The Great Indoors

With being home so much this summer with two semi-squirrelly little rascals (one moreso than the other...who may or may not be named Maxwell), we have to use a little creativity to break up the mundane of the day in, day out, all day, every day at home.  And yesterday, that's exactly what we did.  A little "trip to the wilderness," if you will...for some "camping" in the "Great Out Indoors."

Just a tiny addition to our living room

That's a 4-person tent...in our living room.  A couple furniture pieces pushed aside, and our campground was already well underway (cue the "Staples" voice..."Well, THAT was easy").  We eagerly put our littles down for their naps, killed time while they fell asleep, then got right to work.  Once the tent was up, we hung the "night sky" around the room (AKA "twinkle lights"), and built our campfire (of twinkle lights and driftwood).  BAM.  Done.  But why stop there?!?!  With the addition of a tiny "Camp Kopper 2013" sign, an evergreen-scented candle, and some "Forest Ambiance" playing in the background on the computer (complete with chirping birds and a running stream), our campground was complete...with the usual modern conveniences of not leaving home, of course.

Camp Kopper 2013 - The Tent and Twinkle

Camp Kopper 2013 is complete with scent, sight, AND sound!

Once the kiddos awoke, I held them hostage in my bedroom until we were ready for the "reveal."  Max was SO EXCITED when he saw it. Camdyn didn't know where to look.  It was fantastic.  It didn't take long before they cozied up in the tent with the campfire in view.

Reading by the campfire

We BBQ'd chicken for burgers and ate dinner at our "camp table" (the dining table, of course - note: convenience), then played and watched a movie by the campfire (there were no walks to take, no lake to see, no energy-busting activity, so this was the next best thing...again - note:  convenience).

Max, picking at his dinner, Camdyn enjoying her dinner, and first s'mores of the summer.

We took intermission from the movie with some "toaster oven s'mores" before settling back in.  This was Max's first experience with s'mores...and it was funny.  He enjoyed his, but not without saying "eeeeeeeewwwwww" every time he got messy hands, face, shirt, table.  He's not a fan of food messes.  Hmmmmm.

Our version of "fat-free s'mores" for little miss

Gooey marshmallows make messy Max fingers

When it was lights out at Camp Kopper, Max found himself sleeping away in his crib.  The crazy kid would not settle down until we put him there.  Chalk it up to all the excitement.  The rest of us enjoyed a night of rest in the tent...by the light of the campfire.  

Morning brought us an early breakfast of pancakes and Eggo waffles for the kids and (our favorite) breakfast burritos for the two of us.  And coffee.  And then some more coffee.  Even camping at home brings a way-early wake up call.  The only remnant left of our campout by now, besides the pictures and memories, is the campfire, which we all agreed was just too darn cool to take down just yet.  Besides, I adore twinkle lights.

These three...<sigh>

And the best part of camping in the living room?  You don't have to clean up the tent before putting it away again.  And you can use your bathroom.  And your kitchen.  And there's no bugs to contend with or bites to try to ignore.  Win-win!!!  

A "Happily-Camping" Mama and her loves.

How about you?  Do you have any favorite indoor summer activities?  Or, have you ever had an indoor campout?