hope and honey: staycation 2011 (the fort)

welcome to our staycation 2011 fort.

last year we began a summer tradition of building a huge fort that covers nearly a third of the attic. it is big enough for the whole family to camp out in. and we did! for the last 11 days, this has been hart clan headquarters. we spent more than half of those nights sleeping up here too. oh the memories of aching backs and early mornings. :) the memories we made were completely worth it all.

we began construction on the fort by stretching twine across the room and securing the ends to various high places (a curtain rod, an air vent, a shelf bracket), making sure to choose items that could handle some weight and pressure. next came the stringing of our lights, pulled from the christmas decor bins. finally we clipped vintage sheets to the twine with clothespins. extra clothespins came in handy to hold entryways open when needed. (because a 20 month old needs easy access.)

last year the fort would get super hot due to poor ventilation. we corrected this design flaw by keeping the top open this year, but kept it magical with the crisscrossed lights.

only an hour's worth of easy work for a week and half's worth of enjoyment.

it honestly was only this clean at the very beginning and the very end. the rest of the time it was pillow and blanket strewn, with tea parties and lego creations underfoot.

considering the week was kind of a bust as far as actual relaxation taking place, i am super thankful we had this getaway available. if you are going to be sick on staycation, a giant indoor fort is the place to be. (thanks ohdeedoh, for the shout out there.) and if you are going to be called in to the office on several of your days off work, a mama surely appreciates this distraction for the littles. and if you lose patience and start to bicker at the beach, coming home and watching a movie with family snuggle time is a great way to restore the day.