Fresh perspective

Dada got to have some fun mixed with work last week in Mexico. 

Lunch in a grotto:

Mass at the Lady of Guadalupe Basilica

A pyramid I don't have the name for. That can be your homework. He was in Mexico City. What are the choices? He said it was a steep 45 degree angle but he did it!

I'm glad one of us is getting sun, at least.

Heavenly Shenanigans

I teased him that I wasn't aware Peggy Gray had a Mexican location. He said these were the small ones and that the larger ones were dinner plate sized!

He also sent me a shot with a VW bug which makes me jealous as I've always wanted one. He said there are lots of them there and I thought probably because there's no salting of the roads regularly to destroy their undercarriages. I remember seeing a ton of them in Arizona when we visited in my childhood. I wanted one that was spray painted to look tie dyed. My friend Mar wanted a white one to paint cow patches on. Maybe someday. Just not feasible with three long-legged kids, a Heinz 57 and a Great Pyrenees...

Roadtrip

We had a successful drop-off on Sunday. I piled the boys into the car and we were out the door around 10:15 in the morning, we didn't stop at all, we had a small mishap involving too much to drink and the fact that we didn't stop at all, and we made it to the outlets right around 1:15.

After a quick trip to Old Navy to buy a clearance pair of swim trunks (since this mom didn't have any extra skivvies in the car to go with a new pair of shorts and no extra time to hit more than one rack of clothes), we made it to Wendy's to meet up with Grandmama and Carrie.

After devouring our burgers and Frostys, we hit the road with a car full of kids and luggage, and made it north with enough time to stop and make the hardest of all earthly decisions: what in the world to choose from the amazing selection at Peggy Gray's Candies!?

After touching just about everything in the store (think Harry Potter in Honeydukes) and choosing two items, we finished the trip down the road and turned into camp. They've painted the playground to be incredibly colorful (it had been plain, wood-colored wood all this time), so it makes the train that much more exciting. The big swing looks like a rainbow, the sandbox roof is colorful, and the whole scene is bright and cheerful. Things One and Three made a beeline for it so I could do registration with Liam.

Right away, I was recognized (eep!) and hugged by Becky, a counselor who'd been there when I was a kid. Her son is also there this week doing his senior project. It was so encouraging and so from God to meet up unexpectedly with a warm, cheerful friend from many, many moons ago!

We got Liam settled with only a few "I'm going to miss you tears" shed. He was sitting on the wall in front of the dining hall, waiting to be led into dinner when we headed out. There were already damp kids (mostly boys) with squirt guns and water balloons dashing about when we left, and two pairs of boxer shorts had mysteriously made their way up the flagpole, much to Liam's delight. I think he's in for a fabulous week.

Things One and Three and I went to the White Turkey for dinner (well, I say dinner, but we actually had ice cream and fries. Don't tell my mother.) We hopped back into the car and headed the rest of the way home and pulled in at about 9:30.

Yesterday was the first evening of this week's VBS and the kids had a ball. There are about 75-80 of them and the energy was HIGH. The kids have already been enjoying the CD of the music for this week, and we listened to it once again while I took our buddies Nina and Jonathan home last night. It's going to be a great week!

And not just because Rita and I are going to Tekela tonight for dinner, kid-free. *whistling innocently*

But first, today holds an orthodontist appointment, a doctor's appointment, a library trip, and cleaning before VBS, so I better get cracking! Have a terrific day!

Twas the Night Before Christmas... Er, Camp

Boys are so different. It's almost 7 PM the night before Liam heads off to his first week of week-long summer camp, and he is one cool cucumber. He's packed. One small suitcase, one shower caddy, one overflowing fabric grocery bag containing sleeping bag. One calm spirit.

By now, many, many, MANY moons ago, I'd have had my suitcase packed and repacked three different times. And I still forgot to pack a bath towel. Eh, that's what beach towels are for. All-purpose. My new friend Erin forgot to pack pajamas. It didn't affect either of our weeks. You learn to adapt at camp.

Maybe that's why one of my favorite sayings from camp is, "suck it up! It's camp!"

It makes me incredibly sad that I won't be hearing it from Tammy this summer, but she's not going to be there, either, so it makes me feel a little bit less badly.

A tiny bit.

Perhaps.

Nope, not really.

Anyway, how weird will it be to check in and then hike over to The Guys' Side and install a boy camper Over There!? My goodness! The times have changed. No longer am I sneaking over there with my BFF (who shall remain nameless, to protect the Guilty, of course) with pink toilet paper smuggled from home to decorate the boys' cabin. Why pink? One, it was extra humiliating for the boys, and two, that proved it was from home and we weren't wasting camp supplies. Even then we had consciences.

I'm all nostalgic. Seems to be happening a lot in the past few months. I'm not sure I should be old enough to be nostalgic!

Happy birthday to Uncle Jeff today, and happy first official day of summer, everyone. Please ignore any sniffles you hear as I speed across I-80 back home tomorrow.

Guess I'll just have to console myself with the White Turkey and Peggy Gray's.....................