Camp Manhattan

In all fairness, while Cooper is away at camp, why not allow Campbell the opportunity to experience camp herself. So this week Campbell has the opportunity to attend Camp Manhattan. This is a day camp, lasting 5 days, held at Manhattan Country Club. She will be able to be with her friends, do arts and crafts, learn golf, cooking, and martial arts, and go swimming. She is excited!

Camp Daisy

It is always a great feeling to set a goal, see it through, and realize you made it! For Cooper it has been her involvement in Girl Scouts from Kindergarten through Third Grade. She participated as a Daisy, a Brownie, and now a Junior. She has sold cookies, attended World Thinking Days, enjoyed a sock hop, and fulfilled her community service responsibilities. She has also had the opportunity to experience a Mother/Daughter overnight Camp and a Father/Daughter overnight Camp. For her Camp Daisy was next. Camp Daisy being her very first time to Camp alone without a parent. Her very first time to Camp overnight for 5 nights/6 days at a Girl Scout Camp and experience that for herself. It was a true test of both of our comfort zones.

Colgin's 11th Birthday

Our mission for this trip was to visit Bishop Castle on Colgin's 11th Birthday and see his stained glass window. Grandma Debe and Papa Butch had that window made for him in 2001. My girls have never seen their brother's window here before. The one and only time Chad and I have seen it was in November 2001 when we traveled out with Grandma, Papa, and a very pregnant Kelly.
  Colgin's stone back in Kansas all decorated for his 11th birthday!

Colorado Bound

And we are off! There is excitement in the air as the 7 of us (Kelly, Bailey, Ryland, Chris, Cooper, Campbell, and Grandma Debe) load up the rented ride and travel West to see some sights in Colorado. Loaded Up! Garden of Gods The North Pole The Cottage in Divide Cripple Creek Royal Gorge Clark Ranch Cabin in Kansas Tanganyika Zoo

Removal of Braces

While it hasn't been a lifetime with braces, Cooper was still just as excited to have her braces removed today.

Cousin Trip to Iowa

What better a time than the present to road trip up to Iowa for a visit with Papa Mike & Grandma ReRe. We played baseball in the backyard. The kids ran through the cold sprinkler. We made party drinks to celebrate with. The kids enjoyed watching a 3D movie. It was a great visit!!

Cousins

Being a stay at home mom allows my schedule flexibility, so I was delighted to be able to keep my niece and nephew for a few days this summer. Of course what is the best thing to do in the summer with cousins? You guessed it, Go swimming! We had a blast.

Ryland, Cooper, Bailey, and Campbell at the pool.

Softball

Cooper decided she wanted to try her hand at softball this summer. It is player pitch, unless they pitch 4 balls, then the coach comes in to pitch 2 strikes. In the past Cooper has enjoyed playing catch with the ball and really handles her ball glove well. Our friend, Doug, was the coach and asked Chad to help be assistant coach. It would be a learning experience for all of us. Campbell and I enjoyed going to the ball field and watching practice and the games. Oma and Jeremy, Beth, and Ace attended lots of Cooper's games. Cooper did really well, despite being a little scared of the ball from when she caught one in the lips in April. She needed practice learning to bat and play the different positions in the game. Cooper surprised us by volunteering to play pitcher. She is pretty good for her first time out. I hope she continues to stay interested and we can make this a summer activity.

Cooper batting.

Cooper batting.

Cooper running bases.

Cooper's softball team.

Camping At Tuttle Lake

Our first adventure of the summer was a "staycation" at Tuttle Lake. We went camping with The Hitchings. We had heard about some new cabins for rent out at the lake and decided to explore the great outdoors. Good ideas don't always turn out to be good ideas, but nonetheless we made lemonade out of lemons. Eight people in a 1 bedroom cabin was a tight fit, but we made it work. The cabins were clean, furnished, and had a beautiful view of the lake. There were 2 full beds in the bedroom for the adults, and the kids all slept on the couch and air mattress we brought along. There was Air Conditioning, running water, a toilet, and even a shower. Now this is my kind of camping. The girls all enjoyed playing outside in the grass, walking the trails, playing baseball with the other kids in the next cabin over, fishing, and roasting marshmallows on the campfire. Brad was our fisherman, Michelle was our chef, Chad supplied beverages, and I helped organize and keep the kids semi-happy. The weather was hot during the afternoons, but very nice and comfortable the rest of the time. Campbell loved fishing, mostly because she caught all the fish!!! It was a hoot. We enjoyed a treat down at the Marina and even went to the beach area and put our feet in the water. Good times!

First catch!

Our cabin.

Campbell fishing.

Cooper fishing.

Teagan and Addy fishing.

Cooper caught a fish!

Campbell and Addy up in the trees.