Dear friends of ours from Moose Jaw were over for a visit.
While we were sitting on the deck under twinkling lights drinking coffee (decaf for me), and as the kids ran around the backyard, we discussed how this kind of thing doesn’t happen all that often.
Normally we’d never be lingering on the deck past the kids’ bedtime, but because they were staying the night it changed the whole dynamics. We agreed that family sleepovers should be more of a thing.
This is something we have often done with them, and even when we lived in the same city, before we had kids we would set up a projector and screen in the backyard and watch a movie from the tent. We’d camp out in the tent and wake up to have coffee together and play board games in our pajamas.
They chose to stay in our redone vintage trailer Elsie, so it was fun to outfit that old girl for their family with a custom snack basket and mints for their pillows. The kids got to stay up late and have a glow stick pool party after dark, as Christmas lights lit up the playhouse right beside it.
They giggled in the hot tub under the stars and made a glow stick routine singing Fireworks.
In the morning we took it easy and had coffee and breakfast while the kids played and swam some more. My friend and I went paddle boarding while the boys played crazy games in the hot tub with the kids.
The kids read and drew in the camper while the dads napped on the couches. Then as always transpires with these friends, we embarked on an intense, random competition. In the past it has been things like a plank challenge, high kicks, pullups, or keeping a ball in the air. This time it was shooting Nerf bullets at a stuffed animal.
These times together are always so refreshing for both the adults and the kids.Â
