chicken?

Jake wanted to do something special for the kids, so he planned a "sleep-on-the-tramp" night.

{it just happened to be in the middle of December}

hello, coldness.

After bundling up rugrats and pulling every quilt and thick blanket from the closets, it was time.

I was the first to claim surrender.

{someone had to sleep inside with Macy...might as well be me :) }

 The boys wouldn't fall asleep outside, so in they went.

{that left Jake, Ashlinn, and Hallie}

i put bets that they wouldn't last until 2am.

{i was wrong}

about 4 am Jake wandered inside.

"the street lights are so bright they are keeping me awake"

so I volunteered to take the remaining 2 hours.

When I walked out, Hallie sat up from her slumber.

"did Dad chicken out?"

I think even the darkness couldn't hide my laughing smile.

The remainder of the "night" went off without a hitch.

{burrowed under 6 blankets}

Jake brought the boys out when it was still dark, so they could get "the experience".

Hallie saw Jake and said, "so, you chickened out, huh?"

Apparently he is gonna need to do another "sleep-on-the-tramp night" to regain his street cred.

{from his 5 year old}