Camps, camps, and more camps!

Leading into summer each of our girls had picked a camp.  A camp, ONE camp each plus church camps, that was it.  Three local camps took squares on the calendar pages of summer.  Haleigh was the first to attend camp.  She had a great time at Animal Detective Camp at Roper Mountain Science Center!

Just a few weeks into summer an email popped into my inbox with an exciting camp being offered that would have been Sophie's pick above all if she had known about it when we were in our planning stages.  Artios Outpost, a camp that travels to each of the Artios locations around the nation.  Once Mark and I looked at the camp and he agreed to adding another camp to the list we told Sophie it was a go.  She counted down the days!  The morning of this camp she jumped out of bed and exclaimed, "Mom, this is the first day of my life dream!"  This would obviously be a drama camp!  BUT it was so much more than just a drama camp.  Each day they had praise and worship, devotionals, exercise, games, and drama.  At the end of the week they wrapped up camp with a sweet production.  Sophie beamed all week!

Next Sophie's violin teacher offered a strings camp in the evenings one week and really encouraged Sophie to take part.  By the end of the week this small group strings musicians performed a concert that developed quite nicely just as sweet friendships grew during the week.

Sharing a week with Sophie's evening violin camp Mackenzie attended Zoo camp.  She has tagged along many a year as Sophie and Haleigh cut their camp teeth in zoo camps, it was finally her turn!  Crazy about Kiko Zoo Camp sent the campers on a hunt for the baby giraffe who "must have left her area to visit all her friends around the zoo."  Each day the campers found a clue to point them in the direction of Kiko so they could lead her back to her mom and dad.  She had a great time even through the heat of the June afternoons.

We put the breaks on a bit as we headed to Grandma and Poppy's to just be for the week.  It was nice to just slow down!

We topped off our week with a visit to my sister's new house where we spent time with all the cousins, aunts, Grandma, and Poppy.  Uncle Mike grilled for us and broke out the slip and slides.  The only bad thing was.... it just wasn't nearly long enough that we were all together!

We came home from WV just in time to head out on vacation with Daddy!  Oh it was a sweet time full of adventures.

The week after we were home brought the camp we had actually given to those camp calendar squares before summer began.  Sophie was more than ready, after all the anticipation since February sign ups, for American Girl Felicity Camp.  There they learned some old time dances, baked over the open hearth for a grand tea party on the last day of camp, and learned to cross stitch.  The cross stitching has continued ever since.

The next week took Haleigh and me to Look Up Lodge.  It was such a sweet time!

And that brings us to this week....

Yesterday I took Sophie to Camp Big Time.  It hit me a bit hard.  You see, she is officially attending her first sixth grade event.  Yep, we have arrived at sixth grade, that would be middle school.

As I type she should be finishing up ropes course time and going into lake activity or horseback riding.  I will join her tomorrow for some great fun and teaching as we segway into this new chapter and stage.

A few more quick trips to grandparents' and reunions are still ahead on those calendar squares but they are shifting now to look more like lesson plan squares.

with Haleigh, 399 others and God at Look Up Lodge

 It stung a bit when I snipped this bracelet to take it off my wrist.  You see the last few days I have had the pleasure of being a "cabin mom" at Look Up Lodge with a group of precious kids from our church. 

 My main jobs were to gently walk along side these seven sweet girls and serve up meals to my energetic girl who can't exactly waltz down the line in the cafeteria.  Little did I know God was ready to continue teaching me what He has been layering on me as these summer days have passed.

The messages we heard at chapel were powerful.  Directing the kids (AND ME) to see their God designed purpose is to be Imago Dei - an image bearer of God.  To reflect His character accurately. 

 SO, here is the question we are to ask... 

Do people think well of God when they are around me?

 This is the question we are to ask as we go about life.  Not just on Sunday mornings when we have our Sunday face on, not just as we go out to serve at a community project, BUT as we do life, no matter where we are or what the circumstance may be...standing in line at Target,  or even as we stand in line to zip line or ride a massive swing.

 

 To reflect God well and accurately we must love well, as Jesus did.  When we are shaken and jostled what comes out?  Is it love?  

 If we are to reflect God accurately we must know God and His Word.  When it comes to John 3:16 we are solid, or are we?  When we understand John 3:14- 15 and that refers to Numbers 21: 6-9 the picture becomes so much clearer, more beautiful!

 Another great concept pressed in at chapel was the idea of value.  Value is whatever someone is willing to pay.  What are you worth?  Your worth = Jesus.  God values you and me so much that He gave Jesus. 

 I guess with all of this I am trying to say... 

it was a fantastic three days full of sweet memories with my precious girl,

 a great time to see friendships formed and God reflected well in these young lives.

As we wrapped up our time at camp there were tears.  The days are already being counted down until Look Up Lodge is once again the destination. 

 We soaked in the time we had there.  Haleigh seemed to grow up a bit, in a sweet way, as those few days progressed.  She knew there would be a bit of a sting when we snipped off that bracelet

 ... so its still right there as a reminder of our time close to nature, close to friends, close to each other and now, because of it all, closer to reflecting His image well.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

 This summer has been but a blink.  It has been good, but much busier than I had mapped it out to be back in the spring as I filled out the calendar squares.  I have captured only a few of the memories here,  even though my days are filled with prep for the upcoming school year, I am determined to toss some of our sweet summer memories into this treasure box!  

For now we'll look back at our amazing time in the mountains.  As I tagged pictures to highlight our trip I was actually shocked at all the great experiences we packed into just a few days.

 Tuesday we absolutely stuffed every inch of space we had in the van and set out toward Bryson City, NC.  We did a quick drive through of the sweet little town and set out to find our cabin.  

 Monday before our trip began, Mark and Sophie mapped out some available activities around the area.  On the schedule for Tuesday evening they had sketched a plan to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Elk Reintroduction Program, However, what we didn't realize was that the Cataloochee Valley where this took place would be another hour and a half drive to get there.  Three more hours of car time brought a vote pointing to plan B...

Plan B was dinner in Bryson City and then heading on to Cherokee to see the outdoor drama of Unto These Hills. The story of the Cherokee Indians in the Smokies and the Trail of Tears. 

It was a great drama (which brought Haleigh to tears over the treatment of the Cherokee.)  And it only sprinkled on us until Mark bought a round of ponchos for everyone.

Wednesday morning we took a trail ride on horseback.  The path in the Smoky Mountain National Park was breathtaking!     

 (Also breath taking was watching my oldest girl's horse being a bit unruly as we crossed the river!  It was all ok, by the time we crossed back through the river Sophie had shown the horse who was in charge ;-)

 After taking some time to practice the quail dance we learned at the drama the night before...

 we headed back to the cabin for a sweet evening of grilling, s'mores and the hot tub.

Thursday the weather man said it was likely to storm most of the day so we pushed the pause button on plan A, to go tubing. and headed into Bryson to catch the train!! 

 The scavenger hunt in the train museum was almost enough fun for us all.  It really was quite amazing. 

 After our picnic lunch we boarded the train. 

 There were many beautiful views to soak in, and a tunnel that had no view at all because it was so dark you could not see your hand right in front of your face for about  20 seconds.

 Then guess what...

 back to the cabin for more grilling and more s'mores!!

By Friday we had learned not to trust the weather man at all! We revisited plan A from Thursday, time to go tubing!!

It was great fun for everyone!  

(Except for that part when after crossing some rough river to help Sophie out of a pinch and out of the river,  Mark thought Haleigh got swept down the river and sprinted down the riverside and road trying to see if he catch up to her.  All the while all three girls and I were snacking on popcorn waiting for him to meet up with us so we could enjoy our picnic lunch by the river and take another ride down the river.  Well,  lets just say everyone was glad everyone was safe and sound once we finally met up with Mark down the road after waiting so long I was just sure something dreadful had happened to him... We did have lunch and a root beer as the girls played at the riverbank, then we took another tube ride down the river.  This time Mark's tube was connected to Sophie's and Haleigh's tubes and Mackenzie and I ended up going in the same tube.  Our exit strategy was much better the second time!)

 Once back to the cabin neighborhood we let the girls take a dip in the lake before heading in for showers and dinner before the evening event.

 In truest Mark form, he had searched the "tripadvisor" for top "things to do in the area."  There were rave reviews about Pincu Pottery, so... an appointment was made.  It was such a neat experience and in about 3 weeks we expect our pottery to arrive and that night we will have an ice cream party and eat ice cream...

  from our bowls we each made on the potters wheel!!

 We got to make many things along with our bowls:  Mark, Sophie and I made mugs, Mackenzie made a large six sided bowl, and Haleigh made the first ever snail made at Pincu Pottery.  (You see she found a huge snail in the creek that ran alongside the cabin.  So she wanted her pottery to be a snail to remind her always of our trip to the cabin.)

( I'll be sure to post once we received our pieces!)

Saturday sweet day.  Mark and I had a plan B that we suggested to the girls but they had been waiting for the Cherokee festival since before the start of our adventurous trip.  So we went with the plan that had been sketched out before the first mile was underway.  I am glad we did.  What happened was something the girls will remember forever.  We were seated in a large pavilion learning about the Cherokee history, their dress, their weapons, their ways when they began to liven things up as they spoke of their dance.  Not only did they speak of their dance they asked for volunteers.  You know Sophie about jumped out of her skin at the chance to be on stage, not to mention the fact there were real Cherokee Natives on the stage.  She did get to go up and  she had a BLAST!

 (Sophie is in the bright pink shorts just left of center, doing the bear dance.)

BUT she left after the first dance.  

 (Haleigh is in the peach shirt performing the quail dance.)

Once they realized they were short a few volunteers they asked for a few more volunteers to come to the stage.  Haleigh made a bee line to the stage where she got to take part in the ant dance, the quail dance, the buffalo dance.. she was having the time of her life.

(Sophie is in the pink shorts about centered in the pic and Mackenzie is holding her right hand.)

No need to think Mackenzie was left out.  For the last dance they asked all the kids who wanted to to come on the stage for the friendship dance.  Oh the smiles and stories that came from all three being on that stage dancing with the Cherokee!!!

 Once our bellies were full the girls played in this little wading pool they had been eying all week.  

next we waded in the river and then

 we were amazed by this unbelievable bamboo forest.  

Pretty worn out we headed back to our cabin (with a brief stop at a farmers market that was literally 50 yards from the fields the produce was being grown in) for and evening of....

 more grilling, hot tubbing and s'mores!!

Sunday morning we woke up to a bit of sadness that the trip was coming to an end.  We packed up the van, sat on the porch swing with one more cup of coffee and mopped up the girls' tears over saying good bye to the cabin and the week.  But never fear there was still a bit of adventure up Mark's sleeve...

Our goal was Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  However, the weather was so dreary we knew we wouldn't be able to see a thing from to overlook and the half mile hike in would leave us soggy at best for the trip home.  But again, Mr. Plan B was prepared.  One of the top rated "things to do" just across the Smoky Mountains was a driving trail called Roaring Fork Creek Trail.  Hello plan B. 

Oh yeah, there was also a plan c that Mark just couldn't resist even though plan b worked out beautifully.  Our final adventure was Ripley's Aquarium.

 They had an amazing tunnel through the shark tank

and another tunnel that led right into the penguin habitat!

Needless to say Mackenzie slept the entire three hours it took to get home and still had no trouble drifting off to sleep merely a few hours later.  

It was a great trip packed with so many memories and sweet family time together!!