I have nothing to add to Gema's report today. I do however have prayer request. One of the youth from my Colorado church was in an accident Tuesday the 14th. Head injury and still not awake please keep him in your prayers for recovery. Blessings! and thank you!

Tuesday's Camp Report
It was much hotter today. Cheeks were rosey. But still, they spent most of afternoon outdoors. Girls got banned from chickens for closing gates that were propped open locking the chickens away from their water. Also, left gate to goat pen open. Big no-no's. But they learned their lesson.Everyone hungry after camp so was good idea to pick up pizza then and eat really early. Everyone had their favorite soda. Oatmeal pies for dessert. You can tell I spent lots of time cooking today....All wanted to swim in pond so that is what they did. I sat on a hot rock and took pictures. It was hot and still with thunderheads in the west. Huddy could feel a storm coming so wanted to sit in my lap--he gets so scared in storms. Kids and Pop-pop had a blast. Ariel is really doing well at learning to swim and turn flips in the water. She is a brave little girl. Don was a little ansy about kids swimming far from him into deeper water so made the rule they all had to have a noodle. Girls enjoyed jumping in the deep from the shore. Watching Bailey was like dejavue--my many memories of Amy (her mom) at that age jumping in. They look so much alike. I got a great shot of Bailey jumping in but it was just too dark and the photo was blurry. It was getting pretty dark and I could see lightning beginning so that gave me a good excuse to get them out of water. But, that was all of the storm we got. So many times yesterday it looked like we were fixin to get a good rain and it just went all around us.I tried a new ploy last night in that we kept them up late hoping that they would then fall asleep quickly. It did not work. But we did have fun watching movie SAMANTHA , another American girl movie, and Don popped us two big bowls of popcorn. After the movie everyone was hungry so had bowls of cereal before bed. They maybe got in bed by 11. Boys bathed last night. Tonight girls have to bathe. Sorry parents but that is best I can do. They were really pretty clean after the pond swim.....I know that Bailey was supposed to wash her hair three times while here...we might make it yet.KIDS COMMENTS ABOUT CAMP:Brock eats three helpings at lunch.Girls got to shoot BB guns, bows and arrows, and slingshots. Brock was envious.Boys went canoeing.Girls went fishing and everyone caught fish as soon as put pole in water.Two boys fight every day and one gets a bloody nose.Mason got to go to a cave where Indians lived.Brock and Blaine went horseback riding. Blaine got the biggest horse and Brock got the lead horse but it was little.Girls got to play on BLOB the first day and boys the second day.The water in lake is really low.During devotionals a kid asked what God's phone number was. Another wanted to know if he had a wife.Ariel sings songs she learns on the way home--remember LITTLE BUNNY FOO FOO?I know that is not much info but they are pretty wiped out when they get in the car and seem most excited about the air conditioning and food. I am going to try to get more camp info out of them today.I have failed in getting them to write you letters. Will give them chance today. It is hard to get them all together in one place for anything. Today we have a craft project for them when they get home. They are each going to make a stepping stone for my garden and put their hand or foot print in it and name and decorate it. Hope this goes well.Today, I promised them we would hit Sonic's Happy Hour and get them a cold drink when we pick them up. And I have a box of granola bars to go with it. Then tonight is homemade burgers, fries, and shakes. And probably another pond swim. I think I might join them this time.That's all for today.


We are on to Day 2 of camp
All the kids seemed to have a good first day at camp. Thankfully, it was overcast and cooler than last week so I am sure that helped. They were all a tad tired--especially Blaine and Ariel who were down right drooping like a flower in the hot sun. They were all starving, too, even though they described the food at camp as being ok. We had lots of snacks and an early spaghetti supper. Everyone perked up when we got home. I thought they might want to just veg out in the AC for a bit so I put on MOLLY, An American Girl DVD, but the girls headed outside to swim in the stock tank which I had filled up during the day. (Tammy and I enjoyed the part of the movie we got to watch.) Girls could not get over how COLD that well water was. No one was inclined to go pond swimming today, thank goodness, as Don and Brian had gone to the ranch to take our home goats back to ranch where there is actually something green to eat. Next, they discovered the old tree house from their parent's growing up days and began gathering all sorts of weird things--like snake skins, old chicken spines, various bones they found around, to decorate the treehouse with. Don't worry, Pop-pop checked out the treehouse and said it was sound.After supper the chickens were the main attraction as everyone wanted to catch and carry a chicken around. Bailey made the first catch, then Morgan, then everyone had one. Poor chickens did not know what hit them. Feathers were flying and much clucking and protest going on in the chicken world. But the kids all had fun and got their picture taken with their favorite chicken.I made snickerdoodles for a bedtime snack and got them in bed a little after 9 but it took awhile to get them to sleep--especially the girls. All were overtired and needed sleep (including me) and were cranky and not too nice to their bedmates but finally, everyone had the right blanket and pillow and place to suit them and adjusted to giving in to those who wanted a night light and wanted to listen to a tape...and then Blaine needed a breathing treatment as Dickens, the cat, had snuck in their room. I removed the cat and gave him a treatment while the other boys fell asleep and at last it was quiet. I actually got to sleep by 11:30.This morning, I did have to drag them out of bed, even with the aroma of sweet rolls coming from the oven. I would not let them eat til they were all dressed, shoes on, and bags by door. They all were cheery and very cooperative and left for camp with smiles on their faces. I will fill you in on more news from camp later. We have a meeting to go to. I plan to pick up pizza when I pick up kids and have real early dinner, then outside time if they want, then come in early for popcorn and a movie, in hopes that will make the transition to bedtime easier. Will let you know how this plan works.Rebecca gets a star for being the kindest and most helpful to Ariel.