them. Now, I have to preface this by telling you that I DO, in fact, clean my family room often. Honestly, I clean it daily. I vacuum it at least two or three times a week. I move the couches out and vacuum underneath regularly. However, despite that, this is what I found when I moved the couches out yesterday...

Shoes, dishes, a toy watch, a plane, a tag


a purse, a book


a puzzle, a toy plate, a movie,


more shoes (no wonder Clay can never find his shoes!), a sippy cup, a battery, some candy wrappers, Connect Four pieces, and K-Nex pieces


a plastic hotdog bun, more Connect Four pieces, Polly Pocket hair, a ball, a magnet, more K-Nex pieces, and a Hungry Hungry Hippos ball


lipstick, the handle to a broken hairbrush, an ice pop wrapper, a bracelet and more K-Nex


another toy watch, a battery, and a BandAid wrapper


a domino, a marshmallow, some feathers, a bent paper clip, and a straw


When we could see the floor once again, I showed them how mommy camps. That's right - no bugs, no heat, no cricket noises all night, and no disgusting bathrooms you have to walk to in the middle of the night. And the best part is - mom gets to sleep in her own comfy, cozy bed! Oh yeah!


Ni-night kids!

25 comments:

SandyAnnDee said...

LOL! I started a post about the stuff my children routinely leave on the floor - but didn't think to take photographic evidence! Isn't it amazing how quickly their "stuff" takes over?

Have a fun camp out/in.

Ducky said...

now thats a marvelous idea Dawn and my kinda camping.. I think Ill let my kids have a camp out one night in the living room.. HAHA!!!

Mum-me said...

That's the best way to go 'camping'.

Anonymous said...

That's Awesome :)

Jen@Scrapingirl said...

I'm an indoor girl, so that's my kinda camping!! :)

Bailey's Leaf said...

I laugh at your ability to identify small bits of what most people couldn't identify. Hungry Hungry Hippo ball, K'nex . . . :) Made me chuckle!

Beth in MI said...

Awwww, Dawn! You're the man (well, sort of!) You're making such awesome memories for your children! I wish I was as cool of a mom as you!!!!

Unknown said...

This would be my kind of camping too ! And what you found under the couch is nothing compared to what my 3 grandkids leave me.
Loved the pictures and the picture of the 3 in the tent.
I bet you are so busy you don't realize how fast they are growing up.
Dawn, you rock....

Have a fun week !
Donna - NE Indiana

Keri Jackson said...

Really a mission trip to GR, my home town? That's great. Hope they have a great time :)

WeaselMomma said...

That is the only way I would ever go camping too!

Beth in MI said...

I've been racking (wracking?) my brain trying to figure out what these pictures reminded me of, and finally I got it! It's like a page out of one of those "I Spy" books! You could make up your own game!

Sarah Holland said...

You are such a great Mom!

dark_chocolate said...

Yup, that is my kind of camping, too. I tried the outdoors, and they do not make me as happy. :)

JillCookie said...

I live in Grand Rapids, so if you'd like me to stop by and check up on your kids, I'd be happy to. :) It's kind of funny how people from GR go to Chicago for mission trips and people from Chicago come here.

Sharlyn said...

Last summer we put up the tent in the backyard and made s'mores over the camp stove. I like your version better :)

Sunny said...

That was using your imagination plus your parenting skills. The kids will be telling about this for a long time to come.

mommeeof10 said...

My boys frequently like to camp on the thard diningroom floor or on the outside porch. With or without sleeping matts or air matresses, whether there are bugs or not, my kids would rather sleep in the floor or ground somewhere. Remind me again, why do they each need to have a bed?

Frances said...

My kids love indoor campout! We make oven s'mores even :)

Jazzy said...

I love it that you knew what everything was. I find stuff like that all the time in my family room and I usually know exactly what it all is and what it belongs with. I then put it all back where it belongs (or try to). My husband on the other hand picks it all up and dumps it all in a bucket and never even tries to put stuff back where it belongs. So when my kids say they have not toys to play with I cant argue with them because all of their toys are missing parts. Men stink.

HRH Mommy said...

Oh, that's the way to go!! You guys (uhum, the kids) must have had a blast!!

HRH Mommy
http://mformommy.blogspot.com

msprimadonna67 said...

That IS the way to camp! I am, against my better judgment, taking all three of my kids camping this weekend with my sister and her three kids. Avid Girl Scout kind of campers, they are. My brood and me, not so much. We'll see how it all shakes out after the weekend's up.

GildaGirl said...

Just LOOK at those Huge Smiles !! Those adorable little faces say SO Much, Dawn ! You are one VERY special mom!!

Amanda said...

That's my kind of camping too - especially with a summer as hot as this one has been. I swear it's a kid thing with stuff under couches. I vacuumed and moved both couches Monday, and here it is Wednesday, and I can already see there's a treasure trove of toys under them again. I think that's how my boys "clean up" when I'm not looking.

Kathy said...

Very cool! They are coming to MY town for a Missions trip!!! And a lot of our youth group goes to YOUR town for Missions trips!

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

You are my kinda camper! Except for the having to vaccuum part!

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