Camp Koowockwa

3 Years, 3 Weeks.

That's what Kohlden called it.

This past weekend brought us to Camp Kulaqua for our second annual Forest Lake Church family retreat.  You'll remember we went up there and stayed in a mini lodge with the Bergs and Grodacks last year around the same time.  I had been packing all week, making sure we had all of the necessary supplies, including our rain gear, as the weather forecast for the majority of the weekend looked pretty bleak.  I was ecstatic though, since this would be the first trip taken without having to bring 2 pack 'n plays and a stroller!  We looked forward to getting out of town for a nice change of scenery.

All packed up and excited to go!

We left shortly after 3 pm on Friday afternoon.  Several families had left either on or before that time, and we kept in touch with each other via text message.  The ones ahead informed us of several accidents on I-75 due to the rain, and that they were stuck at a standstill, so Tangie quickly rerouted us and we got off the highway and took state road 27 the entire way instead.  So rather than fighting speeding cars and barreling semi trucks on 4 lanes, we opted to meander through small towns and lavish horse farms, taking in the views of gorgeous wildflowers flanking both sides of the country road.  We all kept checking in with each family as we made our way to our destination, and we likened the journey to CBS's The Amazing Race, and ended up being the first ones there!

Cute little passenger.

2 of 3 down for the count.  Apparently Kohl's book wasn't entertaining enough. 

Driving towards the ominous looking clouds ahead.

Our country road drive flanked with wildflowers!

Allen and Tangie:  You are Team Number One!

After checking in and dropping some stuff off at the mini lodge we headed back into town and met up with the Bergs and Grodacks for supper at the High Springs Diner, joined later by the Whitaker family. You'll recall we had supper there last year as well and enjoyed it enough to come back.  When we got back to camp we quickly unloaded and started getting the kids ready for bed, as it was starting to get dark.  The dads along with Brae and Calleigh went on a night hike and swung by the campfire bowl, where the rest of the church members were gathered for greetings and s'mores.  When we got back and put the girls to bed the adults sat outside and talked and caught up and laughed and laughed and laughed until way past midnight.  The clock read 1:30 AM when we crawled into a very hard and uncomfortable bed.

Our large group table fitting all four families.

Kohl entertains Will while we wait for our food.

Mini lodge 6, our home for 2 nights!

We dropped off some supplies at the Cochran's chalet and happened upon this visitor.

Twins in their pajamas ready to go to bed.

But probably a bit too excited to go to sleep!

This was how we found them when we went to bed.  I guess they need to learn to stay inside their sleeping bags!

Morning came quickly, much too quickly.  Like 2 hours later quickly.  The twins, undoubtedly excited to be at camp and sharing a room with big sister and Mommy and Daddy, decided they were too wide awake to stay in their beds and kept going back and forth between their sleeping bags and our bed.  It was 3:30 AM and they would not for the love of peanut butter go back to sleep.  Tangie and I were pretty good sports throughout the whole ordeal, but at 5 AM decided enough was enough and so we went through the whole bedtime routine again, music and all.  Luckily, big sister didn't stir one bit, but finally the twins fell asleep, on our bed, which made for restless sleep until our wake up call at 7:30.

And this is where they ended up in the morning!

Breakfast was made courtesy of Corey and Jennifer, and then we got dressed and off for church and Sabbath school.  It was nice to see a lot of families there.  We had a usual camp Sabbath lunch of veggie scallops, broccoli, and mashed potatoes, before heading out to the zoo to see the animals.  Afterwards the moms took the smaller kids back to the lodge for naps while the dads took the older ones canoeing down the springs and a quick visit to the stables to see the horses.  We were in charge of supper for the entire group that evening, along with the Cochrans Jr. and Sr. families, so we collaborated in providing a nice fajita spread.   It was game night at the gym so Tangie took the twins to go play and get tired, while I was dealing with an accident Brae incurred from a shopping cart to her nethers when we went to get ice for the cooler.  Ouch.  We headed to bed much earlier than the night previous and were thankful for a much restful sleep that evening.

Breakfast outdoors.  Some of us even braved the light drizzle.

We came prepared though!

Walking to Sabbath School through the trees.

Sabbath School and lesson activity in the cafeteria...

where we would have lunch just a couple hours later!

Clearly enjoying her brownie dessert!

Marley and Braelyn catch up.

Excited to go to the zoo.  They made their own choo-choo train.

Maddy and Kohl show off the stuffed alligator at the Nature Center.

Hanging out with the monkeys.

Watching "Mocha" the bear as she sits and bangs on her tin roof.  It was quite scary, actually.

A male peacock struts his stuff, hoping to get some later that day.

Besties going to the canoes.

They actually did pretty well working together and not hitting each other with the paddles.

Checking out the horses and even got to pet some of them.

Always keep your friends close.  Especially ones with umbrellas!

Our set up for dinner at the chalets.

Enjoying fajitas, Cuatro de Mayo style!

We were shocked to find Brady hanging from a branch.  How on earth he got up there remains a mystery.

Tangie and the kids sit on the slack line, accidentally bouncing Kieran off.  Sorry buddy!

Kohl wanted to play with the big boys so badly, even throwing a basketball into their  game so that they would throw it back to him!

Sunday morning we had breakfast and then started packing up to go home.  The original plan was to head over to the camp's water park and spend the better half of the day swimming, but after the rains subsided overnight, colder temps came in, and the morning was only 56º, much too cold for this bunch.  So we opted to head back home, driving back on the same route whence we came up, stopping by a large field of wildflowers we had seen to take some photos of the children, which we thought would make nice Mother's Day gifts for both grandmothers.  We arrived home a little after 3 in the afternoon, and after unloading and starting laundry, hooked up again with the Grodacks for a pizza supper at the clubhouse while the kids swam away to their hearts' content.

Snuggle time with Mommy.

Enjoying breakfast before packing up.

The kids hanging outside the lodge while the parents packed.

Kohl taking a ride while Maddy sips her coffee.  Just kidding.

Maddy and Aubree hold hands before parting ways.

Our beautiful drive back home.  Check out them flowers!

Follow the leader to a good picture place.

Maneuvering around the pretty flowers.

Say cheese!

Action shot.  The field was just beautiful!

Who can race back to the car?

The kids at the pool.

Maddy shows the pool and her inner tube.

Supper and fellowship with the Grodacks.  Love having them as neighbors!

The rest of the week in pictures:

How a girl eats an ice cream cone.

How a boy eats an ice cream cone.  Notice the difference?

Dinnertime is always a happy time.

Having so much fun harvesting the garden!

With our new pet dog Clifford, at the new exhibit at the Science Center.

Kohl and Brae cooking up lunch orders at the restaurant.

Maddy driving Daddy around.

Loving on Emily Elizabeth.

They loved all the new things at the exhibit.

Enjoying the pool with the Grodacks mid week.

Found them reading a book together early in the morning.

Weather was too beautiful not to eat lunch outside!

Painting Mother's Day cards for Mommy.  This could be bad...

Expressing their creativity.

A future modern impressionist?  

Garden Update:

Squash blossoms!

Fresh greens from the garden!

Food this week:

Our fajita spread at Kulaqua.

Beef tenderloin salad.

Randoms:

Don't you love it when semis won't let you pass?

Guess what season it is?

Hugging it out instead of going to time out is torture!

Quotes:

• We were driving on Colonial and saw a lady pulled over on the side of the road by a police officer:

          Brae:  "Oh look, there's a cop."

          Me:  "It sure is."

          Brae:  "Yup, that lady got busted."

          Me:  "For what?"

          Brae:  "Going too fast.  So she's going to get a ticket.  Maybe a dollar..."

          Um, I think she wishes it was only that much!

• We were finishing up supper and getting ready to go upstairs for baths:

          Me:  "Ok guys, go upstairs to Mommy's bathroom."

          Maddy:  "Why?"

          Me:  "So you can take a bath."

          Maddy:  "Hey!  We took a bath lasterday!"

          I think she meant either last night or yesterday.

• They were eating supper and I was having a hard time getting Kohlden to focus on eating his food, unlike his two sisters, who were 

          Brae:  "Am I being a good girl Daddy?"

          Me:  "Yes you are honey."

          Brae:  "How about Madelyn?"

          Me:  "Yes, Maddy is too."

          Maddy:  [quite irritated]  "No I'm not!  I'm THREE!"

          Um...that's not what I meant!

Have a great weekend!