Family Camp

We recently returned from a fabulous vacation to family camp. I'm not going to mention the details because it is already NOT a well kept secret and securing a reservation is difficult. I don't want to make it any harder for us to get in because we need it! This camp has something wonderful figured out- they get families up into the woods together, they make them comfortable, but provide challenges. They take your kids away from you for two hours everyday so that you can have fun with other adults, and then they give you your kids back, tired, but excited about the new skills and games they've learned. Then in the afternoons, the camp provides you with many opportunities for fun as a family group. And you can take or leave those as you see fit. Sometimes the best family activity is to return to your homebase (which can be a tent, a 'cabin tent' or a luxury cabin) and just chill out as a family. Other days we dyed t-shirts, went sailing, or even made rockets. And through it all we laughed.

Here are some fabulous memories, in no particular order:

In a week that tended toward the "overly dramatic", here is Jeff with his version of overly dramatic marshmellow eating. Our campsites were .5 mile from the main camp base and we took a shuttle bus back and forth. The road was bumpy and our group of 17 fully enjoyed playing up the bumps. In fact, the driver got so involved in our dramatics that he began to seek out bumps and holes. Halfway through the week he blew out a tire and had to retire that bus. So when we had to ride a bus with better shocks, and the road got regraded, we had to turn our dramatics to other pursuits. Hence the marshmellow eating.

Here are 7 of the 9 kids we camped with (sorry Mira and Pete! Where were you?) The whole gang got along great, and what a bonus to the adults that Kara (in blue) really enjoyed organizing the younger crew into games and skits. When not being organized by Kara, the whole pack just flowed from one campsite to the next in different subgroups, often congretating around fire rings and entertaining themselves with the ancient rite of burning things.

This is indeed me launching myself off of a rock on Burntside Lake. It has become a tradition that during one 'age group' activity time, the adults hightail it down the channel to this rock to either jump or not jump as we so desire. In years past, I have found out that I really enjoy NOT jumping. It's exciting to stand up there and get yourself pysched up and then... not jump. But this year I was able to take the plunge. Shortly before I jumped, a new technique was unveiled. I was standing on the top, doing the psyching up bit and all of the sudden Shannon took off next to me. Only she didn't take off. She reports that she couldn't get her mind to convince her feet to leave the surface of the rock. So she did an amazing run down the (almost) vertical slope for about 15 feet, then, just 5 feet from the bottom, gravity got the best of her and she kind of flopped into the water. Everyone stood still in stunned silence until she resurfaced and gave a shy little wave. Then the laughter could not be held back. So now next year, we will come to the rock to jump, not jump, or run down. Although I don't recommend the last option.


The kid in the blue shirt on the left is Eli, taking off for the swim portion of his first triathlon! The camp does a family triathlon with a short swim, run, and canoe. He seemed to love it. Before I know it he and his dad will be out shopping for special lycra tri-suits together. Help.

Here are Eli and Theo in little kayaks. Throughout the week we spend so much time on and in the water that they become confident little waterbugs. It is wonderful to watch them try new things.
And finally, here are some shots of the lovely friendships that the boys strengthened over the course of the week. This is Eli and Sawyer on a rope swing. Below is the pirate crew- Mira, Theo, and Haakon. If you want to read more about this wonderful camp- go to my friend Amy's blog at http://www.neskemoenadventures.blogspot.com/!