Archive for August, 2016

Manidokan Fun!

Posted in Uncategorized on August 27th, 2016 by molly – 3 Comments

Hi, it's Molly.

Camp drop off

I had a great time at camp. My parents dropped me off on Sunday, August 7, 2016. I had a fun time after that. On Monday, I went to the Flying Squirrel. Here’s a picture of me doing it.

Flying Squirrel

After the Flying Squirrel, I had lunch. Then, I went to the pool. At the pool I jumped off the diving board. Then, I had store time. At the camp store, I bought 2 snacks and a drink. After store time, I had some time in my Lodge. Then, I had dinner. After dinner, I had a camp fire, where we sang songs. Then, I went to bed.

On Tuesday, I went to Harpers Ferry. It was my first time walking from state to state. I walked from Maryland to West Virginia. It was a long walk there. When I was almost there, I saw the results and learned that a man was painting an ad for a company on a mountain. But to pay for the paint stuff, he cheated on his wife, he used his wife’s money! So when he was painting on the mountain, held up by a rope, his wife cut his rope, he fell, and he died. When I was at Harpers Ferry, I went to an ice cream shop and a candy shop. Then, I had a long walk back to camp.

Harpers Ferry hike

On Wednesday, I went on the hard and easy tall climbing walls. I was the first to go on the hard climbing wall. The hard wall was hard because at the top there was an angle (looking from the side, the angle looked like this: / ), and then another angle (from the side, the angle looked like this: \ ). When you got to the top, you rang a bell. For my evening activity, I did Mission Manidokan. That is when we talk about our mission for camp. To learn about it, we made cardboard houses to see what it would be like to live in the house if we were homeless.

On Thursday, I went on a river trip. I rode on the Potomac River in an inflatable raft. I paddled for like an hour or so and then I had lunch. After lunch, I swam in the river. I jumped off of a jumping rock a lot. Then, I got back in my boat . I paddled for thirty minutes to an hour and then I swam in the river again. Then, I got back in my boat and paddled to our destination (where we were going to be picked up). During the time we were getting to our destination, my boat (and the other 2 boats) crew leaders had to get out, and pull the boat since there was a nice breeze that pushed the boat back some.

On Friday, I went on a trail called Sawmill. I swam in a part of a river next to Sawmill. I jumped off a jumping rock, it was 10-12 feet above the water. I jumped off the jumping rock 2 times. I had a lot of fun in the water. Then, I went back to camp. When I got back to camp, I had lunch. After lunch, I packed up my stuff l brought to camp. Then, I watched a movie. The movie was called Tangled. Part way through the movie some kids (like me) went to the pool, the other kids finished the movie. Then, I had store time. Then, Lodge time. Then, I had dinner. After that, my parents came, and we sang some songs to finish off camp.

Camp pick up

Closing ceremonies

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 13th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

Sunday we had some relaxing time in the lake house before cleaning up and heading to the airport. Naturally, the girls organized a coronation. Here come the princesses.

Coronation

Queen Molly and King Rhino crowned the two princesses.

Coronation

The entire royal family, including Great Queen G’Mom and Prince JJ as well.

Royal family

Later, we had some family music time. Here’s Uncle J on guitar, Emmie on violin, Leah on bongos, Jen and Molly on shakers, and JJ on harmonica.

Family music

And then we headed home to Maryland. Thanks for all the water fun!

Last day of water fun

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 12th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

Saturday was our last full day to enjoy the water, so we made sure to take advantage. But first, some dry fun - Bingo!

Bingo

And then we were back on the tube. JJ showed that he didn’t need to use his hands.

No hands

After riding with JJ, Uncle J got to ride on the tube with Leah as well.

With Uncle J

Leah caught some air.

Flying around

Hold on tight.

In the span of 3 days, Emmie went from fear to fun on the tube. Two days before this I never would have thought she’d have such a grin. And yes, Uncle J got to ride for a third time in a row, ensuring maximum tiredness.

Big grin

Then it was Molly’s turn to get sprayed in the face with water.

Splash

No hands!

No hands

Not sure if she’s sticking her tongue out at me or tasting the lake water (yuck).

Tongue out

The kids started practicing rolling off the side at the end of their ride. Here goes Molly.

Roll off

G’Mom even got on the tube. She had a great time.

G'Mom too

No hands

Fun tubing

It wasn’t all grins; sometimes things got serious.

Serious tuber

We then had our second great uncle/aunt visit. Great Uncle Rick and Great Aunt Roxanne dropped in to hang out.

Another great visit

Saturday afternoon when we went to get in the ski boat, the kids noticed a snake in the fishing boat. None of us were sure if it was dangerous or what to do about it. Uncle J went and got his hunting rifle (not sure what he was going to do with it). Then our neighbor walked over and picked it up. He said it wasn’t poisonous, and he clearly knew how to handle snakes properly. The kids even all petted it once he had it. It’s good to have someone around who knows about snakes.

Snake in a boat

Saturday afternoon we took the boat out to some swimming destinations. Here are the four of us having fun in the water. We also checked out the rope swing, though it was too high for any of our kids at this point.

Swimming

We also went to swim at the rock. There’s a very high (maybe 30 feet) ledge, and a somewhat lower (10-12 feet) ledge. We figured we’d just watch, but then Emmie surprised us all and started climbing up. Molly quickly followed behind. After seeing another adult climb up to assist a kid who got scared, Uncle J and I figured we’d be climbing up soon. But we were wrong. They jumped on their own and loved it. Then they climbed up to do it again, this time joined by Leah. All 3 girls jumped a bunch of times.

The rock

We all slept well that night.

Skis, tubes, and sweet treats

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 11th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

Friday afternoon at the lake gave me the opportunity to have some water sport fun. The kids sacrificed a few minutes of tubing so I could ski. First, though, we had to make preparations. It’s important to put weight in the front of the boat when it’s pulling someone, especially an adult man on a single slalom ski.

Front of the boat

I wasn’t sure how I’d do, but I managed to get up on 1 ski easily, and felt right at home.

Skiing

Out wide

Cutting across the wake

Then it was back to the tube. Molly picked up right where she left off.

Still having fun

And she caught some air.

Catching some air

In the air

Most people might close their mouth when the spray is hitting them in the face, but not Molly. She can’t stop smiling.

Fun spray

I joined Leah on the tube again.

Me and Leah

Emmie was warming to the idea of tubing, especially since she got to go with her dad.

Again

And she even smiled.

Smiling

Uncle J taught JJ some tubing moves.

Hands up

After tubing, we got some visitors. Great Uncle Ted and Great Aunt Jeannie joined us for a bit.

Great visit

And after dinner it was time for some sweet treats. Uncle J made a fire so we could make s’mores.

S'mores

They were shockingly good.

Shockingly good

Emmie preferred the technique where you light your marshmallow on fire, then blow it out after the outside is nicely blackened.

Crispy

Roasting

I like this picture of Molly, Uncle J, and the fire. So serene.

Roasting marshmallows

JJ liked the picture too, and decided to insert himself into it.

Photobomb

Photobombs are hilarious

Photobomb face

Friday morning fun

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 10th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

While at the lake, some people (e.g. Grampa and Uncle J) would get up early to go fishing. Jen and I are not those people. Friday morning, the kids woke up and wanted to join in the fishing. Unfortunately the girls clothes were in our room. So, instead of waking us, they just went fishing in their night gowns.

Pajama fishing

Fish for JJ

Fishing with Grampa

Caught one

Once everyone was up and dressed, we made sure to get a family picture of all of us, complete with Lay Lake in the background.

Family picture

And here’s the four of us.

The four of us

Grandparents and their grandkids.

Grands

After taking a nice picture, can you believe they did this.

Gross

Then Jen and I took an intimate picture of the two of us. And Jeremy.

Third wheel

First time tubing

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 9th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

Our first morning at the lake house, we woke up ready for some water sport fun. The girls were excited to try out tubing for the first time, but they had a little time to kill while we got everything together to head out on the ski boat. So, they borrowed Emmie and JJ’s fishing rods to try it for a couple of minutes.

Fishing

Fishing

Soon afterward, we headed out in the boat for some tubing. Since our girls had never seen tubing before, JJ and Aunt ‘Chelle showed them how it’s done.

Tubing

After watching JJ, Molly was ready to go. She elected to go with Aunt ‘Chelle as well to learn from her tubing experience.

Molly tubing

I went with Leah for her first time tubing. She loved it. She kept telling Uncle J to go faster. I eventually had to tell her the boat wasn’t going to go any faster.

Leah tubing

Emmie has tubed before, but is still trepidatious about it. She went anyway, and stayed on longer than she normally does. She said she was just doing it for her cousins :)

Emmie tubing

Molly loved tubing, and was excited to get a second turn by herself once Emmie was done. She smiled the whole way.

Again

Wow

Fun

Tongue

This is awesome

Grampa even got on the tube. Leah showed him how to do it.

With Grampa

Leah and Grampa had to hold on tight.

Rough ride

Crash down

Tubing is fun!

Tubing is fun!

Another lake

Posted in Family visits, Trip on August 8th, 2016 by c-had – Be the first to comment

We had 10 days at home, before heading to another lake - this time with Jen’s family. We flew to Alabama to see everyone and the family’s newly remodeled lake house (which we had not been to since 2007).

Our adventure started early with a 7:40am flight to Birmingham. Grams was kind enough to pick us up at 5:30am to bring us to the airport. With the time change, we landed before 9:00am in Alabama, giving us a full day there.

We first went to Aunt ‘Chelle’s house to hang out and play for a bit, as well as eat some lunch. Then we headed to visit Grandma Dot.

Visiting Grandma Dot

Despite living several states away, our girls and their cousins did the same VBS, so they learned the same songs and dance moves. They put on a performance for Grandma Dot.

Vocal performance

After visiting Grandma Dot, we stopped by G’Mom’s cousin Ann’s house to check out her doll room. Ann has been very kind to our girls over the years, giving Molly her beloved American Girl Molly doll and lots of great doll stuff for both girls. Here, we got to see where she worked.

Doll room

Then we headed to the lake house. After getting there and checking the place out, it didn’t take long before we were on the water. We took out the party boat (a pontoon boat) for a nice ride around the lake.

Molly on a boat

Boat ride

All the kids got a turn helping Grampa drive the boat.

Driving the boat

Driving the boat

Driving the boat

Driving the boat

And what’s a boat ride without snacks?

Snacks

After dinner, we were very happy to get to bed. It was a very long day.