9.29.2011

Camp Out

i have a little bit of OCD when it comes to my house.  

so when landon and mauryn started to make a fort in our living room i started to hyperventilate a little bit.  i knew this fort was going to create a BIG mess.

i also knew how much joy it would bring them to create the fort and spend the day playing in it.

i took a deep breath and made a deal with them.  they could build the fort and use the baskets from the coffee table to hold down the blankets if they did not empty every basket on the living room floor.

they gladly took the deal.

they found a bunch of blankets and pillows, covered the coffee table, and made a cozy spot underneath.

they found a flashlight and had their lunch laying in their fort. {deep breaths}

they talked.
they giggled.
they created stories.
they used their imagination.
they didn't ask to watch tv or play the wii.
they spent the entire afternoon living in their fort world.

then last night they asked to sleep in it.
i thought it would last about 5 minutes.
i was sure there would be a little face in my bedroom in the middle of the night.
it didn't happen.
these two little ones curled up next to each other, under the coffee table with blankets draped over them, and slept all night.
i am so thankful i said yes when i wanted to say no.
it would have been so easy for me to say no.
saying no would ensure that the room would have been tidy but then i would have traded a tidy room for memory making, imagination building, laughter, and sweet moments between a brother and sister.

i need to remember this more often.  

what have you said yes to lately?

3 comments:

jhoward_120509 said...

Please oh please pass on some of your ocd to me! I wish so much that I was a tidier person. tips, hints, suggestions?

Truitts bed time is 8pm. Exactly 8pm. Last night, for once, i said yes and let him stay up an extra 2 hours. And I was so glad I did, he was being so well behaved, no meltdowns, just played quietly.

Denise said...

yeah for saying "YES!"

what a fun memory. and now they have a "remember that time mom let us..." i want my kids to have tons of those (they'll need'em to balance out the times mom didn't let them).

what have i said yes to?? let my kids jump in the lake with clothes on. i let them cook and make messes unsupervised (my mom NEVER let me in "her kitchen"). i let josie wear her tutu for 4 days in a row with unbrushed hair... just seeing my list i see i'm coming a lonnnnnggggg way. PRAISE GOD!

love you so much friend!

grey rose (they/them) said...

i have a lot bit of ocd about my house;)
but! camp outs are fun city! way to go, mama xo