Busy day! In the morning, I headed off to do High Ropes (women only) with Karen. Due to general staff disorganization, there wasn't enough time for everyone to do everything, so I just did one element, the PlayPen. It was surprisingly physically difficult. Heights don't bother me, and in fact, I didn't really realize that I was up high, I was working so hard. It took 15 minutes for my arms to stop hurting, and I ended up with a lovely bruise on my thigh. It was fun, though.

We left High Ropes in time to get to Arts and Crafts to see The Unicorn. My dad got pictures of the Unicorn running by, I got pictures of Xander. Xander was dressed up like a meercat, which is why he didn't have a cute little horn hat.

I arranged for a private Lead Line so that Xander could get a little more time on a horse. It was a lot of fun. He said, "Whoa!" and "Giddyup!" and "Turn!". He was directing the horse (with me leading) so he loved it. My dad got a lot of pictures.

In the afternoon, I took Xander to play at the 0/2 Nursery, then to North Beach to join his class before Cookie Man. While he was there, I took Kayli to Riding and got a picture of her wearing her Future Riding Staff shirt and riding Fudge, just in case she works there someday!

At Cookie Man today, they handed out awards to the children (so much smarter than doing it during Awards at night). Xander won the "Energizer Bunny" award, which I found particularly funny because when I worked at Camp in 1990, I played the Energizer Bunny in the Skits, back when the Energizer Bunny was new.

Then, Water Carnival! Xander was pretty tired by then, but he is always happy to play in the sand with Grandma. Kayli had fun, too, but she got pretty cold in her wet jeans. Xander built "Dinosaur Castle", which had plastic dinosaurs implanted in it. He won the "Most Prehistoric" award for it, which I had predicted. Xander loved Tootsie Fishing the most! My dad participated in the Tug of War and the Greased Watermelon Contest, which is always so much fun to watch!

Xander was SO tired by dinner time that he fell asleep on the table as soon as he got there. My softy dad couldn't stand to see him like that and picked him up to snuggle him while he slept. I love my dad!

Friday night was Keg and Coke, but we didn't go. Instead, we had a wonderful time playing bridge with my parents.

I took pictures of the kids wearing their Boating Future Staff shirts. Most of the boats were out of the water already, but you get the idea. Xander loved playing with the one boat that was turned over on the shore.

Sadly, after breakfast we had to leave Camp. We (by which I mean I) took an inordinate amount of time taking pictures by the Rock, and my dad even drove me back in so I could get video of us entering Camp so I can edit it into the start of the video. I'm a little obsessive sometimes. Oh really? Have you seen these photo pages?

Camp was absolutely wonderful. Xander loved it. Kayli didn't really care, but she will. I had so much fun, and I can't wait to go back. Every year, it will be more and more fun as the kids get older and more able to explore on their own. I'm so excited that they will grow up there like I did, and possibly work there some day. It is a magical place.

After storytime, I met Delia at Tot Town for lunch. That's pretty much all we did there; the kids didn't really play. Then we went for a walk on the bike path and Xander rode his bike. He got tired at the end, but did really well most of the way.

After all that, we came home and played on the motorcycle. Xander gave Kayli a ride and he did such a good job ensuring that she was safe! I was very proud.

On Saturday, my mom and I got up early. She played with Kayli while I took a luxuriously long shower in the not-so-luxurious shower. She took Kayli for a walk while I relaxed in the room after that, which was so nice! I got to spend some time programming, and that always makes me happy. My mom and I took Kayli to breakfast at the hotel restaurant before everyone else got up.

Becky and Nancy woke up about the same time that Melissa showed up, so they all went to lunch in the hotel bar. We eventually sought them out because they had been gone forever (service was very slow in both hotel eating establishments). We all headed to the boardwalk. We ended up taking a 2-mile hike in some beautiful woods and wetlands. Gorgeous!

We went back to the room after that and just chatted. There was a lot of that this weekend. Before dinner, my mom and I went for a bike ride. We tried to take Kayli, but that was a disaster. She REALLY didn't like it.

Dinner was in the hotel restaurant, and Kayli was VERY well-behaved (unlike the previous two meals). After that, we all went to the pool, where Kayli, my mom, my sister, and I all got wet. Nancy and Becky chatted and took pictures.

The evening was for presents, cake, and musical cards, and more chatting. Much laughing over the musical song choices (none of which I knew - I'm so out of it.) Happy Birthday, everyone (else)!

Xander had been complaining about not knowing any of the children at school, and said that he thought he would know them all again if he got to stay for the entire day. Well, ok. So, we signed him up for a whole day there, and he loved it. When I picked him up at 4:15, he wanted to say for a few more hours, he said. We played in the sandbox a little bit before we left, or more accurately, before I realized that in the course of my Xander-less errands that day I had taken his car seat out of my car, so I couldn't take him home. He got to go in the Blue Room for a while, which had different toys! How exciting!

After that, we met Travis at home and headed out to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner, and then bought Travis a new racquetball racquet and glove. He's been playing a lot recently and had worn out his previous racquet. We spent a lot of time playing at the mall play area they've just put in for kids. Kayli loves it there!

Kayli was watching Veronica Mars with us one evening, and we were eating popcorn. She REALLY wanted the popcorn and wouldn't leave us alone, so finally we nibbled off the hard parts and gave her the nice soft round part. She loved it! She probably ate 30 of them, and was chasing Travis around for more. We could barely nibble the hard parts off fast enough, and we weren't getting to eat any popcorn. It was funny.

That night, we all slept in the "little bed" (the full-sized bed that Travis and I bought before we had kids. Xander put his around Kayli to snuggle her and keep her warm. How cute is that?

On Fridays we've been going to storytime at the Yellow Springs Library. Kayli and Xander both enjoy it, and the other attendees are very nice. There are a lot of the same people that were there when I was going with Xander a year ago.

In the afternoon, we worked outside a lot. Xander was enjoying his Tigger costume again. He and Kayli had a great time playing in the wheelbarrow. Travis gave them some fun tides!