Cousin Camp and Summer Fun!

How's your summer? Is it getting off to a great start? I hope so!
Ours always begins with a trip to Oklahoma on Memorial Day weekend. We look forward to this day all year. Is it because it's our family reunion? That has a little bit to do with it. But wanna know the REAL reason? Do you? It's...... B I N G O!!! Seriously! At our reunion they buy all sorts of the things from the $1 tree that don't amount to much but it's SO much fun!! ;-) See Asher over there concentrating so hard? He can't wait to yell "BINGO"!

 On our way home this year we went through the Joplin devastation. It's amazing what wind can do! This tornado was huge and the smells and destruction of this city were indescribable. However, there is hope for Joplin!












Summer around here gets in full swing when Gramee and Pop's pool is ready! I taught the kids to dive the other day and they look like pro's. Asher's still doing flips off the side into the pool too. We couldn't make it through Missouri summer's without this in-ground pool. Ok we could, since we have our whole lives; but we actually look forward to summer now instead of dreading it!

 For Ben's birthday this year we rented a night's stay at the 76 Country Music Hall hotel. The one with the indoor water park. Have you been there? It's really fun! They have a lazy river (but it's cold), 2 water slides, 2 hot tubs and a fun thing to play on which includes squirting water on everyone!
 

Cousin Camp this year took on an ice cream theme! Mom always makes home made ice cream so we thought it was appropriate! We used freezer paper stencils this year instead of doing screen printing which was easier and worked out great! The kids were able to go bowling, swimming, pottery painting, do several library activities and much more. While I got my kitchen cabinets painted! whohoo! We LOVE cousin camp. We all talk about it all year long. The kids get to choose fun stuff to do and Janiece and I get to work on some projects that need to be done. We save the big stuff to do during cousin camp...like school planning or ripping out flooring ;-)

Ben on stage at the Saloon in Silver Dollar City

 Yesterday we went to Silver Dollar City after church. We actually ended up meeting with some friends and people from our church, Christie Stewart and Kevin and Sara Moody. Ben got to dance onstage at the Saloon show, we rode the Lost River 3 times in a row then Tom and Huck's ride so we were SOAKED! We never ride water rides because Ben hates them. So this was a treat for us and so much fun! We had a blast!

Aybrin and I on the Lost River

In the Saloon Show

So that wraps up the main part of our summer. We've had a whole lot of going to the boy's ball games, some sewing and a whole lot of laughing! ;-)