Fall is for Camping

 In the fall we generally have two campouts, one for AHG and one for Trail Life.  This year we got the two rainy weekends in October!

For AHG, with thunderstorms moving in for Saturday night, we packed up on Saturday afternoon, so we wouldn’t be stuck hiding at the bath house for it to pass.

Ellie helping set up a friend’s tent

The older two wrapped up their outdoor cooking badges:

Gabby with our one pot spaghetti dinner

Katie with dessert: peach dump cake

Little gals praying on Friday night

My crew

The fellows, however were at a multitroop event that Justin coordinated without the lightening, just a never ending drizzle, so they stuck it out.

The theme for the boys campout was Highland Games.  They had stone putt, hammer throw (which I believe was cast iron skillets), caber toss, and catapults!  I hope someone sends out pictures at some point, since Justin didn’t get to take any.

Here are some of the prizes he put together:

The Barbie for the ‘prettiest’ catapult, Elijah Ghost Pepper sauce very for the highest shot (since Elijah was taken up), and leather bookmarks for the Robbie Burns Award (best presentation at the campfire, which ended up rained out).  The ball was used in the catapult.

I did get a picture of them loaded down with all their gear plus all the things to run the event.  They were packed full!

The girls had hoped to attend, but with numbers limited, they gave up their spots a went ‘glamping’ instead.

The last things are almost dry now.

Thirteen

We are celebrating Gabriella’s 13th birthday today!

She loves her friends...a youth event

Loves books and is great at writing

Is super funny—she’s even been writing the AHG skits lately.

Loves the outdoors

Is learning new things all the time

 She looks for ways to help.

Happy 13th year Gabby.

Lately

 

Naps with the puppy

Katie, Gabby, and friends celebrating Katie’s birthday with an odd merger of Hamilton and The Lion King

Lucy ‘helping’ with math, right before she stole the pencil stick.

 

Katie pretending to be a Tenderheart (early elementary girl) asking questions about troop camping

Outdoor cooking, dutch oven style

Their pot pie 

Nate’s rain gutter regatta

Visitors

Joy of joint reading (Doctor Doolittle)

Katie’s last photo with braces

Her first photo without!

Friday Funny

 

After flipping through one of our Bibles, Ellie asks, “When do I get to start coloring in my Bible?”

It was highlighted.

Braces-less

 Katie has a date scheduled to have her braces removed, but out of the blue the office called and offered an earlier date, so we got those braces removed!

Last photo with her braces.  She was up to wearing six or seven rubber bands at a time all day and night!  It was a little crazy, but she hung in there.  She got much better at wearing them at the end too.

With the sparkly mask she made, ready to go in.

All done!!  She says they feel funny so far, and I keep being surprised by her teeth too, but such a pretty smile!  So grateful that she will have a health smile.