Ramblings of a Grandmother: July 2011

Back to Ohio again. Feels like we were just there but our youngest Sweetie, Piper, was getting baptized (a separate post) so back we went. We decided to make it a vacation since all the grands would be there and decided to tempt fate and return to the scene of the crime. We camped at the same camp ground, stayed in the same cabin on the same week end and even the same rain as last year when Jack had his accident. I have to admit I had some anxiety all week end but a great time was had by all.

We started the week end meeting these two Sweeties (and their parents) for dinner at Michele's favorite burger place, The Brown Bag.

Our two redheads (and their parents) met us at the camp ground that night and brought their dinner with them. The girls stayed in the cabin with us and Thomas in Natalie stayed in a tent Tom had already set up for them.

This was the only night we were able to start a fire (honestly I was ok with that). The rain started while we slept and came and went all week end.

Good Morning, Saturday

Thomas & Ella

Our cabin was right on the fishing pond and everyone enjoyed catching and throwing back the little blue gills. We caught 30 total for the week end. No one is a real fisherman in the family but Tom remembers his Grandpap taking him a few times and once they caught 34 in a day and Tom wanted to beat that. We hope we made those kind of memories this week end.

The tent ended up being more of a play place than a sleeping place. It's a good thing the cabin slept eight.

They also had a swimming lake and when it wasn't raining it was 100 degrees so we got a lot of use out of it.

Look at that slide! Brings back memories from my childhood.

Uncle Thomas & Wyatt (The other kids call him Uncle Tommy but Wyatt actually has another Uncle Tommy)

Ella

Sami & Uncle Chuckles (Charlie)

Cousins and bubbles

There's always time for reading on vacation.

More cousins and bubbles.

More reading

More fishing

Needle nose pliers have many uses. They worked great on the hot dogs.

The look of summer, wet towels hung on the deck (and a baby).

Ella brought these two 'friends' with her and tried to take a picture of them with everyone there.

The only thing better than a wagon is two wagons.

"Uncle Thomas, you're too big"

Welcome to the lua!

Piper thinks Uncle Thomas is funny too.

Wyatt and Papa

Natalie and her girls

After the lua Santa came to visit on a fire engine.

Jen, Shawn & the kids showed up on their way back from a week in Chicago in the midst of it all and then the rain hit.

Uncle Tommy got some ice cream to cool us down but that was when he ran into Target for 10 minutes and it was 100 degrees outside.

Eight adults and six children all in one two room cabin. Talk about fun!

Oh Lily, you funny girl. Give Piper back her binky.

Peek A Boo Uncle Shawn

Uncle Shawn had them rolling in the aisles.

Then Lily gave Piper HER binky

Then another morning dawned. Jen and Shawn were able to get the cabin next to ours because there's no way they were getting their tent put up in the dark and the rain.