Family Camp 2010

We had the amazing opportunity to go to family camp. We were invited by some friends at church over a year ago, and our trip finally happened mid-July.


I have been working on trying to make this the "vacation" of the year for the family, and started it out right with a bag filled with new (and old) goodies for the kids to help them deal with the long 3 hour ride. I also picked up a little something special for the hubs, since he is such a great guy....

It was a week spent in the redwoods of Santa Cruz county, and it was awesome! Everyday they had something different to do, and the time passed by too quickly. The camp theme was Route 66, which included a lot of 50's themed activities, including a sock hop and "drive-in movie" night. The camp was very accommodating to kids, with a giant slide carved out of the side of hill, and a sprinkler park for the kids who weren't fond of the pool and diving board.

(Yes, that is my daughter, and nephew, fully suited up in life jackets for the sprinklers....their choice, not ours.)

We stayed in a cabin (that had its own bathroom - thank goodness) and there was plenty of room for our family, and all our gear. The kids wanted to sleep on top bunks, but I am pretty glad that we put our foot down and said "no" to sleeping on the rail-less top bunk, after several incidents of falling out of bed...on the bottom bunks. My only problem was this insomnia that seems to follow me around. I couldn't sleep very well, so that part was a bit exhausting.

(yeah...our cabin name. Nice huh!)

Every day we had the opportunity to hear two different speakers, and both were very good. The kids went to the children's programs and enjoyed times of singing, crafts, games, snacks, and bible. Afternoons were spent at the pool, (or in the cabin for our nappers) and evenings were again a meeting time and a mellow time of fellowship and laughter.

One of the best parts of the trip for Rich and I was the fact that my brother-in-law and sister-in-law got to come as well. The kids were seldom separated from their cousins, and we shared most meals with the entire family crammed around a round table in the dining hall. Good times, good times!

(The girl cousins...mostly photogenic)

(The boy cousins)

(The whole group)

(I love this picture! Its Rich and his brother, just chatting and hanging out on the beach day at camp.)

(Proof that I was actually on this trip!)

(Cannon and Luke hanging out together during their class. Could they sit ANY closer on this bench? )

(Oh, funny story....Rich hurt himself - somehow - we are not sure, and limped around camp for the first couple of days. He was trying to stretch it out on this bench, and I had to snap a picture, cause it was so funny....and he was so miserable!)

An attempted family picture at end of a long, but wonderful vacation!

I left the camp with my "tank" full. I had tons of time with my family - no TV, no distractions of housework or cooking or cleaning. I had tons of time with my hubby - lots of walking, talking and conversing. I had tons of time with Billy and Elissa and their family - sharing meals, playing with kids, swapping stories. And I had tons of time to just soak in my bible - through the teachings, and sermons, and quiet time. I was refreshed (minus the lack of sleep for a week), and ready to come home - and that is how I KNOW it was a good vacation!