forts

When I was a kid, to me the last day of summer meant packing in the most summer and sunshine I could. That meant from sun up til sun down I was outside exploring, riding bikes, roller-skating, and just generally trying to pack in the most this-is-my-last-day-of-freedom-before-I-have-to-go-back-to-school-tomorrow fun that I could possibly fit into one day. Of course that was the 1980's, in Utah, in late August. The temperatures were in the 80's-90's, not 110, breezes felt cool and nice, not hot and stifling, and swing sets could actually be played on.

This isn't generally typical behavior, but this is how my kids spent their last day of summer.

My entire front room was transformed and they spent several hours playing (for the most part-nicely) together, and even reading to each other. Notice the stuffed animals paying rapt attention as Zach reads? I think my favorite part was the German flag posted in one of my couches. Were they claiming the whole room as Germany or just the couch?

I have to say though that I have sometimes wondered why my kids never made 'forts'. I think my whole basement growing up was one giant fort. I made rooms and rooms and tunnels connecting everything. Quite the engineering marvel in my opinion. Every spare blanket in the house was utilized. Thinking back I'm wondering how my mother ever made it to the laundry room? Surely she didn't crawl through the labyrinth of tunnels I created? Or is the fort in my memory more "all-encompassing" than reality?