Camping and Reading

 Yesterday Matthew and I made a big purchase.  We finally bought a little non-fancy tent that we can erect in the yard.  It's rainfly can be left off the top, so you can sleep under the stars and still be inside mosquito netting.

Mamaw and Hershey came in to visit us.

We posed...

...and Hershey posed.

At 7 last night, we went to the summer reading programs kick off party, at the lake.  This year's theme is Dream Big! and has a strong astrological theme.  We made flour stars, moons, and Matthew creations on the road.

The obligatory shot in a rocket.

The kids played games.  Here they are showing how big the solar system is.  The guy in blue on the far left is the sun.  Matthew on the far right is Mars.

Now they are trying to rotate like the solar system.

Somehow the solar system compressed.  Must be a deep space thing.

Here they are playing blind man's buff with the kids making nocturnal animal noises.  Matthew is on the left, blindfolded.  We also got to look through telescopes.  We got to see the sun's spots, Mars, Saturn (and yes we could see the rings and 2 moons), and the moon.  It was fabulous!

Everyone was given glow bracelets so cars wouldn't run over anyone in the dark.

Here is Matthew's.  I thought it made a cool picture.

We ate s'mores, fire popped popcorn, drank lemonade and listened to scary stories around the campfire.  At 10:45, we finally got in the car and drove home.  We washed faces, brushed teeth and then it was lights out and into the sleeping bags.  I don't feel that air mattresses make for real camping, but after a night on the hard ground, I think I may finally be old enough I have to get one.  Matthew was worried about coyotes, but decided that Scamp would keep them at bay.  (Scamp did spend most of the night sleeping by the tent.)  Matthew slept the whole night in the tent.  I was proud of him.  We had the chance to camp at the lake for free, but I thought that for the first time out, our yard would be a better bet.  And it was.  And tons of fun!