Campin Round 2

     Last weekend we finally made it camping, sort of.  3 of our kids were else where but we made it to the Itasca Family Music Festival On Friday afternoon.  We set up our big tent, the only one we brought, and since I knew from watching the forecast that there was a good chance of strong storms, I put in extra stakes tying down all the strings on the rain fly.  We rolled out the air mattress and discovered we brought the one with the hole in it :(   We then pulled out our sleeping bags and rolled them out.  It was than time to enjoy the grounds.

     We put on our bracelets and the two youngest girls headed to the merry go round.  Once I got David's and my bracelet on, we joined the girls.  Sometime later the train rides started up and we went to get in on those.

     At 5:00 the music got under way and after several groups had played, it was decided to move everything indoors as rain was on the way and rain it did.  It came down so hard that it was drowning out the music. and just when you thought it couldn't rain any harder, it did.

     When all the music was done for the night we headed back to the camp sight not knowing what to expect as my wife thought she had left the window open on the tent and I know that our tent leeks when it rains hard.  The tent was very wet and had caved in due to the wind but the window had been shut and my wife had rolled everything up in the flat mattress so we didn't fare too bad.  We did have a small puddle in the tent and damp floor so all the kids slept n the big van - there was plenty of room.  My wife also ended up sleeping in the seat of the passenger side.  I braved the tent and slept well.

     Saturday the music didn't start until 1:00 so I wondered around with the kids until then.  There were various workshops and local talent groups playing in the morning as well.  Once the music started we were in and out of the big building as rain showers would pop up once and a while.  For supper we decided to go for the roast beef special and it was good.  When all was done for the evening we slept the same way as the night before except a few of us got cold as the temps dipped down into the mid 40's.

     Sunday morning there was an old time gospel hymn sing followed by three or four more groups with a sermon mixed in there.  Eventually we packed up, headed to Grandma's house to collect a child, a dog and a trailer, did some shopping and headed home.

     Did I mention that the van we took was also acting up?  Turns out the coil was bad again.  Now to get ready for next year.

A Camping Not To Go

     This past week my wife hit the big 4-0 and one of the things she wanted to fo was go camping around her birthday.  In light of that, I took two days off from work to go camping - we never went.

     Two days before my wife's birthday her brother and his wife brought their fourth little girl into the world.  Why go camping in the heat when you can stay in an air conditioned car and go see a new baby niece.  And that is what we did doing lots of visiting along the way and leaving a child behind at Grandma's for a week.  15 hours of driving later we are home.

     Next week end we will try again to get some camping in at the Family Music Festival down by Itasca State Park where we'll get three days of Christian Bluegrass Music.

It's A Small World?

     Let's just say it has continued to be hot here but than it has been hot everywhere.  Even though it has been hot, it hasn't been hot enough yet for our added breaks at work. Anyway this past Thursday I got my glasses and am wearing them on and off to get used to them.  While they haven't said anything yet, I think some of my kids think I look funny wearing them. But heat and glasses don't fit the post's title.

     On Saturday we had a busy day but it was not at home.  We got up early (early for our family) and got on the road for a Baby Birthday Party which is hosted by the midwife who we had for our last three children.  She does this once a year for all the babies she has helped with.  the drive was between 2 1/2 and 3 hours.  It was there I was visiting with another family that our midwife had helped that I discovered (again) how small the world is.  The fellow I was visiting with as it turned out was not only from my hometown but he was a classmate that graduated from Brainerd the same year I did.  While there the kids got to tour the fire hall and our youngest (David) when he saw the lights turn on put his hands over his ears expecting the siren to go.  Later on someone did turn the siren on and even though it was loud, David told my he like that sound.  Before we left each of the kids got to pick a present out of one of two bins and our kids picked a flash light, a mini magna doodle, a screw driver set and two jump ropes.

     Once we left we didn't go home, instead we went to another birthday party. where there was plenty of food grilled of course and time for my wife and several of the kids to jump in a pool. 14 hours later we made it home.

Hot

     Yeah, I know it's been hot around the country and while we have not had the 100+ temps, here in Northern Mn. it's been extremely hot as we are built for the cold, and we could drop the temperature 100 degrees and still be comfortable.

     Since last time I posted We've had the two middle girls spend a week at camp.  For Melissa it was her first time and she loved.  Of course the girls did have to miss out on the 4th of July celebrations - where we went to town before noon because the oldest was scheduled to work at the outdoor pool as a lifeguard, however due to rain and thunderstorms the pool never opened and we sat in the van for over 2 hours waiting for the weather to dry up.  Once it did we were able to get out and enjoy the day with the inflatable "rides" the play ground, some races, a parade, a chili cook off, Dairy Queen and eventually fireworks without mosquitoes.

     This past week I broke down and finally went and had my eyes checked.  It's hard to admit that your eyes aren't what they used to be.  Anyways, the optometrists said my eyes were 20/40 up close and 20/24 at a distance.  So I'll be getting some glasses - mainly for reading and they'll be bifocals on top of it.

     In the mean time we are celebrating my middle boys golden birthday today.  Jason is 14 now and to celebrate he started with a sleepover with 3 extra boys - 2 good friends and their foreign exchange student.  Latter some more friends are suppose to b coming over to help celebrate as well.

Celebrating, VBS & Walking

     Over the last couple of weeks one might say we've had a crazy schedule at our house.  During the first full week of June several of the kids were participating in a VBS that ran from 9:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon M-F.  than last week they went to another that went from 6:00 to 8:30 in the evening M-F.  Toss into this mixture Swimming practice and you may see why it's been a crazy schedule.

     In this same period of time we've also experienced temperatures from the 30's to the 90's.

     In the past couple weeks I've also started to try and exercise a little bit more by walking around the perimeter of the yard while kicking a soccer ball and jogging it once in awhile.  I'm not 100% certain by I think 10 trips around is close to a mile.

     Our family had been invited out to eat and has gone to a graduation celebration where the kids got to play in a big pool.

     As long I'm thinking of celebrations - Personally I've celebrated my 47th birthday, celebrated 20 years of employment where I work (with 3 big cakes) and now Father's day. - Now back to reality.