Camp Cleawox-Part Two

This week I dropped my oldest child off at camp for the first time.  The first time she has ever stayed with someone who is not family.  The first time I won't be able to at least call her.  The first time!

She looks broken up, distraught,despairing!

We arrive at camp.  Me: Are you nervous?  Her: No.  Me: Wanna go home?  Her: NO!

Big girl gets loaded up with her gear...6 days is a long time!

I sense her fear is building.

After some tearful good-byes...

Sarah tried to put on a brave face and ran off to play.  Uhhh...honey?  Did you forget to say good-bye to Mommy?  Ummm...I'm leaving now, sweetie?

Blueberry Season!

Summer time is blueberry time in our town.  At least once or twice in the summer we load up our buckets and head to the berry farm. We pick from the rows and rows of blueberries until it gets too hot or our buckets get too heavy...The girls usually get more in their bellies than in the buckets.

This time we did pretty good... 10 pounds of berries in about an hour.  Cost??? Twelve Dollars!!!

Steve didn't want me do make jam or pie at first because the berries are so good fresh.  After a few days, though he gave in and admitted 10 pounds was too much even for the girls and him (I don't eat blueberries).

I made scrumptious smoothies and my first (2) blueberry pie(s).  They didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped they would but I heard they were delicious.  Some even said it was the best pie they'd ever had!

Camp Cleawox

The girls and I headed out to the beautiful Oregon Coast for Girl Scout Camp this past weekend.  We spent 2 nights out in the out-of-doors, sleeping in open-air cabins, canooing, and camp-firing.  This was Little Girl's first time and she had a blast.  Big Girl had a great time catching up with camp friends.



We were up at dawn for sunrise painting.

I was actually convinced to go canooing,after the fiasco 2 years ago when Big Girl and I were unceremoniously dumped into the lake 5 seconds after leaving the dock...earning me my camp nickname "Splash".

It rained on night 2 leading to an indoor campfire by the fireplace...I wasn't too broken up about that...No bugs, nice warm lodge...hot coffeepot...my kind of campfire!

I have to admit...I kind of had a great time, too.  But the best part of all.  Getting home for a long, hot shower!