I'm using Julie's versions of camp week and will add when I need to. Sorry if your reading this twice but not all my friends read Gema's delights so hang in there all you tx folk. OK heres my take so far. Seeing Julie buzz around from room to room making sure cats are not where allergy kids sleep, finding another fuzzy blanket (cause everyone wants one of those) and baking cookies for dessert all this while making sure the bathroom doesn't get flooded; is truly a treasure. by 830pm Monday (prospected bed time) Julie and I meet face to face in the all and she said something that made no senses at all (but I totally understood exactly what she was meant), then and there we agreed that nothing either of us said this week would be held against us (just keep that in mind if you call or email). I try to help when I can but two chiefs really don't work well so I sometimes just went to my room waited for the cell phone call or knock on the door to assist. As you can see from my second picture even Brian is getting into the mix so don't let him tell you he isn't having fun too. GO GEMA! Monday night review of days events: How delusional I was last night when I wrote the previous post from upstairs where the air conditioner drowns out all the noise below me. I headed to bed only to find everyone was still wide awake but Ariel. The three older girls were all set on sleeping in the twin bed while Ariel alone was on the far edge of the double bed. It was crazy. Bailey had maybe six inches of space to sleep in. I tried and tried to get them to spread out into the double bed but to no avail. So I told them to just be quiet and go to bed. Next, the boys room was rockin'--Brock has some really "creative" ideas. I fussed at them and got them all back in bed--the teddy bear fan pull was making too much noise for Brock (yeah, right) so I clothespinned the fan pull to the light cover so it would not move and disturb Brock. Then Blaine had allergies--I had already medicated him so put that new nose medicine on him which, of course, required the other two boys to watch me doing it with Brock telling me how much he hates that stuff. Finally, they were all settled back into bed so I went to bed myself. I could hear them all talking and laughing for some time but I let it be as I figured additional fussing would not solve anything. At last it was quiet by midnight but now I was wide awake. By 1, I think I fell asleep. Hank, you really let me down tonight. My worries of having the kids be hard to get up the next morning so early were entirely unfounded. The boys were up at 6:45 and all HUNGRY so Tammy fed them. Girls were easy to wake up and got ready quickly. The morning went very smoothly. I forced the kids to pose for a group photo outside before we loaded up for camp. Don took the boys in his truck and I took the girls. The three big vans were already at HEB when we arrived and took our information and meds and seemed to be old hands at doing all this stuff. So you parents can relax knowing they are in vans with seat belts and not a school bus. They all got in the same van and sat together. There were quite a few other groups of kids with grandparents or aunts. All the kids did great--no tears or demands to go back home with me. So off they went. One little girl, who looked about six, was busy telling the counselor that she better be nice to her cuz she had a 14 year old brother who would beat up anyone who was mean to her. She was quite the little spitfire but the counselor looked rather experienced in her job and took it all in stride. Can't wait to hear camp stories when they come home. And I do plan to sit them all down and lay out a few house rules-- Like stay out of closets. This morning I could not find the boys and they were all three piled in the toy room closet with a flash light. This would have been no big deal but you see, Tammy and I cleaned out the toy room (remember Ariel's stuff has been added to mine) to give more space for beds and suitcases and boys and it was all stuffed in that closet--you could hardly close the door--yet the boys were squished in there, too. And the girls kept asking over and over if the camp seperated the boys and girls---and Rebecca said she sure hoped not. Not sure what that means..... Sunday night review of days events: LET THE WILD RUMPUS BEGIN !Sunday, 7 of my grandkids--ages 6-10 arrived to spend the week and go to day camp. There are three boys and four girls. They are all super great kids who love to be together. They quickly moved into the "toy room" (boy's dorm) and Beki's old room (girl's dorm) and began to play and talk and explore the house. Then I served them what will probably be the most nutritious meal of the week--a true "Sunday dinner" : pork roast, augratin potatoes, corn casserole, and a salad right out of the garden. They were not impressed. Pop-Pop told them they had to eat a tomato and a cucumber slice in order to get dessert…..they were all very clever in how they managed to get those veggies down, but they did it cheerfully. Brock had no problem with anything as his plate was clean quickly and Blaine only wanted his salad so that suited him. But we had a fun dinner and conversation anyway, then we headed outside to gather eggs and do the barn chores--the girls, Mason, and I. Blaine and Brock were having too much fun playing with a marble game. They gathered eggs, helped feed the goats, and just ran around looking at everything. Then we had our Dump Cake and ice cream dessert and said farewell to Micah and Tania who left dreaming of their quiet week ahead. Then, Pop-Pop took them down to the pond--all but Brock and Blaine who were still engrossed in the marble game. Tammy and I took that time to finish cleaning the kitchen and try and get the bedrooms organized for sleeping. It was getting pretty dark outside and still the pond group was not back so I turned on the lights outside to give them a hint; told the two boys to get their pajamas, on when in trooped some very soaking wet kids--ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING POP-POP. They had all gone swimming in their clothes in the pond and had a total blast doing so. Don said they exclaimed over and over how " my mama wouldn't like this" but he said he had never heard so much giggling and screaming and laughing. A good time was had by all. The floor was like a skating rink it was so wet; the laundry room was piled with soggy clothes and towels; the bathroom after they all bathed was flooded with water…and those girls played in the tub with all the bath toys from their parents babyhood and giggled some more. (sorry about the not bathing together rule, but I learned my lesson). They already asked if they could swim in the pond again tomorrow--but I think we will opt for swim suits next time and I will hose them off outside or have them dunk in the swim tank afterwards. I did force them all to let me put alcohol in their ears afterwards to avoid any pond germies. Finally, by 9:45 we had them all tucked in bed and bless Hank the Cowdog as they were all asleep by 10. (I got Hank books on tape from library and put them on in each bedroom for them to listen to as they went to sleep). That was a trick we used to use at the ranch when my younger kids were out there and we wanted them to go to sleep and it always worked. So glad it still does. It is blissfully quiet and I am going to bed. Morning comes early. I can't wait to hear of their adventures at camp. Thank you parents for loaning me your children for a few days--it all brings back so many wonderful memories as I make new ones. I am truly a blessed Gema. |
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