Summer Camp

Brian is the first of our crew to head off for summer camp.  All three kids go to Camas Meadows Bible Camp which is situated on top of one of mountain ridges up Blewett Pass just twenty minutes from home.
Yesterday was family day at camp, so we went up to visit Brian, eat, and watch the different cabins perform skits.

Dinner was served out in the meadow.  While the hamburgers were grilling the kids and their counselors played a few games. Bonnie was at camp during staff training week so she immediately jumped right in to help the kitchen crew and play along with the campers.  During the 4th -6th graders week of camp, she will be a CIT (Counselor in Training).

Brian's counselors are Thing (orange shirt) and Ike.  Of course, those aren't their real names.  All the counselors have camp names, for example  Bonnie's name is Ohara.  The kids are forbidden to use their counselors real names unless they want to do lots of push-ups. 

I had to get this picture, when I saw Bonnie and Brian holding hands.  They really do like each other.

Nadine or Sweet Tea, the camp cook, makes the best meals.  I know this because she cooks for us at the ladies' retreats.

Shamu, the camp director's dog, is a massive beast.  He has often been mistaken as a bear.  The campers can earn extra team points if they give Shamu a bath.

After dinner, we all moved back up the lodge to see each of the cabins put on their skits.  Stephen, Legit, is one of our youths from  our church.  Stephen graduated from high school earilier this month.  He has been working at Camas Meadows for several years now.  This year he is the camp leader working in conjunction with the director. 

Brian's cabin acted out Psalm 23.  Brian and Quinn were sheep.  Below you can see Goodness and Mercy following them everywhere they go. lol

Brian's loves camp, but he looked very tired when we saw him.  I am eager for him to come home and get some rest.

Glad That's Over

This week Bryce did his end-of-year testing.  I conveniently forgot to do everyone's testing last year. (The first year in seven that we didn't test.)  However, with Bonnie going to public school next year, I knew that I couldn't conveniently forget it again.  I chose to do the survey testing for Bryce and Brian, and the full battery of testing for Bonnie.  This week, Bryce came to church with me and I proctored his test while he took them.  He did well, I think, except for spelling.  Again, that is our big weakness.  It is hard to keep your mouth shut when you see your child answer their test wrong, but I have to remember this test is to evaluate his knowledge not mine.  I have a better idea of what I need to work on with him.  The question is to see how he ranks with others his age. Next week, I will test Bonnie.  I probably won't test Brian until August or September.

While Bonnie has been gone at camp staff training, Brian has been busy helping Todd with firewood.  In the afternoons the boys have been at the pool.  I managed to make three of the exercises classes at the pool.  Tuesday I went to the aqua jogging class.  That was a great workout.  I put a floatation belt on and then in the deep water simulated running. We ran hard and fast.  Talk about a good cardio workout.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I went to the water aerobics class.  Bryce joined me for both days and Brian joined me the last day.  Both boys enjoyed the workout and want to keep going with me.  Over half the class are retired people, but many thought it was great to see two young boys working out with them.   

This summer feels so busy that I have yet to relax.  After Vacation Bible School we are going to the ocean for a week. I can't wait.  I am looking forward to a week of total relaxation.

It was such a quiet morning that I was almost late to work.  Bonnie went to Camas Meadows Bible Camp yesterday to start her training as a counselor.  She will be up there all week and comes back home on Friday.  Todd had the boys get up at 5 am so that they could eat breakfast and go up into the mountains to get firewood for this winter.  Before it was 6 this morning, I found myself all alone.  I cleaned up the breakfast dishes, put together some white chicken chili in the crockpot, started the laundry, purged my closet of clothes that I don't or ever will wear and before I knew it an hour and a half had gone by.  Talk about mad scramble to get myself out the door.  I knew I had a lady from the church stopping by the office to discuss our ladies' retreat this fall, and I wanted to have everything ready for her to critique before she showed up. I did manage to get the church ten minutes early and she was a half hour late, so all is well.

Nothing else on the agenda today.  Brian has drum lessons and I really want to go to the pool's aqua jogging class tonight.  I am trying to either walk the loop every day or hit one of the water exercise classes at the pool.  Brian is still sleeping in the garage, and Bryce has moved back into his room so he can listen to his books on tape without being disturbed.  All is well.

Summer Break

This week we kicked off our first week of summer break.  Todd took the week off to recoup from a long and busy school year. 

We started off the week with Bonnie giving playing her recital pieces at church Sunday morning for offertory.

Tuesday, Todd and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary by spending the afternoon in Wenatchee.  Over the past year, we have noticed that a new bridge was being built up near the top of a ridge.  We think it will eventually connect East Wenatchee to Waterville making it a easier access to  Pangborn Airport.  Todd decided that we would drive up to the bridge to check it out.

Wednesday, Todd and the boys went to Rocky Reach Dam which is located between Wenatchee and Chelan.  It is fun place to visit to see how a dam works and to watch the fish work their way up the fish ladder.

Thursday, Todd took the boys up to Lake Wenatchee to check out some campsites.  They ended up hiking up to White River Falls and found some huge trees.

When Todd and the boys weren't exploring around, they were up at the golf course improving their game.  Todd has worked it out with the club house manager for the boys to leave their clubs at the club house.  Now when ever they want to putt around or practice at the driving range they can hop on their bikes and cycle over to the golf course and practice.  In fact, Todd had the boys bike over last night.  He than drove over to meet them and the three of them played nine holes together. I need to head over there myself to work on my game. 

Of course,  Todd and the boys were the ones having all the fun.  I am still working in the church office, while Bonnie is still finishing up her studies.  She doesn't seem to mind.  She spends the mornings at church playing the piano, reading her history book (She is still reading Me My Country My God by Dr. Thomas Anderson and Don Enevoldsen.) finishing up her language and math.

Anniversary

Today my husband and I celebrate our 19th anniversary.  That means we have known each other for 23 years.  Wow!  That is a more than half of my life. 

We celebrated by ditching the kids and went to Wenatchee for movie and dinner.  We saw Snowwhite and the Huntsman.   I wouldn't recommend it for the kids.  It is pretty dark but it was a interesting take on the old childhood tale.  I really wanted to see Mirror Mirror,   that type of movie is more to my liking but it wasn't playing at our theater. (How do you spell theater??  I have always spelled it theatre, but spell check says it is wrong.  Did they change the spelling or am I just wrong?)   After the movie, we did some shopping.  I had told Todd earlier that I was interested in getting a Kindle, so he bought me one.  I have been playing with it all evening, but still wondering if it is something I am really going to use.  I did download the book Sense and Sensibility.    After shopping we went to the Cottage Inn for dinner.  Todd was wanting a good steak and friends recommended this restaurant.  We both decided next time we will go to Olive Garden.  I guess we are routine people and don't do well with trying out new places.  

On another note,  the boys have been sleeping in the garage lately.  Don't ask me why, they just think it is cool in there.  Bonnie heads off to camp next week for staff training.  She is going to work as a counselor in training for one week this summer.  Brian finished his school work today!!!  Yeah!! Bonnie is the only one still finishing up language and math. 

Slide Waters

Today the kids got to go with their dad and his students to Slide Waters in Chelan.  They all had a blast and made new friends with the kids there.  It was a bit chilly though.  The temps today were in the 60s.  I don't know if I would have liked it that chilly.  I stayed home to work in the church office and plant my garden.  Wouldn't you know, I have the afternoon free of children and I worked myself silly.  Once I got my garden planted I decided to go through all of our school books and books shelves to clean, re-organize, de-clutter, pack up, and unpack next year's books.  Crazy I know.  I should have grabbed a giant slushy and a large bag of M&Ms, popped a Roger & Hammerstein movie in and relaxed.  Silly me! 

Oh...And the highlight of the day for the kids.....their dad bought them ice cream at the end of the day!!

Crazy Day in Wenatchee

It's Tuesday which means "Wenatchee Day!  Brian has his drum lessons on Tuesdays in Wenatchee so we try to plan to do all of our Walmart/ Costco/ Lowes shopping on this day.  Today was especially crazy because I managed to schedule Bonnie's dentist and eye appointments today as well.  As soon as we closed the church office down, the kids and I sped off to Wenatchee.  First was the dentist.  Bonnie had no cavitities - Yeah!. However, she does have some dental work to be done so we will be back again in a couple of weeks.  Then it was a mad dash to the other side of the river to Costco to return some items.  Next down the road to the eye doctor.  Bonnie is having trouble with her glasses and it was time for another check up.  She decided that she wanted  to try contacts.  Did you know our insurance requires you to take an hour long class on how to use contacts?  We had to wait a half hour before she could take the "class" so we headed over to the mall.  Finally, we dropped Bonnie off with the eye doctor for her "class."  The boys and I then dashed back across the river to Lowes for more grass seed.  (We still don't have grass growing in our yard.)  By now it was time for Brian's drum lessons.  No sooner did we get him dropped off, then Bonnie called asking to be picked up.  She must be a quick learner because they only had her a half hour.  Way to go Girl!  Back across the river to pick up Bonnie whose eyes were tearing up and driving her crazy.  Back across the river to pick up Brian who was now done with his lesson.  By now Bonnie was in pure agony.  She was not liking her contacts at all.  A stop at KFC to make everyone happy and Bonnie couldn't take it any longer and took the contacts out.  She was very discouraged.  She really wanted to wear contacts but it is looking like her eyes can't handle it.  (My mom and I both tried contacts and had troubles with our eyes being irritated by them.) Finally to Sav Mart for our garden plants and seeds and to Walmart for a few household items. Now we can finally go home!!  Whew!

It was a crazy day driving back and forth, but worth it to get everything done.

Final Week

This is it - our final week of school!  Bryce is on his last math assignment and has three language assignments left.  Brian is on his final math assignment as well.  He has a bit more to do on his language.  Bonnie is almost done with language and is progressing towards the end of her math. 

I am signing the kids up today to take their end of year assessments.  I decided to do the Survey assessments for the boys and do the full battery of tests for Bonnie. The reason Bonnie is taking the full battery is because we decided to send Bonnie to the public school next year.  I figure they will want a full assessment to know her skill levels.  That was the original plan when we began to homeschool - to send them to public school when they reached high school.  However, when we were in North Carolina and Todd was teaching in the public school system he decided that he didn't want his daughter there.  Now that we are in Leavenworth, we have decided she should go.  For the first time ever, I have peace about sending my daughter into the school system.  There is still a lot of things I don't like and most of what I don't like is the socialization.  Despite what everyone says the socialization at the school system is negative not positive.  When I overhear the conversations from the students as they walk past my house after school I cringe.  When I read their posts from teens I cringe.  Bonnie, however, has been showing real strength of character and strong morals that I think will help her to not fall prey to the negativity of the social crowd.  We have been spending the past seven years equipping her to be in this world and yet not be part of this world.  It is time for her to let her light shine.  Right now she is still in our home, still under our supervision, and still under our guidance.  Our goal is to help her know how to deal with the things that this world throws at our young people. (Like saying "No" to the school play because the morals are bad in it.) Also  there is a lot the school system has to offer that I know she will benefit from such as choir, drama, art, etc.   Those things are hard for me to give her at home unless I want to drive long hours and spend lots of dollars that I don't have. 

So we are wrapping things up.  Todd has two more class days this week.  Wednesday, his school will be heading to Chelan to go to Slide Waters.  Our kids will join in with him.  Thursday is Todd's final day of school and ours as well.   Yeah!