It was Girls' Camp week.
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This is the only picture I have so far from camp. The other girls said she was a Disney princess because she made friends with the wildlife. |
Monday was about running errands and packing.
Nature Angel and Little Princess left on Tuesday morning, and came home on Friday afternoon.
Sir Walter Scott left on Tuesday morning, and came back that afternoon because he was one of the drivers and hauled the trailer of luggage and supplies down to camp (96 miles one way).
Belle and Ladybug left on Tuesday morning, came back late Tuesday night, and repeated that action on Wednesday and Thursday so that Ladybug could participate in camp. Belle was Ladybug's 1:1 chaperone.
Then on Friday morning, Sir Walter Scott left to pick up the girls and the trailer.
Belle had to work a full day starting at 7:30 am on Friday.
The rest of us did our best to survive.
Monday: 11 kids 11 and under
Tuesday: 10 kids 10 and under
Wednesday: 11 kids 10 and under
Thursday: 10 kids 10 and under
Friday: 10 kids 11 and under
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These two worked hard in the hot sun and received a portion of the harvest to bring home from their apprenticeship. I dried the oregano for cooking and steeped the lemon balm for an herbal soporific. |
Truthfully, this week made me remember the joys of having only young ones at home. The days moved very slowly, and I spent many hours on the floor. I rested in knowing the older girls were having a blast--their tween/teen needs were being fully met--and I could focus solely on young ones.
My medium kids loved stepping up to feed and put babies down for naps, so even that wasn't terribly hard.
Temperatures rise to the high 90s every day with heat indices above 100. We played in the water!!
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Mud play featured often this week. |
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One day we watched a tow truck pick up Rose Red's car and take it to the shop. |
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Dad is mending the tree house. He has ready and willing helpers. |
It was still a school week in the sense that we finished reading A Wrinkle in Time (on Monday before camp). The kids were on the edges of their seats, yelling, predicting, reacting, hoping, feeling all of the feelings.
It was the right book at the right time.
We started The Tale of Despereaux. So far it feels as if it might be another right book at the right time.
I also read a number of stories and poems out of the My Bookhouse collection I picked up at an antique store last week. It has been highly recommended on a Facebook group I've been following recently. I was afraid it would be too Eurocentric--maybe even racist--and it is. But it is also full of literary magic. I pick and choose what to share with my children.
They are captivated!
They are inspired!
They are invested!
We've had some spirited conversations this week.
I'm charmed.
The high temperatures are supposed to stick around for at least another week. With current gad prices, it will cost us $10 for
each round trip drive to the spray park. I'm trying to do the math to figure out if we could save money by fixing up a little water feature of our own.
My kiddos loved both of those books. I have been carting Rebekah all over the state the last few weeks. The gas has become a major part of our budget. However, we are suffering much less than those in Ukraine...so I try not to complain. It is curbing what we do though.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Dawn