process...

in the months leading up to christmas, i decided on the perfect gift for the kids. their "santa" gift, a "big" gift, something they could share. i ordered them a handmade teepee, found on etsy, and was super excited about it. on christmas eve, after they had been tucked into their beds and were sleeping soundly, jeremy and i opened up the huge box that we'd hidden so well, and set up the brand new teepee. i trimmed it with colored lights and hid it all behind a makeshift curtain. i just knew the kids would love it. 

image credit to house in habit on etsy

here is where i would love to insert a photo of our teepee, in our house, with my kids curled up inside of it, reading books, dressing dolls, etc. except they haven't. used it. all all. not sure why. the teepee is adorable, it's well made, it's a perfect little place to hide away. and yet, no interest. 

fast forward to this afternoon--we spent today at the home of good friends. a sunny day, an afternoon with nothing planned activity-wise for the kids. the "fearless foursome," as i like to call them, spent awhile riding their bikes and then busied themselves with collecting dry bamboo shoots from a neighbor's house. they were hard at work, caught up in a sudden burst of creation. with just a bit of help to sink the poles, a teepee was constructed. raking, digging, spreading, decorating. handfuls of grass were pulled for carpet. bamboo was broken to set a pathway. a makeshift oven was put together out of bricks and dirt. the whole thing was a true enjoyment to watch, and to help out with. creativity and teamwork at its finest. 

the only issue is that this was a teepee made with room for three and not four. improvements, design-wise, can always be made. but that is the case with most prototypes, wouldn't you say? 

they'll get it right next time, no doubt. and no worries, he got his turn eventually. 

i'm holding out hope that our christmas teepee will eventually find its place and purpose around our home. come springtime, i think it will be moved outside to provide a little quiet spot in the yard. or perhaps i'll hire the fearless foursome to design something even more fantastic for themselves. they're a good team. 

and they work for food. always a bonus.