Church Retreat

This past weekend was the annual church retreat at Camp Kulaqua which is located about 20 minutes north of Gainesville (an hour and forty five minute drive in total from our house).  The plan was to leave Friday afternoon after Duncan got home from work and we would stay until early Sunday afternoon.  Thursday morning some of us started looking at the weather and discovered that the forecast didn't look to be all that great with rain on Friday and Saturday.  But, we had paid our money and since we would be in a building rather than a tent and since we really weren't that far from home if we needed to bail, we decided to continue with our plans.

We left about 3:30 which was a little after several other families we knew that were going.  A texting marathon ensued with those in front of us reporting on some major accidents along Interstate 75 which was our main route to get to the camp.  We had to exit early and take a four lane road the rest of the way that took us right through downtown Gainesville.  On the bright side, we got to see the University of Florida up close and personal for the first time.  On the downside, there was a bunch of traffic and it took us longer to get there.  But really we should just be thankful that we got there in one piece.  We subsequently found out that there had been seven accidents in an eleven mile stretch of I-75 although thankfully, no fatalities.

The girls used to hold hands and now I caught Aubree and Brady doing the same.  Love!

Since we were running so late, we let the Isidros (who had won the "Amazing Race," which is what we likened all the families taking various routes to get to the camp) check in for us and we just met at a nearby diner to have supper before we arrived.  Despite the somewhat rainy and chilly weather, we had a good time dining al fresco.  That seemed to work better since our group had 13 kids.

The kids acting silly while we waited for the food.

Our tables.  Apparently we could have stepped right next door and gotten tattoos after supper.

We had the same lodging arrangements as last year.  We shared a four bedroom mini-lodge with the Isidros and Bergherms.  We thought that some of the kids would bunk together in the extra bedroom but it ended up that they all slept with their parents.  I was happy to see that my three were able to easily sleep in the same room together.  That bodes well for campmeeting if circumstances call for all three to be in the same tent.  The three of them went to bed Friday evening and then Duncan came in to whisper to ask if Calleigh could go for a little walk with him.  Aubree seemed almost asleep so I said, sure.  They came back about thirty minutes later and Calleigh was so excited.  She whispered to me, "I went on a walk with Daddy and got a smores, saw many fireflies, and Daddy told me two stories!"  It was all very sweet until this morning when I asked Calleigh what her favorite thing about the weekend was and she said in a loud voice, "When I got a smores!"  And I know she totally did it to rub it in Aubree's face who took the bait hook, line, and sinker, and flipped out.  Thanks a lot, Calleigh!

Our mini-lodge.

Our room.

This is apparently when Calleigh ate her smores (picture courtesy of Duncan)

The kids slept fantastically both nights.  They didn't make a peep and in fact, slept in until 8:00 both mornings.  Duncan and I, on the other hand, slept horribly.  The bed wasn't all that comfortable and we kept hearing various noises despite having our noise maker.  I don't know why we didn't bring our box fan which would have helped with the noise and the somewhat muggy temperature in our room even though it was quite cool in the main part of the house.  Oh well.  It was still worth it.

Sabbath morning we awoke to a somewhat drizzly morning.  We walked around the whole day with our umbrellas.  Fortunately it never poured so the rain didn't prove to be that much of a hindrance to anything.  We had a Sabbath School session and church and then we had our one meal in the cafeteria.  After lunch we hit up the zoo which was a big hit.  This year we made sure not to excite the lion because we had remembered last year how he had gotten very excitable upon seeing Brady in the Bjorn.  However, the bear was quite something this year.  She (?) was standing up on her hind legs and banging on the top of her cage.  For a minute your mind does go to the stories you hear from time to time of animals escaping the zoo.  It did make for some entertainment for Brady, though.  Brady and I headed back from the zoo for our nap time which was a success.

Waiting for breakfast.

Working on crafts during Sabbath School.

"Psst. I'm going to marry Kohlden."  Actually, I have no idea what she said.  

I think he had a pretty firm grip on Daddy's head.

Checking out the lion.

Can't forget about Evan.  He jumps to the top of the list again by sharing an umbrella with Aubs.

The girls went canoeing while Brady and I napped.

Saturday night we attended kind of a comedy program that was geared more toward the adult set.  The kids were busy playing in the aisles of seats and didn't seem to mind.  Brady quite enjoyed himself as several of the girls in Calleigh's age group were following him all over the place.  The gym was opening after that program was over but the kids seemed kind of tired so we decided to just head back to our cabin.  All three didn't put up a fight to go to bed and I think they were the first of the kids to get to sleep...a big change from last year when I think the girls were always the last to sleep.

We had a joint supper, fajitas, provided by the Cochrans and Isidros.  Delish!

Someone had set up this kind of tight rope that everyone wanted to give a try walking on.

Including the adults.  Bruce is completely unimpressed.

One of the things that we had been looking forward to was going to the water park on Sunday morning since we had missed it last year.  We had come back early because of a prior engagement so this year we were determined to do all that the park had to offer.  Even though it wasn't raining on Sunday morning, it was chilly (we were in jeans) and we decided it was just to cold to do to the water park.  Instead, we rode the ponies and go-carts.  We made the right decision.  I was so pleased because Aubree rode the pony all by herself...last time she had the opportunity for a pony ride she wouldn't even go near it.  Brady LOVED it.  Almost the whole time he was on it, he was saying "Giddy-up Horse-y" and he would rock back and forth as if to make it go faster.  After those activities, we called it a day and headed home which was a much calmer trip than the way up.

Gearing up for the go-cart

William was nice enough to ride with Calleigh so that the girls could go at the same time.  Brady sat this event out.

The fun was not over upon reaching home, however.  Allen had discovered a pick-you-own blueberry farm right here in Ocoee that is open on the weekends.  They had gone last weekend and just raved about it so this was our opportunity to go.  It was a perfectly beautiful day and it turned out to be a wonderful experience.  They actually tell you to eat the blueberries while you pick, because they have so many, which was a really neat thing because Brady ate a ton of them.  I was not a witness to every bite so I have no idea if he even ate just blue ones or what.  I did notice him eating some off the ground which I only hope were the ripe ones that fell there and not smashed up ones that people had dropped and stepped on.  When I told him to stop eating them off the ground, he would come over and take handfuls out of my bucket so I didn't like that alternative either!  The girls definitely ate more than they put in their buckets too but other than Aubree complaining about being thirsty, we were there for about an hour and everyone was happy.  In the end, Duncan and I picked nine pounds at $4 a pound.  We go through tons of blueberries in smoothies so they will all be used, for sure.

Taking a break.  Where did those blueberries in your bucket go??

You can see how many Brady ended up with!

We still didn't want the festivities of the weekend to end so we hooked up with the Isidros at the pool and kept things going.  We ordered some pizzas and just chilled by the side of the pool while the kids played.  Ahhh, yes, this was the life.

Some other highlights from last week....last Sunday we had a birthday party just down the street for Gabi Ottati who was turning three.  They have a gorgeous pool so it was really fun party for all the kids who spent the majority of the time in the pool.  It's heated so it was a perfect temperature.  Of course, seeing the nice pool in the back yard got us to think again about getting our own pool.  Duncan and I have done a complete 180 on the whole pool thing over the last couple of years.  It started with him wanting one and me not wanting one (just being afraid of having it with the kids) but then it went the other way with him not wanting to spend the money but then me thinking about how nice and convenient it would be to have one right here especially since they love to swim so much.  But, we had concluded when we moved in that we wouldn't be doing anything in the near future.  Now we aren't as sure!

Duncan pulled the kids to the party behind his bike.

Who wouldn't want this pool??

The birthday girl and her family.  Catherine is pregnant with their third and they are hoping to follow in our footsteps: girl-girl-boy.

Thursday we had the landscape architect come back to show us his plans for a patio, trees, flower, shrubs, lighting, etc.  We were thrilled with the plans but of course, it was more than we wanted to spend all at one time but once you see the plan, it's hard to think of not doing it all.  Ironically, on the day he gave us the plan, our next door neighbors had a landscaping company come to put in a bunch of trees and other greenery in their front and back yard which made us all the more desirous of getting ours done.  Decisions, decisions.

I forgot to mention that Duncan was gone for a short while this past week.  He left Monday afternoon to go to Kansas City for work and came back late Tuesday night.  Just a short trip but long enough to remind us how much we miss him.

I think I will leave it at that and close with a few more pictures...

Little man chilling on the patio with his cell phone.  I just thought these were cute pics.

Checking out a dead grasshopper at the pool.

We had a lot of rain last week but that didn't stop the kids from playing outside.

Watching as some trees go up next door.

Have a great week!