So the girls have been asking all summer if they could sleep out on the trampoline. I have had 12 years of experience and this is how it goes.10:00pm. Kids convince mom to sleep out on the trampoline. Mom, "Sure you can sleep out." Children, "No we want you to sleep with us." Mom bribes children and tells them they have to roll there own sleeping bag the next morning and put it away.
10:15 pm Mom gets all the sleeping bags out of the camper.
10:30 pm Kids are jumping on the trampoline while others want to set up their chosen sleeping bag. Voices escalate in the dark. Kids begin to fight over which sleeping bag they get to sleep in.
11:00 pm Little one wants to be in the middle because they are afraid. Older child declares the heaviest sleeps in the middle! Mom sleeps in the middle.
11:10 pm Everyone wants to sleep next to mom. Someone gets there feelings hurt and goes in pouting.
11:30 pm The next 20 minutes are spent begging sad child to come out and sleep.
11:31 pm Sad child gets their way and gets to sleep next to mom.
11:45 pm All are situated and child on the end wants dog to sleep with them.
11:50. Mom gets out of sleeping bag and helps dog up. Dog takes 10 minutes walking around stepping on everyones stomachs to find his favorite place. Dog sleeps on mom.
12:00 pm Lights out, everyone is content and settled. Oldest child needs to use the bathroom comes back out with two cookies not enough to share.
12:30 pm Like little chicks hopping out of a nest, one by one each child goes in gets a drink, eats, and uses the bathroom. Father from upstairs in his comfy bed kindly mentions it's late go to bed.
1:15 am Everyone is happy telling stories and pointing out satellites, constellation and how cool the moon is. Cookie package is empty.
2:00 am Mom wakes up with everyone squished to the center on top of her. 1st child wants to go in, mom gets up tucks them in bed. Mom hears Dad snoring comfortably in bed. She realizes again he is the smartest member of the family!
3:00 am 2nd child is cold goes in, mom helps them get a drink and tuck in bed.
4:00 am Dog is cold jumps off trampoline and is scratching at the back door. Mom gets up and let's dog in.
4:30 am 3rd child is cold goes in, does not wake mom.
5:00 am 4th child goes in only to use the bathroom, sees couch and decides to sleep on it.
6:00 am Mom wakes up and realizes she's the only one sleeping on the trampoline!
Mom gets up quickly, realizes sprinklers are coming on, brings in all sleeping bags dumps them on the living room floor. Sleeping bags sit there all day till mom rolls them up and puts them away. Mom has backache and exhausted. Kids can't figure out why mom is so grouchy!
Yes, that's the scenario of our summers sleeping out on the trampoline. Except for this year! Preston and Whitney got all the sleeping bags out. Preston gave me a mummy bag so I wouldn't get cold. And we didn't have to beg anyone to come out because of hurt feelings. We saw the most amazing shooting stars. Mars was so bright and the moon was full. It was beautiful! The wind picked up and the clouds rolled in as I woke up sporadically throughout the night to see who would be our first dissenter. I woke up at 5am with all the kids squished to the center on top of me but no one budged. The dog even stayed out because he's too old to jump off the trampoline. The kids actually rolled up all the sleeping bags and put them away. I still had the same backache and I was tired from staying up so late but I think we are going to actually sleep out again tonight!
