This week at camp has been the most fun... just as I thought it would be. It's so nice to step back from "life"... no time schedules, no commitments, just peace and sleep... well.. sleep for Camille, I have other things to do.
Each morning we wake up to this view. I do have to run back and forth to the farm, and take care of the big animals... but other than that... we are right here. Ed and Nate have been going to work together, but because of the holiday..it's already a short week for them. The weather has been grand, and I just feel so very blessed.
But, it hasn't all been "just sitting around". The strawberries are ready.. so early one morning before it got too hot, Sadie and Abbie, Kassy and Reagan, and me... packed up and headed to the berry patch. We were hoping to catch up with Mom and Dad, but they had beat us there and were on their way out of the patch when we arrived.
It's a very good berry year, and all the kids got right to picking. Reagan came last year, but was just a little thing and in the stroller, this year, he's on his feet. I have to say, we all did pretty well to be able to pick berries and chase after him!!!!
He did discover that if he sat a moment, he could find (and eat berries)... but he's a busy little guy and even that didn't last very long!!!!
Abbie, on the other hand, was quite happy to sit and eat berries. We tried to convince her to help with the picking, but eating was just way more fun.....
Because the berries were so plentiful, it didn't take us long to fill up our baskets and head back to camp. Good thing, because it was already proving to become a very hot day.......
Back again, it was right to the water. Danny is absolutely loving this time. He now runs to the water and hops right in......
the other dogs are swimming too... but this boy really loves it....
and as much as he does swim, he is often just as happy just sitting and enjoying the lake like this...........
I had to convince Livy that swimming was fun. Not so sure that she agrees, but since she likes to be with me.... she did give it a try. Hunter and Trev sort of felt the same way about swimming when they first began, and now they love it too... so, well have to see what Livy thinks later.....
Abbie is getting very comfortable in the water. and her goal is to do a cannonball off the end of the dock before the summer is over. She certainly has no fear of swimming under water and I think she is spending about as much time under as above.
Kass invited her friend Jenny and her three children to come and spend the day with us. The kids had such fun together and the lake is always "better with buddies".... kids, dogs, water and a hot day.... you just can beat it....
Reagan has been funny this year, how much he likes the lake sort of depends on the day. Some days he is beyond happy to go in and other days, not so much...... but I guess that's how it is when your just a year old...
Jenny, her new baby... Kass and Reagan... enjoying a little down time after playing in the water....
Sadie gets a fire going.. because you just can't be at camp and not roast marshmallows.....
And the two little girls became very good buddies......
One little tired boy at the end of each camp day......
But "giving up" at the end of the day is just something he's not ready to do. Kass decided that bedtime was just not going to be, and would happen once "someone decided to crash".
Another morning, and after a good night's sleep, we have one happy guy ready to take on another day of fun.....
Can't wait to get out there. The lake is "busy" because of the holiday, so there are always boats going by. Our neighbors are up, so there are kids to play with, and the lake is just alive with happiness and fun....
The ice cream truck knows a good thing and (smartly) makes his rounds each day. Who can resist ice cream being brought right to your door.....
Robbie shows off his mini bike, and if Reagan could manage it, he'd be riding right along. These boys (our camp neighbors) Rob and Dom have grown so much over the winter, and it's always fun to see them each summer. I have to say too... they are the sweetest kids, and now being the "big" ones on the street... (used to be Kassy and Sadie).. they are so good with the little ones....
We had a cookout on the 4th itself. And a small baby shower of sorts... Catie is expecting her little one in a few weeks. Because of camp, we didn't make it to her shower, but I think finding presents at camp made up for that.....
Next year, we will have another little one at camp..... that's always good news to me.....
We decided to fry a turkey again this year. Sometimes its nice to get away from the usual hamburger/hot dog thing. Ed has this turkey cooking down to a science and makes it all look so easy.....
Reagan had to watch Papa from inside.... he was just a little too curious about what Papa was doing and we felt safer keeping him in.....
Not one drop of rain all week, and of course, today .. with the cookout and all the family here, we did have to put up with some showers. Oh well......
it certainly did not stop the kids from swimming.........
And between the over head tent and the house, everyone found a good spot to sit, visit and eat. Fortunately the showers were more of a nuisance than a problem... and we just had to dash inside once in a while....
Amy and Reagan have a little chat....
Lunch is ready!!!!!!
visiting with Beepa!!!!!!
And Camille helps put the giant puzzle together....
Perfect holiday... perfect week... and I take the greatest joy in every moment of it.....
Day one of a very happy, exciting week!!! An entire week of CAMP!! Kass and I have been talking about this all winter, and with the week ending with the 4th.. she thought it would be fun to "move" to camp for the week. I have been waiting for this week to come!!! Once everyone was all moved in, it was time for the lake. Reagan was quite fascinated watching the doggies...
Who were the first ones in!!! Banjo and Charlie absolutely love to swim and I know that they will be right here for the whole week.
This was Danny's first views of the lake. Being a lab he loves the water (I have to keep the water bowl up so he doesn't swim in it).. but when he first saw the lake and all that water, i don't think he quite knew "what" to do with it...
It didn't take him long to start checking it out, and before I knew, he was in and loved being able to swim. I'll have to keep an eye on him, and be sure he doesn't end up "swimming across the pond"
He had the greatest time, swam with Banjo and Charlie.. did some retrieving and basically...
wore himself out... but even then, he wasn't about to leave the water. Nap time on the shore line would be just perfect.....
awww... lakeside.....
Reagan likes the water too, but - for this year at least- playing with this toys works too. He's a busy little boy and Kass is going to get her exercise chasing him around camp this summer.
Tractors and trucks do help keep him in one place.....
but usually not for long!!!!!
A whole week of swimming, eating, walking and visiting... this is going to be the best week ever. (and the weather is certainly co-operating!!! yeah!!!)
Ed and Nate will still have to spend some days at work, so Kass and I have other plans while the boys are at work. But each night we will come together, have supper and campfires...
and if the week hadn't started so amazingly well.. there was one more treat to begin our time together....
ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The summer is close to full swing, and it's going to be busy and fly by for sure!!!! And one of our "events".... Camille and Livy have summer jobs!!!!
"Sorry Camille, but you are a working girl, and one more little job isn't going to hurt!!!" Camille, Livy and I are going to volunteer at the library with the summer reading program for the children. It's called "Paws to Read"... and every Friday morning, we will go for reading hour. The kids that come with enjoy stories and crafts, and then can "borrow" either Camille or Livy to read to. Reading out loud to dogs (who do not judge and are nice to cuddle with) can really improve a child's reading skills.
To promote the program, we went to school (before it released for the summer) and put on a little skit about the reading program. Camille had the part of "the library dog".. and I thought she did a fine job, sitting up at the desk while the kids did their part.
What was great fun, is as the kids came into the room to see the skit... many of them thought that Camille was a puppet!!!! I have to say, she sat so well in that chair, that I could see why they might have thought that. It was so funny to hear their comments when they realized that she was a real dog... (guess some of them aren't used to dogs that know how to behave!!!)
A few days later, we went to the library "open house" to work on promoting the reading program again. This time I brought both Livy and Camille... they did a great job greeting the kids and helping to get everyone signed up. The kids were given "reading logs" and as they complete them... the can earn prizes threw the summer.
One little gal wanted to get started right away (her Mom says she loves to read) but having Livy close by and the promise of prizes was even better.
The morning of our first official visit, Abbie, Livy, Camille and I walked up to the library. It's not a far walk, and I thought it might be good to have the dogs a bit tired before we got there. It was a great morning for a walk, and Abbie and I had fun chatting along the way.
I was pleasantly surprised to see how many kids showed up. Our town is really small and to be honest, no one was quite sure how many would actually come.
It didn't take long for the dogs to go to work. Cuddling with the kids during the story time....
And after crafts, sitting with a partner and listening to a story. I knew that Camille would sit perfectly and listen, but wasn't so sure how Livy would do with this....
But she took right to it... and not only was a great cuddle dog.. but actually seemed to enjoy looking at the books.....
And Camille was a natural. I think that not only were the kids surprised with this, but so were the adults. I got many compliments on how pretty the dogs were, but mostly how "good" they are... (obedience pays off again!!!)
And it was so nice to hear the kids reading along. If a mistake was made... it wasn't any "big deal"... just what the program is designed to do...
The dogs are certainly going to play a big part in all of this....
And by the smiles and things I heard... I think the kids are going to have a great summer.... reading!!!!!
Another check in day at neads!!! But this time, we brought more than just puppies... Abbie has been wanting to "go to neads" with me for a long time, and turns out... the time has come. She was so excited to have a day with us and see the big city... but even more so, she said she wanted to help with Danny too. When we arrived, Danny noticed one of the stuffed dogs right away, and at first, he didn't quite know what to make of it. Abbie stepped right up, went over to it, and said to Danny "it's not real".......
That was all it took, Danny checked that stuffed dog out, and quickly realized, "it's a toy"... and began to chew on it....
Abbie grabbed a second stuffed dog, and brought that over for Danny to see. She proudly smiled at me and said " see Baby, I showed Danny that there was nothing to worry about"..... (good job Abbie!!!)
Then, getting Danny NOT to play with them was another story!!!!
After our check in meeting, we headed into the city. I kept asking Abbie what she thought, and she kept asking "where's the big city"... I'm not sure what she was expecting to see... but I think she was a little disappointed that this was "all" of it....
We went into the big hospital, had lunch together.. and Abbie was getting bored. "this is all you do here Baby??" But when lunch was over and we headed to the glass elevators, Abbie was (finally) impressed. She certainly is not her grandmother's granddaughter when it comes to the elevators.... she loved them!!!!!
As I stand back in the corner of the thing... Abbie (along with Sasha) was right at the edge. She loved looking out on the people below and kept saying, "this is really neat..."
Danny, could have cared on either side... he didn't run to the edge to "watch".. but he also didn't hide in the corner with me... he's a steady, middle of the road fellow, and doesn't get too excited about much of anything.
We then hiked over to the train station. Again, Abbie thought all of this was pretty neat, and we got to see a couple of freight trains come threw.
Abbie would have loved to jump on the train and go for a ride (something we'll have to plan for the future) and she certainly had fun chatting with Dave and watching the trains.
I'm not sure if she has seen one this close before... and I was happy to have her "corralled" by the railings of the stairs. Just what I would need, for her to jump on and ride into the next town. Now she was thinking the big city was pretty neat.
Danny-- well he decided just to hang out and wait until it was time to head for home.
So, another successful happy day of training in the big city, and it was so much fun to have Abbie get to be a part of it.
