Family Camp!

Her first horse ride! Nice man in the photo helped me - led the horse so I could walk next to June.



Playing in our cabin!



Picking out a bunk!

We survived our trip to Camp Tecumseh - a YMCA camp in Brookston, IN. We enjoyed a weekend of beautiful weather, fun with the kids, and absolutely no sleep at all (for me, anyway)! We went to camp with the Waldroms - my parents, sister, brother and his family. The kids all enjoyed horseback riding, rock wall climbing, obstacle courses, ice cream making, and more. The adults, and Delaney when we sneaked her on, tried out the zipline over the lake - super fun!

June and Quinn had their first horseback riding experiences. It was about a 20 minute trail ride, where I had to keep my arm raised up above my head to make sure June didn't jump off the horse - she really liked it, but didn't necessarily believe me when I said that she needed to hold on to the horse with BOTH hands! I recruited a dad from another family to help walk the horse along, because I couldn't stand close enough to the front of the horse, and hold onto Junie. Quinn thinks she is a real pro now; she loved the ride.

We consumed significant amounts of junk food and salty camp food...I am wishing to have some of that candy corn back. It would give me a nice sugar rush. I truly believe that the children are conspiring to ensure that I live in a constant state of sleep deprivation...for example, last night: Junie is back to her nightime wake-ups and crying...and she definitely wants someone to sit with her while she falls asleep. So, after hanging out there for 45 minutes, she fell asleep. Riley went to bed fine. Quinn coughed for an hour and half before falling asleep. Delaney was up until midnight, as she has gotten too involved in the imaginary world of Harry Potter and thinks that Voldemort could appear at any moment. Had to hang out with her til she fell asleep. Crept back to my own bed. Quinn woke up twice for drinks and a pee break. At 2 am , Riley insisted her room was too hot (b/c Tom Lyons insisted we didn't need the air on). June woke up twice crying and needing a drink and then a pee break. Tom Lyons gets up for work at 4:45 and my bed was full of kids by 6 am. So if you see me today, and notice a new wrinkle, be kind enough to shut up and keep it to yourself.

Other than not wanting to be alone at night - can't blame her as she used to sleep with a row of kids in tiny cribs - Miss Junie continues to be awesome. She is very much looking forward to her first afternoon of preschool today (sniff, sniff). She has been begging to go each day. She has her backpack ready to go, and is looking forward to seeing her lao shi - her teacher. I am not sure how we will do with giving up naps on school days, b/c she does seem to need them, but maybe it will lead to an earlier bedtime ; ) A mom can dream.