Camp days and birthdays

Today officially began my favorite time of the year. Our first set of campers checked in today to start first session of camp, a one-week session. It's full, which is a blessing, with about 75 campers. One day we hope to build it to 200 per session. It's nice having it small for now, since we get to know the campers pretty well. It's always amazing how varied the situations and backgrounds of the kids are, even in this small of a group. I've been sincerely praying that lives will be changed this session and this summer. My own kids are getting big enough now to really enjoy camp and were bummed to have to leave the evening activity before the nightly devotion. Watching kids walking around here Amelia's age and size is strange to me. They seemed small before, but now that I have one that age they seem really small and young! I'll take some pictures around camp the next week and try to get a good representation of what we do here. Or if you want to see it first hand, come join us for the day!

We spent all this past week doing staff orientation for the counselors and non-cabin staff. It's a lot to get in and the week was full. I participated in and lead a few training sessions, and also got to spend some time at the barn helping my barn girls get things ready. My mom was here to help with the kids for the week. The staff bonded pretty well and were excited about the campers' arrival today.

Changing the subject, I left you hanging with the last post, so here is a picture of the new (to us) Jeep:

James left mysteriously one evening week before last with his truck and trailer. When 9:30 rolled around and I had finished with my horseback riding clinic participants for the day, I called him to find out where he was. He had taken his partner in crime, Curtis, to look at a Jeep near Gainesville and had taken the trailer just in case, since there was a time crunch before camp and he wouldn't have another chance. I personally think James asking Curtis his opinion on getting a Jeep is like asking a chocoholic if they would like another brownie. The next morning it was sitting in the driveway. If I knew the details on it I would list them here, but I'll have to save that for a guest blog post from James. (James, would you like to blog?) All I know for sure is that it's newer, badder, and cooler than the old one, and it will do more stuff better. How's that for specifics? It just needs a few things off the old Jeep, including a bumper and spare tire holder thingy.

We actually have three Jeeps now, if you include Shannon's. The old one is peeking out from under the porch, no doubt feeling neglected, lonely, sad, and confused. Anyone want to make a Jeep (and a wife) happy by adding it to the vehicle line up at your house?

We also did some gardening this week. Amelia planted marigold and tomato seeds we got for half price out of the dollar bin at Target.

This was the extent of the effort, but she still commented, "Gardening is hard work!"



Tuesday we went to playgroup at the "blue" park in Cleveland. It's always an effort to go to playgroup since Elizabeth still naps in the morning and I have to get her down early so we can still leave before or around 10:30. I had timed it just right and was calling for the kids to come put on shoes and here's what I found:

Nothing like preparing for a north pole expedition on a 85 degree day! So much for trying to get somewhere on time. I may as well give up that dream for awhile longer. At least until the involved parties start to recognize that clocks exist, and that time has meaning.

We did have fun at the park, once we finally got there.



Good thing the baby likes to swing high.



I have spent countless hours pushing this one on a swing. He would swing the entire time we were at the park if I'd cooperate.

Shannon wasn't in the mood for a photo shoot, but finally caved.



And for the big news of the week, Elizabeth turned one on Friday the 5th! We didn't have a party due to so many folks we know being unavailable, but will have a small one this Friday. Summer birthday events are nearly impossible to plan. I moved the date of Amelia's July party last summer three times and still managed to have it on the same day as my niece's one year party.

I'm one today!

The counselors wanted to sing Happy Birthday to her at breakfast. Here's one of them breaking the news to her. Looks a little worried, doesn't she?

In the end she enjoyed her serenade.

Our happy breakfast table, where we eat all of our summer meals. Yay for the Dining Hall! Yay for not having to grocery shop, plan meals, cook, or do dishes! Yay for more time to do other things! Yay for summer!

And now for some one-year old sillies at snack time, some with a bib, some without.












The counselors had Friday evening and Saturday off. Since there was nothing being prepared in the Dining Hall, Elizabeth requested chinese food from our local favorite the Sunflower restaurant for her birthday dinner. So we indulged her. We also indulged her request for coffee at our new favorite coffee shop a few doors down from the Sunflower after dinner. We're such good parents.

Here's everyone gathered arond the table yet again.

I can't believe she's one. It's been a quick year! (I say that everytime one of us has a birthday.)

And for the other big news of the week, Saturday we removed the training wheels from our one and only kid bike.

Shannon doesn't mind riding the Princess bike. Especially since he got a helmet that isn't pink, though he did wear the pink one without complaint.

Ready to give it a shot.

I had him practice getting it going by pushing it along with his feet and then seeing how long he could keep it balanced without putting them down.

Would you believe that within 30 minutes the little booger was pedaling and braking?

A little wobbly, but riding just the same!

He even got down turns without putting a foot down.

Thankfully he had very few of these. Tonight we took the bike with us to the field where the campers were doing their evening activity and he was riding it with speed all over the gym, field, and gravel road. He was even trying to take it down a small trail in the woods. I always thought he'd pick up bike riding quickly, but I thought it would be a matter of days, not hours! I told him when he started yesterday that when he got it I'd get him a bike of his own. I really thought I had a good week. Tonight he said, "Are we getting my new bike tomorrow?" Guess I'll have to follow through...

Amelia reads a book while waiting her turn.

She gave it a go for about 10 minutes but isn't as persistent as her brother. We'll get her going on it this week too, hopefully. It'll be easier when we have another bike, since Shannon doesn't want to surrender the pink one long enough for her to try.

We're just about too big for this bike...



Mom went home Friday, and Dad came up Saturday. I teased them about trying to avoid each other. They'll be spending a week together in Wyoming next week, so I guess their marriage is still doing okay. :) Dad had a cousin's wedding to attend, so he took Amelia as his date Saturday evening. He got here early enough to also take her fishing. The boys missed out because they were getting hair cuts with James. I'll have to post some pictures of their summer do's soon.

Dad and Amelia.

They dug up earth worms to fish with. For all her girlie ways she doesn't mind icky things! (The shirt says it all.)

This morning I took the kids to church. I like to participate in worship with the staff here at camp, but with four little kids it's next to impossible. So we went to church and all of us enjoyed it- including the kidless staff!

The next week will be a lot of fun around here. I love camp!

"Me too!"