Good-Bye Once More

Taking walks

Catching fireflies

Seeing my sis

Playing Boggle

Being gathered together from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Colorado, Montana and California in a little camp in Iowa (where, ironically, none of us live).

Sixty years of family tradition pulls us together here. This was the first year we've gathered without my Grandma, who started this tradition.  She turned 100 last June, but passed away soon afterwards.  We miss her, but her life was a shining example to us all, and we continue the tradition she started here.

Stylin'

Anna had quite a few hair stylists during our week at Okoboji.

Lucky for mom.

Lucky for Anna.

Got Wheels?

Biking is a big part of the week for the kids.

The camp is the perfect place for kids of all ages to bike.

Ehren and Christian learned a few tricks from their older cousins, like riding down stairs. Did I mention they were stairs to a chapel? I witnessed the trick, congratulated them on their new skill and told them never to ride on those stairs again.

Jump In!

The sun is burning.

 I am yearning

to jump

on

in!

The water may be green

but there's no air conditioning in the cabins,

so morning, noon or night

anytime's just right

for a little swim.

Rocket Ship Park

There's an old playground that the kids love to visit when we're in Okoboji.  It's surrounded by a moat and you have to enter by a little bridge.  The playground is almost exactly the same as it was when I played there as a kid.  We simply call it the "Rocket Ship Park" because the central feature is a huge rocket ship slide.  It can't possibly meet modern safety standards, which is probably what makes it so fun.

Whooooaa!

Cousin Ethan climbed up the slide and ran down.

Help!

Superfast!

Ding, ding!  All aboard the CB Express.  I think this train used to actually run on a track around the park, but for as long as I can remember, it's just been parked.  No matter; the kids love it anyway.

The little kid swings are still fun for the big kids.

Gymnast wannabe

Happy Fourth!

Babies and flags...

Cousin Jackson giving us his happy toddler grin.

Hope you  had a happy Fourth of July.

Four to Two in One

Cruisin' with my training wheels.

We're taking these things off?

Ok, let's do it!

Can I help, Dad?

And an hour later... riding a two-wheeler!



Vacation in... Iowa?

Ever tell your friends you're going on vacation to Iowa?  It gets better when you tell them you're going for a family reunion that lasts a whole week.

But we have fun!  So much fun.  Here's a picture of our group (the group photos are not the fun part).