Sunday, August 18, 2013

Watching the Stars, Sleeping Under the Stars

My husband has been planning this night since MC requested for a telescope for Easter. Although MC and her Papa have been both busy learning this new 'toy', there was never an opportunity to really enjoy it.

So, last Friday was the night. My husband got the telescope and the star guide ready around 8 p.m. We were hoping to get a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower, if at all. And my girls begged me to make a party out of our star watching night, meaning they want food and drinks, of course! How we slept under the stars, I will tell you later.

First, our learning adventure.

The moon was bright, it turned out to be the Waxing Gibbous. My girls and I had to google most of what we see thru the lens, not that we don't trust my husband, but just because his chart was not so fast.

The telescope is ready, the munchies are ready, the drinks are ready 
To give the girls their party, I took a pack of frozen mini berliner and slices of freshly-picked peaches from our garden for their munchies. My husband grabbed a bear and there's water for the girls. And then there's the candle light :-)



While my husband and I enjoyed watching the stars and the moon thru the telescope, and our dog dozed in my feet, our girls were playing inside! What happened here?

The girls would only run outside everytime my husband would call them to view the  something thru the telescope. IC even told me, we would stay outside only if the food is ready. Really?

MC took this photo of the moon thru the telescope lens
While my husband checked the star guide and adjusts the telescope, I enjoyed the view, the silence and the warmth of the dog dozing on my feet.

The girls came bursting outside after an hour declaring, let's sleep outside tonight! I agreed, but my husband begged off saying he wants his bed because he started working in the garden early that morning before he prepared the telescope adventure. As for the dog, she's already snoring. I guess that's a yes.

The girls dragged their bed things outside and continued their playtime, while my husband continued chartering the stars. Me? I had to run in the kitchen for more sliced peaches. In between, we took turns looking thru the lens, amazed at what we saw.

Before midnight, IC decided she is too tired and will not sleep outside. It turned out her sister spooked her because she pointed out all the bugs outside.

Around midnight, my husband decided he's too tired to stay on telescope duty. IC and my husband went inside to sleep inside while I cuddled with MC and our dog outside.
Playtime before bedtime
It is now only MC and I, with the dog, sleeping under the stars. Correction: talking under the stars. MC has just too many stories to tell before I finally convinced her to sleep.

And then around 3 a.m., Rikki woke us up with her frenzied barking. I think she saw wild animals in our garden. My husband came, too, wanting to know what's happening. Despite having our powerful flashlight, we didn't see anything in the garden. Though we have a suspicion that there could be badgers visiting us nightly.

MC and I didn't go back to sleep because we were fascinated by the bright stars. I saw one falling star and MC saw three of them. We didn't forget to make a wish, of course. It was hard to convince MC to go back to sleep, but she did after Rikki found a place beside her.

After almost two hours, Rikki started barking again. This time it was the neighbor's light that disturbed her. We were able to calm her before she woke the whole neighborhood. I am glad that MC went back to sleep as fast.

Around 8 a.m., Rikki clamored for her breakfast. She was tapping my arms before she heard someone in the kitchen and left me alone. It turned out my husband was already up and preparing her food.

Rikki went back and cuddled beside me after her breakfast. Around 9:30 a.m., I was up and ready to walk the still dozing dog :-) I left MC sleeping.

Good morning, rise and shine!
After walking the dog, Rikki decided to wake MC up.

P.S. It was IC's turn to sleep with me and the dog under the stars the next day. She was not afraid of the bugs anymore because she would have Mama by herself :-)

I declare, watching the stars, sleeping under the stars is a great bonding time.

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