Wednesday, November 17, 2010

camp wasewagan... link to camp yallani

for years i have heard about camp wasewagan (at leader meetings), a place we would go to in 4th or 5h grade... but little did i know it was the sister camp to camp yallani. that long lost camp i attended for many summers, working in the kitchen and as a counselor, a life guard and an archery instructor. camp yallani was one of the most defining experiences of my life, something i think of so much it's crazy. i take parenting too seriously, thinking hard about it and wondering how i can make the most of the responsibility i have for my girls, wonder if camp yallani was a clue to my life. going to camp is such a gift, teaching kids to get along and work together on a really nitty gritty level, getting dirty, playing and being in the world of nature. really, it's easy. just send them off... but how many parents do it? not enough. so back to wasewagan... i was stunned when i realized it was the camp next to camp yallani. all these years wondering what happened to yallani and here i am going up to it's sister camp. the one we stole off to, visiting the staff on the sly. i remember there were tv's and record players to investigate, all the wonderful things a teenager loves. new boys, new faces... spending 12 weeks a summer at camp, new was good.

>IMG_0122


the caretakers cabin in all its glory!! sooooo, wasewagan with the girls was an adventure IMG_0120
driving fast on curves with chris' truck, fun times! IMG_0126
redwoods IMG_0181
the same river i spent many summers splashing in IMG_0209
my girls hanging at my "mosaic" booth, the craft that will not die!! IMG_0215
IMG_0194
food, fabulous food! IMG_0219
leading songs IMG_0221
so i got out my google maps and found out camp yallani was .4 miles away, yes we hiked through trees, brush, crossed ravines... and found it! 40762_454339947911_644332911_5580248_336372_n
the camp that so many years ago changed my life in so many ways... 148687_454194532911_644332911_5577867_796567_n
the old ropes course left from years past... IMG_0223
ahhhh camp yallani! and what a weekend it was! IMG_0240
IMG_0238
IMG_0231
IMG_0174
IMG_0145
so what an amazing trip... past and present mixed just right.



Monday, November 15, 2010

camp fire, what's up?

we had a halloween pumpkin carving meeting with rootbeer floats for snack:

IMG_9998


IMG_0004



IMG_0012


IMG_0017


IMG_0030


IMG_0042

an amazing halloween carnival (we did a fortune teller booth)

IMG_0063


IMG_0070


IMG_0050

and a rockin' "potential lunatics" concert!!

IMG_0086


IMG_0099


IMG_0103

october was PACKED to say the least.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

osborne house

sooo the long lost post on the osborne house!

IMG_9568


IMG_9575

most of our photos were outside because photography was not allowed inside. i think what i really loved about this house was all the emphasis on kids. queen victoria had 9 kids and there was a large nursery upstairs where you sense a lot of fun happened. lots of toys and things kids would love to play with, of course the girls loved that. there was a house built toward the coast just for the kids, the style was danish. weird!


IMG_9622
 

(my photos blow more than usual this day for some reason)

IMG_9630

yes lizzie is drinking water coming off the roof gutter...

IMG_9631


IMG_9633


IMG_9612


IMG_9599


IMG_9605


IMG_9587

so we REALLY liked the gardens

IMG_9571

while i took this the tour guide lady came out and scolded me for letting lizzie climb up on this statue... bad mama! oh well, i try!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

needles

the needles are a must see when visiting the isle of wight, but i will admit i was disappointed at how far away the viewing area was. there was a hike you could take but after a long day visiting several different places, we just had our look and moved on


IMG_9466


emily took a picture of the chairlift that you could take out over the water (not working the day we went, repairmen were fixing it, another bummer) luckily there was a small carnival type thing nearby and the girls had fun on the merry-go-round and an ice-cream cone.

IMG_9469


IMG_9472


Saturday, November 6, 2010

out and about: uk trip mishmash

IMG_9801



IMG_9716


IMG_9540


IMG_9529


IMG_9525

(this was my FAVORITE place on the isle of white, the town is called "freshwater")

IMG_9483


IMG_9487


IMG_9522


IMG_9428


IMG_9435


IMG_8705


IMG_8749

every night in london, i had to go to this lounge area to use the wifi on my phone... elizabeth would come with her journal and draw pictures while i uploaded photos to facebook and checked emails. it was so nice to just relax with her busy working nearby. this trip really changed lizzie for the better, she was less whiney and became more of a team player. yay family team!!!