Camp Barton

The first week of August Alex and Max went to Camp Barton with their boyscout troop. Randy joined the boys mid-week. Here Alex is working on his fishing merit badge with his merit badge instructor. Alex finished all the requirements except catching a fish, cleaning it and eating it, (which he did the next week on our family vacation).

All the boys who camped together. Alex is in the orange shorts and Max is hiding behind the guy in light blue shorts.

The craft area.

A cool lookin' suspension bridge they got to cross.

This picture and the next are Max and 2 other boys working on their orienteering (map making) merit badge.

Max (in the orange shirt) and Alex (in the green shirt) with other boyscouts gathered around the campfire used to work on their cooking merit badge.

Max and a buddy around the fire.

Towards the end of the week there was a scoutmasters (adults) vs. the staff (older boyscouts) base ball game, that Randy played. When I asked Alex who won, he said, "Mom, the staff was 30 years younger, who do you think?"

There were lots and lots of games played that week. As you can see, limbo was one of them.

There were also games by/in the water.

And more games.

And more games.

Lots of eating takes place as well.

Here's a little more.

There was a waterfall nearby the boys hiked out to and took a lot of pictures. This is on the way.

A little further.

Here it is!

This is the tent Alex and Max shared.

This is a service project the boys worked on. The camp they stayed at had this large pile of that needed to be moved. So the boyscouts got the privilege of doing it.

The campsite with tents, a fire pit and benches.

Maxwell's Birthday

Max turned 11 this year! Just like every year before Max wants an Oreo ice cream cake and his friends Ryan and Jason over to spend the night and celebrate. So that's what he got the weekend before he turned 11.

I had to get a picture when the kids took a break from their devices to play a board game!! In addition they took a break to run around outside a little. (You see Henry getting his turn on the ipad. )

Max loves cheese, and says "potato" a lot. ( I don't know why.) That is exactly what Aunt Kathy got him for his birthday, well in addition, to Plants vs Zombies for his DS.

On Max's actual birthday we were in Ohio. For the 23rd we went to Mike's place for lunch. A very cool restaurant with a crazy menu, a life size R2D2, the option of sitting in a boat, a bus or tiki hut for your meal. We got lunch in the tiki hut, which was perfect for our loud group.

Outside of Mike's restaurant is this X-wing fighter, that you can climb around on a little, but not get into. The outside of part of building looks like a castle complete with catapult on the roof. Everyone had a lot of fun looking around and eating their meal.

Here is the birthday boy ready for his cake.

Happy Birthday to you, Max!

When we weren't celebrating Max's birthday we spent time outside. Here's Parker and Henry in the sandbox.

Julia and Sophia. Ready, set, slide!

Julia and Luke riding around the cul-du-sac at the end of the road.

Parker, Sophia, and Timmy. Look at all that cousinly love.

Oliver and Max checking out his new Star Wars Lego set.

Mother's Day

This year we went to Tinker Falls for Mother's Day. When I told the kids this is what I wanted to do I was met with lots of complaints. "I don't want to do that." "Can I stay in the van?" "I wanted to take you to the mall."(Sophia said that one.)  But here we are checking out the area map before we start the short hike to the falls. Actually the car ride there was a pretty drive and we found a little truck museum we hope to visit another day.

We came upon a fallen tree, one of many we'd see. A great chance to do some climbing and see how good the kids' balance was.

There's Tinker Falls in the background. You can barely see the water there just isn't much of it.

Climbing the steps to go behind the water fall.

We made it behind the falls.

Now climbing to the top of the water fall.

At the top! Some nice girl took a family picture for us.

Randy, Luke and Sophia getting right in the stream that leads to the water falls.

Alex,

Timmy,

and Max. And do you know what everyone is saying to me? "Mom, this is SO FUN!" "Can we do this every Mother's Day?" "I love this!"  Henry even came up to me and said, "Mom, I'm sorry I complained, this is really a lot of fun." They were right it was great!

Mom and Luke

Timmy

Luke and Me again.

Henry following the water.

A lot of time was spent climbing this fallen down tree.

Alex took a picture of Randy and me.

With kids nothing's complete without a snack. We finished tromping around the woods and took the long way home, got a late lunch and finshed the day by jamming out supper loud to Everything is Awesome (from the Lego movie), and hey, it was!