summer stuff 2022

 Summer has been one camp or trip after another so far. I've posted about camping in Kernville & our trip to Arkansas, so here's what else has been happening...

Heard around here...

Me: (1,000 times at the pool) "Stop going underwater when I'm talking to you!"

Angus: Don't flick me Addie, I'm a ninja.

Angus is notorious for his terrible knock-knock jokes. They never make sense and they're never funny. 

Angus: Knock knock

Addie: Uuuuggghhh, who's there? (eye roll)

Angus: Dead

Addie: Dead who

Angus Dead meat of deadness. 

Addie: *Shakes head & walks away*

Told you.

While we were in Arkansas, Mya went to Jr. High camp in San Clemente. She had a blast. 

This is Addie sending a happy bday pic to her bestie =)

These two mostly get along, but sometimes they don't... and then they build barricades with Costco groceries.

VBS week, 3 campers and 1 worker.

Father's Day

I told Addie I'm tired of seeing her tongue in every picture. She promised to work on it.

Winter's last year at Camp Idrafoje

Mya attended the camp too but as a worker. She was in the kitchen crew. 

And she carried Winter's bags to the teepee. All the workers have to carry all the campers' bags =)

They were both super exhausted when they got home 4 days later.

Not sure what this is... a weird pyramid, dogpile?

This is such a summer pic 🌞

My boss Sherri and I had never met in person until recently. I'm her assistant from afar =). We met on zoom in May of 2020. I totally love her. She was in town and stopped by and we finally got to give each other a real-life hug. Dan was super bummed that he was working and missed her, but the kids were home, and true to form, they were not shy. Mya's taking the pic, Angus is the hulk, Winter is giving her bunny ears and Addie's tongue is out. Again. Angus talked her ear off, Winter asked her random questions, Addie showed her some handstands and Mya mostly watched her in curiosity. 

A week ago, Dan and I decided that the kids needed a break from screens & TV. So we instituted a new rule. No TV or screens on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. It's not going well. But I'm determined that it's worth the whining, bickering and extra messes they make.

Dan had a birthday last week! I love Addie's card =)

Speaking of getting old, my hip is the first body part to betray me. I tore some hip cartilage last year (not sure if that heals itself or not) and I guess I have some type of bone deformity? I'm not completely convinced of that info. The specialist says it's genetic but no one in my family has hip problems (besides our 14-year-old lab). 

So I did some PT and the PT expert told me to start bicycling. It's easy on the joints, great for the supporting muscles around the hip, and great exercise. I convinced Mya to go on a 7.5 mile bike ride around a nearby reservoir. It was only supposed to be 6.4 miles but we got a little lost. Siri's not much of a trail expert and my terrible sense of direction didn't help, but we made it back in one piece. I'm down to do it again. I think I'll be able to find my way this time. Mya said to ask her again in a week. She's not sure yet =)

We paid a visit to our favorite family of 8.

Nelly has the most impressive bedhead.

Everyone's growing up 💖

The Higerds make 'em tall. These two have always been around the same height. Winter isn't giving up that extra quarter inch.

That smug look.

'Till next time friends!

Happy Sunday! Is it really almost August??

Arkansas!

 Since we couldn't afford to take the whole family to Arkansas to visit my fam, Winter and Angus were the lucky ones who got to go. (Mya & Addie got to go to FL last spring)

Northwest AR did not dissappoint. It was beautiful and green and not as humid as I expected. I was told that July was not the best time to visit but airplane tickets were over $800 a person for June sooooo July won out. We had an awesome time. Winter and Angus had never flown on a plane and loved taking off and landing but were not impressed with having to sit in a seat for over 3 hours. The wifi on the plane wasn't working and I will always remember to download movies before flying from now on. They were troopers though. Winter played "Wordscapes" on my phone and Angus scrolled through pictures I saved to my computer. They also loved ordering free orange juice and snacks.

We arrived Tuesday and stopped at my brother's house after landing and we got to catch up with his cute little fam and meet my awesome squishy happy 10-month-old nephew which was definately a highlight. 

Then on to mom's awesome place in Huntsville, AR, kind of in the middle of nowhere. She's about 45 minutes away from a town with a big grocery store. My phone didn't work at her house which was a blessing. It's always nice to disconnect. We explored the beautiful giant property, swung on the tire swing, jumped on the trampoline, found a few interesting animals like an armadillo, a couple of racoons, some cows and deer.  

Wednesday we explored a cute little near-by town, Eureeka springs where we ate lunch, browsed some overpriced shops, ate ice cream and went in the coolest little church made of mostly glass located in the woods. Then we came back and picked tons of veggies and berries from the garden that mom's cousin spends hours working in daily. It's quite impressive. They grow cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, blueberries, strawberries, rasberries, basil, potatoes, corn, cantalope and I know I'm forgetting a few things. There are trees in there too that will produce fruit in the fall I think. We wore tall socks so we wouldn't get chigger bites. (Flee like bugs that come out in the summer and hang out in the grass)

Angus borrowed mom's black hat because it matched his tall black socks.

Thursday we went to Buffalo River where we went on a lovely hike to some caves and then to the river where we swam and Winter jumped off of a rope swing into the river about 30 times. It was her favorite part of the whole trip I think. On the way back to mom's, we saw two elk grazing on the side of the road so that was exciting.

Friday, we visited a near-by wild cat rescue where we saw lions, tigers, a liger, bobcats and more. It's sad that people breed these cats for entertainment and then give them away when they become too big and dangerous to keep. But it's nice that the rescue place is taking good care of them. Winter is obsessed with big wild cats so she was loving seeing them up close. We came home a relaxed and played games. I taught Mom & Deb how to play "Ticket To Ride" one of our favorites.

Friday, we also got a tour of the property mom lives on. It belongs to her cousin and her family. Gary was nice enough to take us on a very exciting UTV tour through crazy rough terain where we were covered in dirt and bugs, but it was totally worth it.

Saturday, Mike and his fam came to Mom's to have lunch and hang out with us for a while before we flew back home in the afternoon. It was a quick trip but we loved every minute of it. 

Then back home. Angus was super excited to ride a bus and a plane in one day. The bus took us from the little plane to the main part of the airport at LAX. 

Till next time Arkansas!