HBA Adventurers Camp 2012

It was a milestone for the family this past weekend, because we all went camping together for the first time. Lee and I had attempted camping twice before we had kids. The first time it started to hail and there was a tornado in the area, so we had to pack up and leave quickly. Our vehicle was hail damaged on the way to our friends' house, where we spent the evening in their closet. The second time we tried to camp, it rained heavily in the middle of the night. Our tent started dripping and we went home and drove back the next day to pack up camp. I was afraid we were going to jinx the camping experience for our whole Adventurers club, but I have to say it was a very successful camping experience. I am still not in love with camping. I am more of a 5 star hotel connoisseur, and I simply do not rough it well. But I will do this once or twice a year just for the kids. We arrived at the campground in Edna, TX on Friday evening. Analese helped to pitch the tent because she was earning a camping honor. I love the look of intense concentration on her face.



Then Analese went to practice special music, because our group found out that we needed to perform Friday night. None of the clubs know until check-in on Friday when they will perform. Obviously, Saturday is better, since everyone staggers in on Friday night. Not everyone from our group was there yet for the performance, but the kids performed very well.




Saturday morning was family photos. That is me after a night in a tent. I did, indeed, survive. Although, at this point, the shower I took on Friday morning is starting to wear off.



One of the main free time entertainment sources was looking for and handling the many caterpillars that lived in the trees beside the lake.




Saturday afternoon was games, crafts and activities. Our club did three-legged races.





We got some good group shots of the kids and leaders.




Mariele got way hot and tired late in the afternoon on Saturday. Our club leader offered me the use of her air conditioned camper to put Mariele down for a nap. Sweet baby had overdosed on fun and sun.



The much awaited fun activity on Saturday night was pin-trading. Each kid has a lanyard with a variety of pins. The hundreds of Adventurer kids gathered on the lit basketball court for this activity. Basically, you just trade pins. Some people collect themes, such as flags, states, sports, or animals. My kids do not have a defined genre yet, so they were just happy to trade anything for anything that anyone was willing to trade them. They enjoyed this activity so much that they pin-traded at home all day yesterday!



After pin trading was campfire/s'mores time. That was the last activity of Saturday night, and it did not end until around 11 p.m. After that, we had the Highlander all loaded up and ready to go. We could have camped one more night, but opted not to. Honestly, I can not handle more that one night in a tent. I was thrilled to get back home at 1:30 a.m., and I promptly hit the shower. The girls had fallen asleep in the car before we even left the campground. I had already brushed their teeth and baby wipe washed them after the sticky s'mores.

All in all, it was a great family camp experience. The theme was "God of Wonders" and the message and the music reminded us of how awesome God's wonderful creation really is. Next year, however, we will rent a camper ;) I have tent camping out of my system. Although, I'm not sure it was ever in my system to begin with.

More Adventurer Fun

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Adventurers Day at Church

The Adventurer and The Adventurer Wannabe...

Today is a special church service put on by the Adventurers. Last night was the rehearsal. Mariele honestly does not perceive that she is about a foot shorter than most of the kids in the program. She wants so badly to be involved. Last night she was right up on the stage with everyone, but today I will have to keep her out in the congregation with us. It is going to be a long year, since she is not eligible to join the club until the fall after she turns four. Sighhhh.

Mariele with Straight Hair...

Warning: graphic and disturbing. heehee!

Basically, I think there is a reason God blessed my babies with curls. But Mariele would not rest until I fixed her hair just like Analese's.

Analese with Straight Hair

We decided to goof around with hair this morning since we are AHEAD in school. This is absolutely as straight as Analese's hair will go. She loves it, however. And Mariele wanted me to make her hair look "just like Analese's." HAHA!

Happy Spring (Allergy Season...)

Best Friends for Life...

My girls get along so well. I would venture to say that they probably get along better than most siblings 99% of the time. They just enjoy being together. This morning, they did not want to start school because they were too busy snuggling under a blanket in the recliner and looking at a book. There are so many sweet moments at my house. Occasionally, it can change like a light switch. Somebody (usually Analese, but sometimes Mariele) will decide that they do NOT want their sister to touch them or be anywhere near them. Luckily, those moments are more rare. Analese complains that Mariele "falls asleep too fast at night." Then Analese gets lonely. Here are a few photos of the sweet moments that I caught on camera this week.