an eventful camping trip with the aftons! :D

Pack your bags, kids!

Small hints of bickering could be heard in the living room, while William had been preparing for a great family bonding trip, it would fix the loud bickering home and turn it into peace and beautiful quiet. He'd walk to the living room where he'd be met by Evan sobbing, Michael trying to watch TV, and Elizabeth with half tangled hair rambling on about something or other.

William cleared his throat, gaining no more attention than he'd had before, so he did it again. Elizabeth looked over, running over to him. "Daddy! Could you tell Michael to stop changing the channel!?" Elizabeth tugged on William's hand, trying to pull him into the living room.

He sighed, then walked over to the TV, unplugging each and every single cord from the back of it, clearing his throat again, finally getting the focus on him. "Pack your bags, all three of you! We're going camping!" William grinned widely, dangling the car keys.

For a moment, he was met with just stares, Elizabeth immediately had run off to pack, Evan following shortly behind, but Michael just stood. "You know,, I'll make a great house sitter.." He said awkwardly, seating himself back down onto the couch.

"No, no, I don't know if you understood, but I told all THREE of you to pack up." William crossed his arms, waiting as Michael sighed, slowly standing up and practically dragging himself to his bedroom to pack.

William took rounds checking on each kid, pausing as he saw Elizabeth packing anything EXCEPT essentials. "Okay, hold it." He stepped inside the room, pulling a bunch of toys and stuff she'd packed outside of the bag. "Pick three, and grab some clothes, and a toothbrush and hairbrush." He sighed rubbing his temples and walking out.

The next room to check was Evan's, who seemed to be packing pretty much just fine, minus a few sobs between packing.

And next, Michael's room. William opened the door and saw him lazily throwing his things in the suitcase, leaving way less room than there should have been if he'd just packed right. William cleared his throat, catching Michael's attention. "Pack it neatly, you're leaving no room for anything else in there." William's advice was left to no reaction besides a scoff and Michael hastily redoing all his packing a bit frustrated.

"Five minutes till we go!" William called out, moving to stand by the door, his bags already packed and sat nearby. Then one by one, everyone begun dragging their stuff to the door. Just like that, they all sat in the car, feeling stuffed before they'd even gotten onto the road.

William adjusted his mirrors, still grinning. "See, this will bring our family together, you'll understand one day, alright? You'll appreciate this when it's over." William spoke in an eerily optimistic tone, looking at each of his children's completely miserable faces as he began driving.

Michael pulled out his walkman, slipping on the headphones and beginning the music, immediately in an attempt to tune out his family for the entire car ride. Yet right as he began to relax and lean his seat back, he was met to countless kicks in the back of it, and he flew right back up. "Jesus!- What's your deal!?" Michael shouted and turned, peering around his seat at Elizabeth behind him.

"Your seat was too close I was squished!" She shouted back, continuing to kick his seat to push her point across. "Dramatic much!?" Michael turned back around, continuing to listen to music. William sighed, this was gonna be a long ride.