I know lets sleep outside with no sleeping bag in a shelter we made out of sticks!

I spent the last week at scout camp.  I have spent a week of my summer with the scouts for the last 7 years.  It is a high point of my summer and I always look forward to it.  This time was a little different.  I historically go with the older boys on a high adventure trip.  However this year I went with the younger boys (my two sons included) to Camp Pigott.  We created a blog for the parents to look at every day while we were there.  You can see it here:

 http://camppigott2012.blogspot.com/

One of the things that most impressed me about scout camp is how each of the boys in their own way stepped outside of their comfort zone.  We had them climbing on wires 40 feet off of the ground, sleeping outside without sleeping bags, swimming in the lake...with fish in it, and eating others cooking.  My 11 year old son and another boys from our ward Max Durben both dis the wilderness survival merit badge.  In addition to the class work they had to make and sleep in a shelter with no sleeping bag for 1 night. 

When they started this process they were more concerned with spiders than with the quality of their shelter.  After a little direction and help they dialed it in.  Here are some photos of their completed shelter that they ended up sleeping that night.

It took a little convincing for them to wear more than one set of clothes when they left and to sleep next to each other.  The exact words were something like"that is kind of weird to sleep that close to someone, isn't it?"  I did not worry to much about that cold air would cure them of any insecurities they might have of sharing their personal space.  Both boys survived the night and both boys earned their merit badge.  Way to go, especially for two 11 year olds.