Perseids Meteor Shower

I have warm memories of watching a meteor shower in the middle of the night with my family when I was somewhere around 8 years old. We laid in blankets and sleeping bags on the front lawn. My mother has always been so sweet - waiting on us, trying to make sure everyone has everything she can help them with. That night was no exception. She was running around making sure everyone (all 9 kids and dad = 10) had a sufficient amount of homemade cookies to keep us awake and cups full of hot chocolate. I wonder if she even got to see a shooting star that night. Hmm. I'll have to ask her.

Twenty-something years later, I wanted to allow my children that fond memory. I am sure it will be remembered. It will be interesting to hear my children's view of it when they are grown.

The kids were already in bed, when I saw on the internet that there was to be a meteor shower tonight. I went back and forth as to whether or not it was worth getting them out of bed - that is such an accomplishment it takes A LOT to even consider GETTING them out of bed. They come out by themselves way too often as it is. Fun Mom won and I called them down.

We got our sleeping bags and pillows and layed out on the grass in the backyard. I got out some cheapo sandwich cookies from our camping trip over the weekend and made them each hot chocoate in a spillproof cup. (Quincey thinks it is the ultimate labor or love for me to let her have a sippy cup! "A tippy tup? For me? *squeal*!"

I went back out and layed with them - it wasn't quite dark, dark, yet. Emma saw Venus above the mountains and said, "Mom, that one is sooo much brighter than the rest of the stars. I think it is a wormhole." :)

We had a great time laughing and talking about different stars we saw. Okay, mostly we were laughing because Emma was a stinky skunk and kept tooting. Quincey had no clue what we were looking for and kept asking to see more airplanes. I guess those were the only ones slow enough for her to get her eyes on.

After a cookie or two, I got thirsty and asked who had hot chocolate left to share with me. After tasting both Emma's and Quincey's I said, "I asked for HOT chocolate!" It was cold and yucky and those cookies left something to be desired - okay a lot to be desired. However, after a while we saw a few nice bright meteors that were big enough that Quincey even saw them. Then, there was a lull and we didn't see any for a while. I looked over and Emma and Tyler were asleep.

I guess the fun was over.