Boys Night VS Girls Night

Woods, chopping with an axe, fire, tin foil dinners, smores, burning marshmallows, burning sticks, burning leaves and leaves and leaves, stars, watching Lord of the Rings in the Tent, sleeping in a tent, waking to rain, splashing in mud puddles, watching Dad pack up and meeting Mom and the girls at Dunkin Donuts; 

"Camping with Dad is the BEST, when can we go again?!?!" -Connor

Packing

"no Dad this isn't cool"

"no not like this Dad"

"This is cool Dad."

"STOP taking pictures for MOM"

Ever since Shea heard about the Father/Son Camp out at church about a month ago, Shea has been talking about taking Connor. I wasn't sure if it was going to happen with all the rain we have been having but either way both boys were looking forward to it.
I'll be honest I had my motherly concerns and worried Connor wasn't quite old enough and would freak out sleeping in the dark (he hates the dark). But I kept my worries to myself. And since we hadn't been camping in years and never had bought our own gear, we bought a few essentials and with every passing day that week both boys were itching for Friday to come!
Of course when Friday came it took forever to get out the door (future reference even for trips Mom's not going on Mom packs everything and should know where everything is... what was I thinking), but they made it nearly forgetting pillows but Mom thinks of everything so the day was saved. Shea very sweetly invited, my brother Joseph, along too! My family was never much into camping so we did a little but not a lot. I loved it as a kid though, as a Mom its a lot of prep and clean up, so I don't blame my family at all for not going more. We actually hope to get some gear for the family and make a family camping trip each year... I love trips so I hope we make it happen.
All in all Connor's first Father/Son Camp Out was a grand success. He loved every minute of it and did a great job listening. He was a happy camper for sure, even when things got a little wet at 4 am due to the rain. He can't wait to go again already!

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Ice cream with pink sprinkles, watching Tangled, playing games, hair and bows and bows and bows, doing our own nails by OURSELVES, dancing to Tangled, playing games, singing GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, snuggling with Mom in her bed, falling asleep to Tinkerbell; 

"Can we do this every night Mom?" -Bella

I promised the girls that while the boys were away the girls would play, so we had a girls night. I planned to do a little more but we made it work with a night in, I had a migraine beginning and it wasn't getting pretty so I did my best to entertain and make these beautiful girls happy while I sat on the couch trying not to count the minutes till bedtime so I could take my med. In the end they never realized Mom was in pain, maybe they thought I was a bit lazy but hey independence for the win and bed without clean up and they were in heaven. It wasn't even that extravagant and she literally was begging for the boys to never come home just so we could have more Girls Nights. I can't wait to make Girls Night a tradition when the boys go off for scouting camping trips and things (I'm making Shea go with Connor on all the overnight trips, I've heard horror stories). Bella has seriously asked every day since to have another Girls Night, I love my little girls!