Ranch Hands

What is summer without at least one trip to the farm?  Somewhere in between missing Jack {LIKE CRAZY!} the girls and I made a visit to the ranch.  We grabbed a few friends and were on our way.

Although this was not the original farm on our summer calendar, we made a last minute alteration to our itinerary when our first choice was closed. {Ugh...the best laid plans}  I'm pretty sure the girls didn't even notice.  They were just so excited to have a few ranch hands to join them.

The most amazing thing about this ranch is that the animals are hungry and we get to fill their bellies.  It makes up for the stinch and the filth...I think.  

I mean seriously, how often do you get to hand feed carrots to a deer?

Or throw peanuts to four hungry black bears?

Or give a goat a graham cracker?

This little crew had great fun.  I assume this a day that Jack won't be too upset about missing considering it was a group full of girls.  Look at all that pink!

We ended our visit with bunny petting and lunch by the playground.  We made sure not to touch the bunnies ears per Lucy's insistent rule.  I'm not quite sure where that came from...but, she must know something that we don't.

She also took on the important duty of naming this bunny.  Wait for it...Snowflake.  Certainly fitting.

Okay, so now I'm off to stalk Jack's camp website in search for pictures of him.  I don't think I can stand another day of him being gone.  And luckily, I don't have to.  He will be home tomorrow!

I never imagined it would be this hard.  I may change my mind on this, but as of right now, my kids are NEVER allowed to move out...

Five Night Sleep Over

This may go down as one of the biggest days in my history as a mother.  I dropped my eldest off for Sleep Away Camp.

And although I am confident in the decision...and realize it's only five nights...and know that he is going to be just fine...and grow immensely from this experience...and blah blah blah, I can't help but miss him like crazy already.

Like the minute we pulled out of the gates.

But, before then, this is basically how it went down...

We arrived to the all boy's camp, way up in the woods, on a mountain, late Sunday morning.  The first day was Family Day and I am forever grateful for that.  We got checked in in a series of the most organized registration I have ever witnessed.  {and you know how organization makes my heart flutter}

The staff was incredible.  Beyond welcoming and I felt they had a true interest in getting to know Jack.  Once given our cabin number and tribe name we headed up to get this big boy settled in.

Jack immediately grabbed a top bunk which to my dismay was a bear to put sheets on.  His best buddy from school grabbed the bottom.  It seems they had this all planned out.

We I unpacked Jack's bag.  And I showed him where everything was about 82 times.  He had had just about enough of me somewhere around the 60th time.  Before I knew it the kids were in their swimsuits and were off to see all the camp had to offer.

But...not before I made Jack and his buddy take a few pictures for nostalgia's sake.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging on the lake and eating lunch.  Lucy loved the "river".  Maggie wasn't so sure hence the dry hair.

The boys made sure to give the zip line {which ran right into the lake} and the ginormous slide a try.  They were having a grand time.

Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye.  I returned Jack to his cabin, showed him where his things were one more time {just in case} and gave him a bazillion hugs.  After each hug I think he was just a little more ready for us to head out...enough already!

Honesty, he could hardly contain his excitement.  He was beyond thrilled about what was in store.  It was time to let him go.

So it's only been one full day that I haven't seen him {but it seems much longer}.  I can hardly stand the curiosity of what he is doing and if he's enjoying himself.  I've already written him twice.  I check the website for updated pictures at least three times a day.  And yes, I miss him like crazy!

I keep telling myself...you can do this...only 4 more days.  And the great news is when I wake up, it will be only three.

Until then I will keep thinking of him every minute of every day.

A Drop Off Weekend

We spent our weekend up in the mountains.  Originally it was for no other reason than to drop Jack off at SLEEP AWAY camp!  What?!?!  I actually have a kid old enough and who actually wants to be dropped off at camp...and sleep there?

The answer is yes, it seems I do.

This decision was not made without a fight from this Mama Bear.  In the end the boys won out and I can say I am happy they did.  I can only imagine the amazing experience we are offering up to this growing boy of ours.  Sometimes it's just a wee bit hard to let go {apparently only on my end as we would soon find out}.

Okay, so I did get a little say in the dropping off process.  I wanted to make a weekend of it...with the entire family.  I was going to give Jack about all the family love he could stand before he traipsed off into the independent world of sleep away camp.  

We did our best to find family friendly activities up in woods and still be a doable drive from camp.  Our first stop was a local Nature Center.  And although we have one of these back home, the animals were a whole other crew.  

We are talking cougars, bobcats, coyotes, black bears, deer, and wolves.  Which, might I note, Lucy has a new sudden fear of wolves.  I'm still trying to get to the source of this one, but about a week before our trip Lu started in on concerns of wolves being in her bedroom.  Totally bizarre.

I assured her there was no such possibility, Jack assured her "wolves were nice" and then winked at me, and Maggie assured her "Mommy wolves wouldn't let their babies come to our house".   In the end she was calmed when I confirmed, "yes Lucy I will chase them away with a stick" and "yes, Lucy they will listen to me because I'm a Mommy and everyone listens to mommies".

When I saw wolves on our nature center map, I held my breath.  Happily, I believe Lucy has conquered her fear and I have the proof...

Luckily there were no other fears to contend with along our visit.  I was personally most fascinated with the bears.  This is Jack and I trying our best to get a picture with one of them.

And although the nature center had its excitement nothing made my kid's days more than swimming at the pool mountain side.  Is this gorgeous or what?

Give this crew a pool and they are happy campers.  Should have known all along that we didn't even need to leave the hotel.

We topped our drop off weekend with a visit to town.  And while my girls were fascinated with "The Pink Store", the boys were hardly interested a bit.  In fact they sat outside and moaned about "girls and shopping".

The one thing we all could find interest in were the plethora of street musicians.  Lucy being in the most awe.  I could hardly get her away.  She was a tipping fool and just about ready to get foot loose.

The next morning we rose bright and early and headed off to camp.  It was time to drop Jack off.  I'll bet you'll never guess which one of us had the hardest time.  Stay tuned...

A Peek At Our Week

I feel like summer has actually arrived.  Even though all three kiddos have been out of school now a whole eleven plus days, this week they were finally all mine.  No "warm up to summer" camp {which is just absolutely crazy to even comprehend that such a thing would be needed}....just three little ones and a Mommy.  I loved it!

So ironically our first activity of the summer only involved two of the three aforementioned kids.  I debated and wrestled with it and in the end logic won out.  This just wasn't the place for a two year old.  As much as it pained me, Lucy stayed home and had a ball with a sitter and a playdate.  

I only regretted my decision for about half a minute upon arrival at the Gold Mine.  Once we hit the cold, wet, dungeonous cave I knew I had chosen wisely.

So with that being said, my big kids and I headed out of town to get rich!  We met a few friends along the way and although we didn't strike it big, we had a grand time.  One of the best parts about summer is reuniting with the Micca crew.  Jack and Sophia have been the best of friends since before they could even sit on their own.  Some things just never change...

We started our visit panning for gold.  Yikes, that is tedious work.  I don't believe I would have been of much use back in the Gold Rush.  Each of our little miners left with a tiny nugget or two of gold in a test tube.  They were elated.

Next up was the cave tour.  This was about the only picture I got in there.  I was freezing and it was super dark.  Totally worth the experience though.

Our visit was topped off with gem mining.  This was by far the highlight of the trip for the kids.  We opted for the $30 bucket of gems and Jack and Mags split it.  It was a big ol' thing filled with sand and gems with two scoops.  I can't imagine what the $100 bucket would have looked like.

Jack most definitely scored big on this one because Maggie would only keep the pink and purple gems.  Anything else she sifted out she passed on to big brother.  He was in awe of the "snowflake obsidian" and "jasper"...seriously, how does he know these things?  I had to go check the chart a few times to question his knowledge.  Sure enough that kid was right on.

The rest of the week was spent knocking other items off of our Summer Lists and just plain enjoying summer.  All of which happily included Lucy.

Maggie has been dying to wash my car.  I set up a bucket, bubbles, and a towel and let her go to town.  I'm not sure I would say my car is cleaner per se, but she had a blast.  Her siblings ran around the yard chasing each other with the hose.

Some good summer fun.

We also squeezed in a Zoo visit  this week {along with a morning at Monkey Joes...which I loathe so I conveniently forgot my camera}.  However, the zoo was for sure camera worthy.

Can you imagine if I had missed this moment?  Sigh...pure sweetness.

Or this?

Pinch me, are these really my kids?  I adore them!!...let's just hope I'm still whistling that tune by summer's end.

Oh and guess who took the day off to hang with us?  Such a pleasant surprise!  We were all loving it.

The girls and I headed to the Petting Zoo while the boys went to the new Reptile House.  Have I ever mentioned my complete irrational rational fear of snakes?  I can not, for the life of me, figure out who found it necessary to spend money on a house for snakes.  Uck!

Luckily, I got to hang with these furry things {and two darling girls} instead.

I can't imagine the summer getting any better.  I am feeling very optimistic about the months to come.    Please...please...please...let these three keep getting along...