Chronicles of The Crazy Kindergarten Campout

Last week I shared how we were about to experience The Kindergarten Campout.

Well, it happened.

And I will start out by saying that we got in.

Cue huge sigh of relief.

But it didn’t go down how I expected.

People were not supposed to line up until all school activities had ended for the day, meaning at 5:00 pm. But, after talking with previous camp-out veterans, I learned that rule is flexible and actually basically non-existent.

Last year people lined up as early as NOON the day before, so I was prepared to do the same.

My bags were packed the night before. Check!

The Hubby’s overnight gear was packed in the car. Check!

My registration packet was completed. Check!

My mother-in-law was watching the kids. Check!

I was ready.

I took Gwyn to school that morning and drove by at about 9:10 and it was clear. I decided I’d go run an errand real quick and then grab breakfast before going to our new house for a bit to unpack. Meanwhile, I had a couple of acquaintances also driving by, promising to keep one another in the loop.

At 9:45 I was getting pretty hungry but decided on a whim to go ahead and check one more time. Then, I’d grab that Starbucks breakfast and go unpack for a bit.

I drove by, slowly, and saw three people sitting in camping chairs.

It couldn’t be.

It wasn’t even 10:00 in the morning!

I stopped my car in the red-zone and hollered to the group asking if they were there for registration in which they half sheepishly and half triumphantly stated that they were.

Begrudgingly, I poked my eyes back in their sockets and went and parked in the nearest space. With my camping chair and bag in hands, I made my way to the “circle of trust,” as we called it, and quickly became “Number 6.”

I learned a little bit about my fellow crazies that morning: One nurse. Three basketball coaches. One pharmacy something or other. One stay-at-home mom. Two cops. One vice-principal. One neighbor boy holding the spot for another family. Wait, shouldn’t he have been in school?

Hmm.

To keep people…. honest, I suggested making a list so that everyone knew when everyone else arrived and to prevent any line cutting when it came down to it. This suggestion was received well and a list was quickly made.

By about noon there were about twenty people and this is when we decided a line formation would be more suitable. Though we deemed the first 20 still in the circle of trust.’

The Hubby was working until 8:30 that night so it was me and a plethora of strangers. I was lucky enough to meet a new friend, though, and we actually hit it off.

When the news cameras arrived, she was right there with me hiding behind the school pillars.

When the rain started pouring she was taking cover by my side.

‘

I was #6 and she #1.

Friends.

And thank goodness for other friends not trapped that day to bring me a coffee, lunch and dinner, for who I owe a huge thank you to.

Strangely, the day wasn’t horrible.

Yes, it rained. Yes, it was freezing. Yes, I wanted to be so many other places than where I was.

But everyone else felt the same way. So we all worked as a team helping one another set up tents, filling out registration packets and helping to watch kids when needed. Yes, some had to bring their kids!

And to make the best of it all?

TV’s were brought in. XBOX’s were played. Movies were watched. Guitars were strummed. Heaters were set-up. Cards were dealt. Food and beverages were consumed.

Doesn’t really sound TOO miserable, does it?

So around 10:00 The Hubby showed up for a shift change, and at 11:00 I had left. His night consisted of movies and XBOX while listening to cool cop stories. Sounds pretty good to me!

The next morning I was back at 6:30 and was greeted by donuts and coffee provided by the principal.

And at 7:30 he came by and handed out numbers so that by 8:00 it would hopefully be orderly.

I seriously felt like were were handed the “Golden Ticket” when he gave me the number 6.

At 8:00 on the dot the principal led the line into the school and The Hubby and I both went. We felt like we earned it!

By 8:15, it was all over. We were stamped, sealed and filed and will be notified in April/May if we officially got in.

So there you have it! Kindergarten Black Friday at its finest.

Utter silliness.

But in all honesty, if expanding the school at this point isn’t an option, then I am thankful for the chance to be proactive in being able to get my child in. It’s an excellent school making it highly desirable and a reason we moved to the house that we did.

So all in all, I would do it again in a heartbeat!

As always, thanks for stopping by!