(Michael blogging...) First of all, "Yes" we know we're an eon overdue for a posting - so I hope to have quite a few here in the next few days to make up for lost time.As mentioned in the posting title, Laura, Michael, Justin, and Ethan all went to Camp White Branch for a week(ish) last month. Ethan and Justin shared a cabin with Michael and a few other campers and Laura has a cabin full of girls to contend with. There was a tire swing there which the boys made ample use of....when it wasn't raining. And rain it did! I think there was measurable precipitation every day - and so it seemed logical that the best thing to do in such a case is to organize a hike to a nearby waterfall - in this case, Proxy Falls. Ethan is the back right with a green jacket and Justin is in the middle with a clear poncho.
The rain was accompanied several times with the kind of thunder and lightning that rocks the rafters and frightens the elderly. To quote Billy Ocean, it was "simply awesome." While all the kids made the best of it and continued to use the swimming pool (swimming pool!?!? Camp Chez Ritzy if you ask me...but I digress) the biggest downside of the weather was never once having an actually campfire in the evening. This made s'mores kinda hard - although Camp Director Linda Presley made an effort by making oven s'mores: a dollop of marshmallow creme and a squirt of chocolate syrup between two graham crackers (a sacriledge if you ask me, but again....I digress).
Even though camp was puncuated by bees stings, nettle, and mosquitos (oh LORD the mosquitos) there was time for a guava hunt and the kids really had a great first exposure to Camp White Branch. Ethan is old enough to go to the Junior high camp next year known as "Chi Ro" camp and Justin will return to the Jr. camp again. Debate now rages as to which camp we will be couselors at next year - because I don't think we can do both.
One last picture I'll share is the four of us at the lava rocks. Thankfully, it hadn't rained yet that day when we took this hike. Otherwise all the kids would have cracked their mellons on the slippery stones. Alas....
