Campus By the Sea

Camp was very different this year. It was overcast for about 3/4 of the trip and COLD in the morning and night. Humph! It was still great to relax and escape into my first ever Francine Rivers book and just hang with the family. The boys had a blast and here are a few of their highlights. I honestly think most of these pictures were taken at the end of the trip when the sun decided to come out.

FISHING AND SKIPPING

In the morning they loved to get out and just skip and throw the rocks. The beach has not a speck of sand. It is all rocks. It gives the cove alot of character but boy are they hard to walk on.

He was out on the pier for hours one day!

I think it is only half a lobster. Don't remember where he found it.

Glory! He just learned how to skip a rock!!

PLAYING AND RELAXING

KAYAKING

This was the prettiest day the whole week!

Jesse ventured out on his own.

While the others piled together. Of course, I stayed on land with the baby. 

THE CAVE

Put some real shoes on....

..or just take them off!

Their hangout!

Their view!!! 

Friends

Some of our favorite friends! We had plenty of time to get this shot. We had been waiting for the ferry for I think about 3 hours. We got an e-mail saying that the ferry would be leaving sooner than the origianl time but that was for on the way home. I won't tell who insisted we get there early...Chad!

The Waterfront at Camp

The waterfront at camp was great. There was kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and best of all, crab searching! The kids had to take a swimming test before they were allowed to go out on their own. So at the appointed time they jumped into some wetsuits (which was a bit weighty for Matthew) and headed for the floating dock. There were two sessions. Jesse was in the first and Matthew in the second. When Matthew attempted it he only got half way out before putting his hand up for help. When Jesse saw this he jumped right in and started swimming toward him. He cares when it counts and I was proud.

Daniel could care less about the swimming and wanted to search for crabs ALL day long. He was so cute but it got old fast...at least for us to old to care.

Crab searching buddies!!

There he is!

They would swim for hours. Kristy has a GREAT picture of them in their wetsuits. Hopefully I will get it soon.

Avalon Day Trip

In the middle of the week during family camp we took a day trip to Avalon. The older kids took a nice long, hot and sweaty hike with the dads over the mountain and into the city while Kristy and I took a refreshing, breezy boat ride to meet them. Both groups loved their choice of travel. It was a gorgeous day and the first time ever for us to vacation with friends. The pretty little city met us with cozy shops, ice cream, and a pizza parlor with the perfect view. We are hoping to return next year and make it a tradition.

In the five years we have known each other I think this is our first picture together. She is a sweet friend.

Daniel seems to go unnoticed!

Yes we had ice cream BEFORE lunch while our friends took their yearly golf-cart tour. We opted out since we would have had to rent two.

Our good friends, Chad and Kristy Wood!

Hannah, Daniel, Jesse, Matthew, Tiffy, and Libby.

Don't ask!

Like I said, "Don't ask!"

Sleeping Arrangements at Camp

Here is a funny moment of our trip. Libby and Daniel became good friends. She was staying in this beautiful open air tent with her sisters and mom and dad while we were staying in a cabin just across the way. The two of them decided to visit her tent on their own. Daniel sweetly escorted her into her tent and then tried to untie the flaps behind him. We were standing on our cabin deck watching with her daddy and he wasn't about to have that happen. LOL!

They were so sweet and FUNNY! At one point Libby stopped, and being the sweet controlling little girl she is, put Daniel's hand between her knees to keep him from going further while she did something.

I LOVE this sleeping bag!

Yes he went to bed like this. The dirt was THICK. Gross I know but SO much fun. It is CAMP.

He did marvelously!

Jesse boarding!

Oh yeah! This was definitely a highlight. Jesse and I got up at 5:30 and went to the dock for a little bit of water skiing. Thankfully for Jesse they provided wetsuits. Had I been a bit smarter I would have put one on too. The ocean water was freezing. Well, it took Jesse three tries and he was up. This was his first time ever!! Very exciting. It didn't last long but he had a blast. I took my turn on a single ski after ten years and also got up on the third try though I was down for the rest of the day. :) One dad who goes every year tries to tell the new parents to wait until Friday if they want to go skiing, that way they are only in pain for a day before the have to go home. HA!

Jesse waiting his turn!

Hanging tight.

Struggling with all his might! Check out his life jacket. Funny.

Putting up a fight and lovin' it.

Awesome!