Olliebop Blog | Inspiration, Ideas and Information for Busy Families | Parenting Teens and Tweens

By 3 pm we were on the road, en route to beautiful Saranac, NY. We had planned on island camping with a canoe — but when the weather forecast had a lighting bolt pictured on each day of the weekend we changed plans and reserved a boathouse condo at Amerpersand Bay. We were looking forward to a relaxing and fun-filled weekend with my parents, my sister, and nephews.

When we arrived, Ella — still wearing her pinnie and shorts from the morning’s soggy LAX camp — realized that her weekend bag was nowhere to be found. She had packed, but amongst the mayhem her bag hadn’t made it to the car. She was fighting tears, realizing that she had no bathing suit, no favorite stuffed animal, no cozy robe, no toothbrush, and no extra clothes for the weekend. Big bummer.

Our search for extra clothes morphed into a fun activity that was a big hit {and salvaged Ella’s mood}. We staged a forgotten luggage fashion show, with Ella as the model. Each of us put together a surprise outfit from our clean items in our own bag for her to wear in the show. The coffee table, complete with fish wallhanging as backdrop, became the runway. Hudson cued up some fashionista music, and we all took turns narrating the big reveal as Ella descended down the stairway with the next surprise outfit. She rocked a variety of looks, each drawing from a different person’s weekend wardrobe.

First was this ensemble, showcasing my nightgown, socks, bathing suit, and bathrobe sash:

Next up, Mr. BOP’s multi-dimensional lifejacket-inspired trend setter:

Cousin Emmett’s shorts and T-shirt, along with fuzzy blanket and toy orb inspired a spiritual and reflective vibe:

And Grandpa’s PJ bottoms, hat, and shirt — with this unique hairstyle — resulted in a decidedly old-world feel:

 And then there was this inside-out creation…

Aunt Sarah was surprised when her robe and nightgown became a glamourous jumpsuit and headpiece:

And Cousin Daniel’s outfit made a statement in honor of models everywhere who might like to “Eat More.”

{It actually says “Eat More Kale.” If you haven’t heard about the Eat More Kale controversy, here’s the story.}

This activity was great fun. By the time the fashion show was over I think Ella was more than cool with forgetting her bag. Isn’t being the center of attention better than a toothbrush? And, the clothing problem was completely solved when I came upon this treasure on top of the condo’s washing machine:

How have I missed “LA’s Totally Awesome Laundry Detergent” before? Is this a common household item?

Upon this discovery all was especially well —  and we were happy campers.

In the non-camping sense, that is.