Cheese Puffs & Opera Rehearsals

All in an afternoon on the porch at Chautauqua Institute.

Lazy Day

Every good vacation week starts with a lazy day!  Trains, coloring, bubble baths and naps all factor in to a great day of rest and relaxation!

Amenities

We now strategicly book hotels with the amenities in mind. 

Afternoon Icecream With Daddy

The View From Here

This was my view around 7 am this morning as I hiked back towards our cabin from the laundry room.  MMan was awake and ready for yhe day, tagging along in the backpack.   I had deposited a pukey sleeping bag in the washer .  Last night was the second night in as many weeks that a good portion of the night was spent comforting ill children.  At least HandyMan was around to help with this one.  

Now my view includes a large iced coffee and a 4 year old who feels well enough to want to do everything, but Mama knows otherwise.  Sick kids at camp are no fun.

Camp Mondays

After morning chapel and class time, Monday was a picture perfect day on the lake.  I discovered that our baby moniter would reach right down to the edge of the beach.  I kept an eye in GGirl and an ear on MMan while he napped and enjoyed the beautiful day.

GGirl has always enjoyed water, but gas not been a fan of water in her face or going under water.  All that changed the first day with inflatable water wings.  She was all over the shallow end of the beach, getting her face in the water, going under.  It was awesome to watch her confidence build.  She even went out in the deeper water with me, swimming in her own.

HandyMan made it to camp late on Monday afternoon and jumped right in alongside our activities.  It is so good to have him back!  Last night he did T-shirt painting with GGirl.  It was taken by the staff to dry.  I can't wait to see their finished creation. 

I'm enjoying little snippets of reading time, life-building conversations, and the peaceful setting for our week. 

Watching Tractors

We are spending a week away.  We are at Pilgrim Pines: a wonderful retreat center in Southern New Hampshire.  While I sit on the porch of our cabin, GGirl has conned Mr. B into supervising her adventures across the road.  He has shadowed her to the swings, basketball courts and kicked the soccer ball around.  Then the tractor came to the beach and that instantly caught GGirl's attention.  She sat on the bench with Mr. B watching for 10 minutes as the tractor raked the beach.  Then it was back to the playground.

You can take the girl out of the country ...

World's Apart

We've spent the last two weeks in a home-of-my-heart: Southwest Colorado.  Friends who loved us, before HandyMan and I were an "us" and certainly before we even entertained thoughts of children pulled our children into the rivers of friendship that run deep and the swells of joy, laughter and camaraderie. Over two weeks we embraced the thinner, clearer air.  We soaked up the sunshine.  We absorbed the presence of friends who we only see once every few years.  Our feet walked paths of memories through trails of our past.  Face-to-face time with 'co-workers' who I talk to almost every day, but haven't seen since I started the job almost 3 years ago.  I watched GGirl run around the grounds at camp, fascinated by all the space, campfires, golf carts.  Time with my parents in a home-of-my-heart.

It is such an amazing blessing to step back in stride with friends who we've been apart from.  It was a very blessed two weeks.  Photos and stories to come.

Little Hikers

What's a trip to the mountains without a little hiking?  GGirl was a trooper and did great, up and down some pretty steep hills.  MMan took his first nap in the back pack.  A beautiful morning out with friends!

Chalkin' it Up

The fun of new environments is new activities.  GGirl has been introduced to sidewalk chalk this week.  As our hostess arrived home from work, she was greeted with GGirl's charming face asking "Will you come outside snd chalk with me?"  She has charmed help from most of the grown-ups and there is quite a mural out on the driveway!

Kicking it Off

Adventures, sunshine, warm day, cool breeze, naps and icecream.  A great start to vacation!