In the wake of Derecho

When the outside temp was flirting with the hundreds last weekend and a freak hurricane left our city with spotty power coverage, we decided to hunker down for a few days in our air-conditioned refuge.

(We were some of the lucky ones with a cool, intact home in which to hunker.)

Like the days following every natural disaster we've ever managed to weather unscathed, Nick and I decided to make a good emergency plan for next time. 

That meant clearing some space in the basement to make room for a family shelter in case another violent storm whips through and threatens to pummel our roof and upper floor (where the entire family sleeps, mind you) with falling trees.

The cleaner, more open landscape in the basement naturally became a stage for new imaginative play.

Why not pitch a tent and pretend another storm is coming?

Why not go nuts and bring your pillows and sleeping bags and lovies and art supplies and books and toys and canned food down into the tent just in case you have to be there for a while waiting out an imaginary storm?

And if we get our teeth brushed and don our PJs and help our baby brother get ready and ...

... encourage his potty-training endeavors, too, might Mama and Papa actually let us sleep in our indoor campsite overnight?

So Nick and I obliged -- at least for older two. 

And after the lights went out, all was calm and the kiddos actually slept the night away.

And that storm never did come back.