To Camp and Back Again Giggety Jog

The savvy bloggers out there will probably notice that I backdated some posts. Sorry to do that, but things have been crazy busy with no time for blogging lately.

Sunday July 18th was Adrian's 7th birthday and we shipped him off to Harry Potter camp with his sister for a week. (It was the only week that Camp Colman does "Harry Potter camp" so I had no choice about it being on his birthday.) We celebrated by opening presents the day before so he could open and play the LEGO Harry Potter Wii game before he left.

Yes that's Harry on the cake.

Ainsley inspected and considered the ice cream cake.

I helped her say "I love you Adrian" using her AAC device.

Look at my cutie! So growin' up goin' off to sleepover camp for a whole week. Wah!

We drove them, and were late. If you ever send your kids off to camp do NOT underestimate the time it takes to tag EVERY single item they take with them. Do NOT listen to your husband who at 1am says oh don't worry, let's go to bed, it won't take that long. It'll be FINE.  In fact if your husband says It'll be finnnne, in "that" tone, you know it most certainly will NOT BE FINE. Anyway.....

On the way...it's a lonnnng drive. Ainsley discovered a peppermint in her booster seat. The kids (E&A) kept asking "What'd she find?" "What is it?" Their jealousy enthusiasm must have sparked her interest because she tried it. And tried it again, and again. So now we might have finally found something that she likes the taste of, though she rejected the candy cane from Santa for the past 3 years, so it's probably too much to hope for.

Gingerly at first.

Showing Evie and Adrian what SHE was lucky enough to find in HER seat. Oh man, sometimes I wish she could speak just to know what would come out of her mouth.

Mmm. Yeah, this is pretty good.

The kids were sorted into houses. My kids were both in Slytherin. Booooo!

The camp map, it's a huge place on some beautiful land.

A view across the lake, with the camp lodge in sight on the hillside.

The beach where they had campfires. And nighttime duals with death-eaters?! Who let these kids go to this camp?!

A cool out building.

The color on these trees was just amazing.

But alas, no beautiful scenery for us. Steve took the week off so we could repair our kitchen floor. Ainsley had, not once, but twice got a splinter shoved all the way up her big toenail. Poor girl has such a pain tolerance she really didn't complain (until I pulled them out of course).  Obviously this was unacceptable and since the floor is fir and badly damaged, and so old and thin it can't be refinished we opted to paint.

 

A couple boards had to be replaced which took some time and special tools. Plus 3 coats floor paint and 2 coats clear floor finish. It took us the entire week, and we got little else done. Well, okay Steve finished the backyard fence, we cleaned the basement carpets and cleaned behind the 200lb range for the first time in 10 years. Yu-ucccck! 

Our nurse picked up an extra shift, so that helped but when she wasn't here we put Ainsley to work to keep her busy. Just kidding. That paintbrush is dry, though she thought it was fun to pretend. One kid while you're working is still easier than 3. It wasn't fun but it's a huge relief to have a safe floor and it looks really good, but then I like the look of a painted floor.  The furniture is not quite back in place. Maybe toward the end of the week when the floor's had a chance to harden.

We picked up the kids Saturday morning.

Ainsley is so loved. She did fine in their absence, but I think she was excited to see them.  They are entertaining, for sure.

And the goofiness begins before they're even in the car.

My grubby little campers. I was working so hard I barely had a chance to miss them. And they were having so much fun I think they barely had a chance to miss us. They immediately said they want to go back next year. If they do I hope we get a REAL vacation.  Cross your fingers that Adrian forgets that I didn't throw him a birthday party.