Boys Summer Camps

After Emmett was born it seemed that we spent a couple weeks at home and then were heading to Portland EVERY weekend. With the boys starting camp and Emmett’s two week checkup, it felt like we were never home. It was great getting to be around family so much and I was glad to be able to access all of Portland’s great inner city parks and things. With a newborn everything takes longer and is more complicated. Like picking up and taking the boys to camp.

We had to coordinate leaving our house by 6am to get them to camp by 9am. Same with pick up. Brayden goes to camp solo, so I am always more concerned about getting there and letting him release some of his jitters. Mitch has always gone with his cousins. Jordan is always late, so I have never cared as much about Mitch’s drop off.

The picking up is always fun and Brent loves that part. We get there and the kids are in Chapel. They are singing their hearts out and jumping up and down. It is so awesome to see them so happy and fired up.

We then let them buy us snacks at the Snack Shack, and play some Ga-Ga ball, or Carpet Ball. Then we take off and go eat at the Tippy Canoe with Max and Shannon. We’ve been doing this for several years now and it really is going to be sad when the boys are done going to camp. Mitch is interested in being a counselor, but it won’t be the same.

I have gotten better about the boys being at camp, or away from me in general. It always rips at me. I would usually leave them with pictures, notes, or little videotaped messages…but now I am trying to embrace the fact that they are “old” enough to start independently having these adventures. I know I have raised secure and content boys because they never have had a problem being away from us. They adjust to their environments and make the most of it. The earliest they can stay overnight at camp is when they are going into the second and third grade, so they are only seven to eight years old…that seems so early when I say it, but they have a blast. I know August will love to go next year.

Anyways, this year we stopped at Frog Lake during the pick up from camp. Brent had never been there and we needed a good place half way home to stop and stretch and feed the baby. This was perfect and it was booming with frogs. It was then that we decided we had to bring August back because he LOVES to catch anything that jumps and slithers.

Summer officially starts when the kids go to their camps.

Brayden was the first to go to camp.

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 I went with only Mitchel to get Brayden from camp. As soon as we got there I went to feed Emmett in the girls shower area. It was nice and quiet with a bench...

It was nice being there all by ourselves for awhile before the other parents came...

Brayden had bought a walking stick from the gift shop.

That thing next to Emmett's head is the snow cone.

Then we enjoyed some carpet ball...

Then it was time from Mitch to go to camp.
He went with his three cousins Abram, Jordan, and Tyler.
G-Ma dropped these guys off at camp.
They went straight to the carpet ball.

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Emmett had a blow out as soon as we got there. Lucky I have the trunk set up as a changing station.

Emmett looking up at his Daddy. Studying that face.

 After picking up Mitchel we headed to the Tippy Canoe with Max, Shannon, Eric, Elysia, Brent and all the boys.

Emmett had to eat too. Getting pretty good at nursing on the go again...It was hard to get back into the swing.
 

 This is when we stopped at Frog Lake to stretch our legs. We walked around the whole lake and spent a good 2 hours there.

There were thousands of these little guys all around.

It was awesome hanging out with Mitch and Brent. Mitch has become such a great young man. It is hard to believe in two years he will be 18. An adult. We had great conversation and lots of laughs as we strolled around the lake.