camping stories from me to my kids

This summer, we went camping at Rushing River, Stephenfield and Morden, for a total of 26 nights of camping. It was our campiest summer yet! As with other summers, I refused to let my kids bring electronics. Instead, we hit the library on our way out and each kid took out a bunch of books, and I bought them each a new scribbler, sketchpad and a bunch of crayons, markers, pencil crayons, etc.

We always do lots of swimming and biking and running around, but I love when we have downtime and they pull out their notebooks and write stories, or draw pictures.

This year, over May Long Weekend, Elliot and Mitchell each asked me to write down their stories as they dictated them. Mitchell did some of his own too, but I wrote some for him, and I wrote some things down for Elliot. At one point, during Elliot's 3rd of 4th dictated story, I decided to pretend I was writing what she said, and instead I scratched out something entirely different. I did the same for Mitchell.

First I need to point out, that (and this is horribly unPC) I told the kids that Hosea had no arms. They asked who Hosea was. I simply said "He's the guy with no arms." Then later, I came along and said "knock knock!" ("who's there?") "Not Hosea!"

Because, Hosea has no arms. I know. I'm terrible. Anyway, carrying on.

These are those stories:

Little Puppy 
for Mitchell

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Mitch. He liked three little girls. They were all so cute and funny, and they liked him too! Because he was the handsomest in the land, and even though he talked about poop a lot, they decided to have a contest. Whoever made the best sandwich could hug and kiss and marry Mitchell.

The first one made a delicious patty melt with a side of yam fries. He said it was disgusting, and she never wanted to see him again.

The second girl made him a sub with turkey, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, pickles, and a little honey mustard sauce. She gave him the sandwich and a sweet kiss on the cheek. Mitchell opened the sandwich, took one look at all those vegetables and said, "what is this garbage? Be gone from my sight!

The third young lady, who realized that Mitchell was a giant fuss-pot, spread some peanut butter on bread, made it into a sandwich, cut off the crusts, and gave Mitchell his sandwich and a glass of chocolate milk, and smiled just the sweetest smile. Mitchell took a sip of the chocolate milk. "Mmm," he said. He took a bite of the sandwich. "This is exquisite! You are perfect! I love you! Will you marry me?" She said yes! They cuddled and ate peanut butter sandwiches and lived happily ever after.

THE END.
 

The Puppy and the Bird 
for either Mitchell or Elliot, I honestly can't remember. 

Once upon a time there lived a little puppy. One day a bird flew by and pooped on the puppy. The puppy freaked out and decided to build a rocket launcher. He hopped on the rocket, and lit the fuse, and flew up in the air and caught the bird and gobbled it up, and all it's babies too.

THE END.
 

Elliot's New Pet
for Elliot, and everyone else a little too, since they're all in it

Once upon a time there was a girl named Elliot. She wanted to have the perfect pet. But what was the perfect pet? Was it a gerbil? A narwhal? A camel? A naked pigeon? She didn't know!

Elliot walked to the pet store. She saw puppies, hamsters and birds in cages, but none of them seemed right for her. She walked back home. "Mommy," she said. "Can I have a unicorn?"

"No way!" said her mom. "They are big, and hairy and they poop a lot. You cannot have a unicorn."

Elliot was annoyed. She went to her dad. "Daddy, can I have a big red dog? I can call him Clifford and I can ride him to school and he can eat up all our leftovers."

"No!" said Daddy. "We have two dogs. I don't want dogs. Go clean the basement."

Elliot went to her big sister Jordan. "Jordan, help me find a turtle. I've always wanted a pet turtle."

"No," said Jordan. "I'm busy. I need to collect the eggs the chickens laid in the trees, and I have to build couches for my dogs." Jordan was playing a game on her iPod and was a little crazy. Elliot knew she would be no help.

Elliot went to her brother Mitchell. Mitchell was jumping on the trampoline and yelling "Hosea has no arms! Hosea has no arms!"

"Mitchell, will you help me find a pet snake? We can hide it in my room and feed it crickets."

"Ew no!" said Mitchell. "Snakes are gross, and crickets are scary. I'm not touching any of that." Mitchell went back to jumping and yelling about Hosea's arms.

Then Elliot went to Tennyson. "Tennyson, I want a cool new pet, but Mommy and Daddy won't buy me one, and Mitchell and Jordan won't help me catch one."

"I'll help you," said Tennyson. "Let's go to the swamp." Elliot and Tennyson looked in the fridge for some bait.

"Look," said Tennyson. "There's a ham and turkey sub, and a patty melt and some yam fries. Seems a little random, but it should work. Let's go!" They covered themselves with bug spray, grabbed the sandwiches and went to the swamp.

They sat in the long swamp grass and threw bits of sandwiches in the water. Suddenly, a piece of sandwich disappeared, then another. They threw pieces of sandwiches closer and closer to shore, and something in the water kept eating the food and coming closer. Finally it crawled up on shore.

"Wow," said Elliot, "what is it?"

"I don't know!" whispered Tennyson, "but it is awesome! Let's take it home."

At home, Tennyson opened the front door. "I don't think we can hide it," he said.

"Why not?" asked Elliot.

It climbed up on the couch. Its head rested on one arm rest. It's tail reached all the way to the piano. Elliot patted its green scaly head. It wagged its tail and knocked over the piano bench. Mommy came running in.

"What are you doing?" she yelled. Then she saw the creature. "What is that?" she whispered, horrified.

"It's Alfy!" yelled Elliot, happily. "He's mine!"

Mom stood perfectly still, afraid to move a muscle. Elliot patted Alfy. He shook his head happily. Mom couldn't help but notice his horns, his scales, his eight legs, and the smoke puffing out of his nose. "Why is his nose smoking?" she asked.

"Because he makes fire!" said Tennyson. "Isn't he cool?"

"STEVEN!" yelled Mom, and Dad came running in.

"What is that?" yelled Dad.

"It's my pet!" said Elliot. Daddy started to turn green.

"I guess I should have let her have a dog..." he said, and then he fainted.

"Yay! I love you Alfy!" yelled Elliot, hugging her new pet. And they lived Happily Ever After.

THE END.

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