Monday, August 20, 2018

My First Real Day of Retirement

This is the first year in 30 years that I am not returning to school.  All summer people would ask me how retirement was, but honestly it just felt like a normal summer.  It has really been sinking in since the Fourth of July.  The back to school dreams started as they usually do when the summer is winding down.  Then my friends who are still teaching began to go in to work in their rooms.  

But today, the day of the all district beginning of the year meeting, it really hit home.  I was not going.  It was going to be weird.  

So, what did I do today, you ask?  I spent the day with these five!
I got up at the crack of dawn, picked up Clara and Aela, and headed to CR in the rain.  You see, Evalie wasn't feeling well, and it was the day for the all district meetings for Trina and Tanner in their new schools. Being newbies they didn't feel that it was a smart thing to stay home with a sick kid already!  

We played cards, did some reading, watched a little TV during rest time, played outside between rainstorms, and overall just had a fun day!  Evalie actually felt pretty good all day, so she joined in the fun too.

Being able to help out is one perk to retirement! 

Saturday, August 11, 2018

BuNana Camp 2018

 (WARNING--Picture heavy AND I haven't blogged for a while and Blogger did not work the way it used to.  Or at least that's my excuse!  They layout is funky, I know.)

                                              BuNana Camp 2018 is in the books! 


 We enjoyed a great time camping once again.  We started off on Friday morning with some play time on the play equipment which was just behind our camper.  Maybe just a little of that sand made it's way into the camper! :)
After lunch we had rest time...
 Thank goodness for rest time!  I"m not sure how I will make it through once no one needs a rest!  Grandpa took the opportunity to get some alone
time by fishing.

Then it was time to hit the beach!

Evalie enjoyed the "pool" Aela built for her!
Maddux enjoyed playing on the alligator.



The kids had fun getting dumped out of their inflatables!
Grayson goofing around!
Grandpa even ventured into the water...just a little!

Grayson and Clara having fun on top of the ropes.



 


The sand is always a good time too!
Payton brought Nate out in the evening.  Payton sat around the campfire with us for a while. After supper Friday night we tried a new kind of S'Mores.  We put our ingredients into a waffle cone,
Nana giving directions for S'Mores.
wrapped it in foil and put it over the fire.  Everyone enjoyed them, but would rather do the traditional S'Mores.

                                                               SATURDAY FUN!!

Saturday started off with a TV time so that Nana and Grandpa could have their coffee!! This was at 6:30 a.m.! It was followed by breakfast and then a 2 mile hike which took us to Fossil Gorge, and then on a trail that runs along the river.




Maddux and Clara standing on an outcropping. 

Evalie was trying to teach Grandpa how to jump!


Heading down the trail.
Evalie teaches Nana to jump over the cracks!

Stopping for a snack and a drink.  



Taking a break!


And then we ate......and ate.....and ate..........







We toured the Visitor's Center where we saw more fossils, animal furs, and watched the movie that tells about the dam and the two big floods.
The animal furs were fun!

Clara and the coonskin.

Evalie examining the fossils.

Aela loved scaring Nate with the racoon.


Maddux scaring Nana.


A Talent Show!

Everyone was asked to prepare to share a talent.  
Aela is a good singer!

Clara's talent is magic!  She cut
her fingers off and they reappeared.

Grayson showed us how good
he is at paper folding.

Nate shared some magic by making
a truck disappear.

Nana's talent was teaching Aela
to read, so Aela read a book to
everyone!
Evalie showed us a trick...
over and over and over.....:)

Maddux showed us how good he
is at bike tricks.


And then there was fishing!

Clara's Fish!







Evalie caught a fish by herself!





A Movie and Popcorn!

After showers we always watch a movie outside on the big screen.  Everyone looks forward to the movie AND Grandpa's popcorn!!














Payton and Cael joined us for the movie!

Sunday Big Foots

Sunday Morning after breakfast our first snack was Big Foots.  This is a family favorite, so the big kids joined us as they came to pick their children up.  Big Foots are basically Fry Bread with frosting.  They got their name as our local restaurant made similar ones shaped like feet when our kids were young.  Everyone got to roll theirs out.  


And once again BuNana Camp is over for the year.  We REALLY missed Chance and Colby!  More than once the kids mentioned missing them.  Each year as I think about changing things up some the kids ask about things they are used to doing, and that they enjoy doing.  We were so happy that Payton, about to be a senior, still joined us for some of the time.  And that Cael, about to be a freshman and who just started a new job, got to join us for some of the time too!  

We are blessed!