Watkins Mill

The bees chased us out of Wallace. 

And a few followed us to Watkins. 

But we were grateful that they seemed to only want our apples and peanut butter, not our blood and tears. 

This was one of my favorite camping weekends ever. Not because the campground was special in any way, or because there was lots of fun things to do or because we made amazing pioneer food. 

It was because we had such a fun time together laughing and taking pictures and enjoying the fact that we could just sit and make fire and watch the moon and sleep in and slow down together. I love these kids. Even though this year they didn't really feel like kids. They stepped up in monumental ways to do the heavy lifting that comes with camping...planning, packing, setting up, cooking, dishes, watching over each other. I am the luckiest mom. 

Setting up the tent with very little help from mom

Rainbow sleeping bag straps make the best holders for the string lights. 

Friends coming for a visit and a chat.

Tinfoil dinners will always be the best meal on our first night. 

We love the new camping lights!

The first night was in the low 30s. Our tent was also sloping downhill. The combination kept me perpetually sliding off the bottom of my air mattress to start the propane heater so we didn't freeze our buns off. 

We stayed cozy in our sleeping bags and listened to John Mayer until the sun came out and warmed us up a bit. 

Meg is turning into Ethan. Boots and Carhart and ready to whip up some breakfast burritos for everyone. 

Delicious!

We had to kill the fire because the wind forced a burn ban for the day. We found a sunny spot and let the that ball of fire do it's job.  

AJ figured out that she could use the concrete barrier to sand the soft seed of the acorns into flat beads. She got right to it. She inhereited my "I need a project" gene. That gene has gotten me through many long vacation days....collection mini seashells, painting rocks, making stick dolls, firing clay pots.....need I go on? 

Megan and Laney spent the afternoon drawing in the sun.

Megan rallied us all to go down and check out the lake. I wanted a "picture in front of the water". No more room for the water, but I love these faces!! Listening to them laugh and take silly pictures of each other filled my heart right up.

AJ tried to give us each a rock to throw in the water but when we realized that two of them were an L and a V, we knew these rocks had a destiny. 

Our whole group (Flynns, Petersons, Jensens, and Leitheisers) walked down to the lake 15 minutes before sunset and stared at the western sky like a bunch of idiots, waiting for a glimpse of the Atlas comet. We thought we had spotted it at least 5 times, only to realize it was a just a shiny plane, leaving a tail in the clouds.  Bored, AJ offered to give me a ride in the wagon and, to her surprise, I accepted! 

We finally peeled our eyes away from the comet-watch and we were stunned by the gorgeous moon on the water right behind us.  

We all agreed that the fabulous moon put the no-show comet to shame. And I got to enjoy watching my girls from the comfort of a wagon, haha!

Back at camp, Megan made pies for everyone. I wouldn't be sad if she takes over pie-making duties permanently. 

Our second and final night wasn't as cold. But we still burrowed into our sleeping bags until almost 9 am. That's got to be a camping record. 

We headed home early to spend time with Mark. He's not having happy times at work right now. And we're missing him. So we had our oatmeal breakfast and nacho lunch. The kids honest-to-goodness packed up the entire camp with almost no help or direction from me and we were on the road back to Olathe. 

Luckiest. Mom. Ever. 

Here's a special treat....just for fun. 

Turtles are better that budgets

 I have been sitting in the corner of the couch for almost 8 weeks now. In fact, I am two days away from freedom. 

In that time I have caught up on nearly a year's worth of blogging (2021 to 2022 will be noticeably less rich in detail) (I'm sorry) (I can't help it. Sometimes life is hard and it feels soooo unbloggable).

I have had the budget book sitting within arms reach for over a month. 

But I decided to crochet this little turtle instead. 

Winnie helped. 

I can't get over his little shell back pack! I'm pretty pleased with my efforts. 

Winnie will try to take most of the credit, but she's lying. 

 

We are, in fact, "bird people"

We simply adore her. 

 

Papusas a la Megan

Hot Dang, she made papusas! 

I'll never forget the spanish speaking mamas laughing and shaking their heads at me when I asked for the recipe back in Rialto. They said even if they gave it to me, I'd never make it. 

They were right. It's ALOT.

But they hadn't met Megan. 

She found a recipe, shopped for all the ingredients and spent the entire morning making the filling from pork belly, mixing up the masa flour and making a batch of curtido. 

And she served me hot papusas in my corner of the couch. (Bonus: The Cracker Barrel apron)

Delicioso!

Self Reliance

 Don't look know, but I think Bug can officially start the lawn mower. 

To a tee

I can't count how many times I have said these words. It's substantial.

 

Homeschool Worries

 I sometimes worry about the kind of education that AJ is getting at home. She's independent and stubborn. 

And really smart. 

She can be totally engaged and completely aloof, all in one morning. 

But then I see this and I feel like everything is going to be okay. 

Different...but okay.