{"id":8627,"date":"2014-10-08T06:00:45","date_gmt":"2014-10-08T13:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ladyslittleloves.com\/?p=8627"},"modified":"2014-10-08T06:00:45","modified_gmt":"2014-10-08T13:00:45","slug":"went-kindergarten-campout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingwithlady.com\/2014\/10\/went-kindergarten-campout.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronicles of The Crazy Kindergarten Campout"},"content":{"rendered":"
Last week I shared how we were about to experience The Kindergarten Campout.<\/a><\/p>\n Well, it happened.<\/p>\n And I will start out by saying that we got in.<\/p>\n Cue huge sigh of relief.<\/p>\n But it didn’t go down how I expected.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Last year people lined up as early as NOON the day before, so I was prepared to do the same.<\/p>\n My bags were packed the night before. Check!<\/p>\n The Hubby’s overnight gear was packed in the car. Check!<\/p>\n My registration packet was completed. Check!<\/p>\n My mother-in-law was watching the kids. Check!<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n I was ready.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n I drove by, slowly, and saw three people sitting in camping chairs.<\/p>\n It couldn’t be.<\/p>\n It wasn’t even 10:00 in the morning!<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n Hmm.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.’<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n When the news cameras arrived, she was right there with me hiding behind the school pillars.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n When the rain started pouring she was taking cover by my side.<\/p>\n ‘<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n I was #6 and she #1.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Friends.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Strangely, the day wasn’t horrible.<\/p>\n Yes, it rained. Yes, it was freezing. Yes, I wanted to be so many other places than where I was.<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n And to make the best of it all?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Doesn’t really sound TOO miserable, does it?<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n The next morning I was back at 6:30 and was greeted by donuts and coffee provided by the principal.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n And at 7:30 he came by and handed out numbers so that by 8:00 it would hopefully be orderly.<\/p>\n I seriously felt like were were handed the “Golden Ticket” when he gave me the number 6.<\/p>\n