Camp Meeting

This year at camp meeting we had a different element. We had my niece Leila stay with us all week. The kids loved it because she was tons of fun and I enjoyed not hearing about how there weren't any kids in the house for them to play with. 

Camp meeting is wonderful in its relaxing familiarity, but also in the new and exciting things we see and do every year.

Popsicles

 

Trolley rides

The race

All three kids chose to do the one mile this year. I was really bummed that I didn't get to see them come in since they do both races simultaneously. Really, really hoping that changes next year.

 

 

Eating out

 

That weird deathtrap of a bookstore we visit just to see if we'll survive

And walks around the lake with friends

 

Went swimming

It was freezing cold.

We also found some new "friends"

And saw a bald eagle

We are sad that our amazing week is over, but so glad for the wonderful experiences

Future Runners

I found several posts in my drafts folder. So some serious out of order will be going on while I finish them.

The last couple of years at camp meeting Dominic and I ran the race on Friday. But this year Caitlin wanted to run the 1 mile. Usually the 5k runners start and the Fun run starts about 5 minutes later. Caitlin is well known in our house for being incredibly slow. So Jon offered to run with her. Neither had run a mile before (if Jon has, it's been years).  But this year they changed things up and had the Fun run start first.

On Thursday afternoon it dawned on Caitlin that the race was the next morning. So she ran up and down the driveway three times. It was hilarious, especially because that's probably the most she'd ever run before. It takes 6 1/2 times around our back yard to make a mile. Caitlin hasn't ever gone more than 1/2 a lap around the yard. Baby girl just doesn't like to exert energy when it isn't necessary.

Caitlin took off with the biggest grin on her face. She was really excited.

I waited by the sidelines for what I thought was going to be a while. I had even given the camera to my father-in-law in case the 5k started before she returned.

Less than 11 minutes later my baby girl came into view running. According to a very tired Jon after the race, she ran the entire way and didn't show down. She finished her mile in 11:09.

 
Baby girl can move if she actually wants to. She came across the finish line with a smile on her face and no sign of being tired other than her pink cheeks.

Dominic and I waiting for the 5k to start. My cousin Matt is standing beside me in the white shirt.

This little boy cracks me up. Dramatic anyone?!

Dominic, as usual, took off like a cannon. I wanted to beat my time from last year so I wasn't too far behind him.

I finished the race and ran back to run Dominic in. I saw the little boy (right of the picture) and told Dominic to hurry. I wasn't sure where he was in his age division, but I wanted him to get a metal. He was running in the 7-9 age group. But that boy heard me and took off too. Poor Dominic ran his heart out at the end and just couldn't beat him. At one point he gasped that he just couldn't run any faster.

He was wasted at the end. 

Turns out the boy in the orange shirt was a small 10 yr old. 

So Dominic pulled a 2nd place in his age division. His time was 29: something (I've momentarily lost my running log).

Much to Jon's chagrin, he won 2nd place in his age division. So he gave the medal to Caitlin. There were a ton of girls in Caitlin's age division 5-7. So she didn't place. But she proudly showed her medal to everyone and told them she'd gotten 2nd place. I was so proud of how well she'd done that I didn't correct her.

My cousin Matt did very well also.
Very proud of the runners in my family!

Fun at camp meeting

We've been having fun at camp meeting this year. It's the same things we enjoy every year, but somehow they never get old.

Eating breakfast before their meeting.

We've walked to some of our meetings.

Taken a trolley ride

And sang in the annual children's concert.

Every single year, Dominic rebels against this concert. We haven't been able to figure out why. He certainly isn't shy and has never had issues with stage fright.

But this year he surprised us. He seemed to really be enjoying himself.

Although if you look closely you'll see a mischievous gleam in his eye.

I won't tell you what his lip reading mother noticed him singing. He was changing the words to the song. At least the boys around him were laughing. And unless you can read lips and were looking at my son, it shall remain a secret. =)

Caitlin had fun too.

Camp Meeting has officially started!

We arrived yesterday at our new "home" at camp meeting. 

We are in a new house this year and it's lovely. I like this one better than the one we've had the past couple of years. It's more my style and seems to be more open and spacious. 

The usual popsicles and dirty knees have started as well.

 

We are so excited to begin our week of fun!

Race Day

Several weeks before camp meeting Dominic asked if he could run the 5k instead of the 1 mile fun run. Since last year was his first race ever, I was a little apprehensive about it. So I told him if he trained by running around the back yard and ran with me some that I'd think about it.

Time went by and I wasn't really paying attention to his running. Six times around our back yard equals a mile. So he would come in and assure me that he'd run a mile. But I was pretty sure that he'd never run more than a mile and a half. So about two weeks before the race, I took him on my 3.26 loop. He ran most of the way without stopping and it was pretty hot and muggy. So I figured he could make it.

On race day (and for a few days before) I talked to him about how Grandpa and I would be running ahead of him, but we'd come back and run in with him. I also talked about not starting off too fast at the starting line.

Enter race day and Dominic has to be at the very front with his grandpa. (The race wasn't chipped, so this was actually the best spot to be - see my other blog post.)

Dominic is #196 and my dad is #181.

Dominic started off like a shot out of a cannon. I had to run pretty fast to catch up to him. When I finally caught up with him, he just wouldn't slow down. =)

So for Dominic's first 5k he finished with a time of 29:45. His age division was 0-10 and he finished 4th. He was pretty bummed to not receive a medal. But I was so impressed. Because the 3 boys who received medals were 8-10. So he was racing against kids who were at least 2 yrs older.

Not bad, little man!

Dominic and I before the race.

 Caitlin wearing my jacket.

 My dad and our friend, Pastor Ryan duking it out to the end.

 My dad and I running in with Dominic. You can see Grandma and a friend off to the left.

 Baby boy crosses the finish line in his first 5k.

 Resting with Caitlin and some friends.

 My dad placed first in his age division. This is him receiving his medal.

Very impressed with my dad and my son.

Camp meeting

For those that follow my blog regularly this will come as no surprise.

We loved camp meeting this year.

But we all agreed that it was our best year yet.

Both kids were able to go into their meetings without parents. So they felt very grown up and we felt very free. =) Jon and I were able to attend meetings or visit with friends all by ourselves for the first time in years.

But we also had our typical camp meeting traditions of popsicles, trolley rides, and swimming.

The water was ice cold, but that didn't stop them from spending hours in the water.

We stopped to smell the roses on the rose walk, hiked around, and visited with friends.

 

 The kids had their Thursday night special music for the grown ups.

Dominic, for some reason, has never enjoyed this.

This year was no exception.

But Caitlin loved it and wasn't a bit scared.

And on Friday, Dominic lost yet another tooth. We are going to have to call him toothless if he doesn't stop soon.

 Sabbath morning after children's church.

We are sad to be going home, and are already talking about next year.