Cousin Camp 2013

I can't believe Cousin Camp is already over.  For months we anticipate and plan for lots of fun and then it comes and goes.  This year was packed full of activities like the last couple of years, but there was also more down time which allowed some of the kids to come up with their own creative activities (i.e. the building of a ping pong table!)  Here are lots of pictures and some explanations.  I was going to divide this post into 3 parts, but honestly, if I don't just cram them all into one, I'm afraid I won't ever write parts 2 and 3!

Getting ready for camp!

 

 

Day 1

Isaac and Jonah patiently wait for the first cars to arrive so we can shout, "Welcome to Cousin Camp!!!"

 

 

The waterslide starts the beginning of the festivities!

 

 

 

This year we added a pool under the zip line.  Lucy gets ready to drop!

 

Jonah, at first, wanted nothing to do with the pool.  My, how quickly things change!

After dinner, we walk to my sister's house.  She and her husband, Kyle, live on 30 acres just around the corner from us.  There we eat popsicles, ride horses, play horseshoes, and some lucky ones even get motorcycle rides.

 Day 2

 

To start the day off, the kids eat cereal.  Each cousin brings a box of his/her favorite kind.

After breakfast, we have a camp meeting which includes a short devotion, an overview of the video we'll be filming, and a quick explanation of the craft projects.  This year I told them the crafts had a theme - "Christmas in July."  We made airplane ornaments and family Christmas trees collages.

Instead of doing a movie this year, Glynne choreographed and filmed a dance video to an upbeat Toby Mac song.
The kids loved learning their parts and did a great job.  The moms and grandmas even learned a routine!



Jonah has more fun reading with Grandma Candy than dancing.

The older kids learn their part.  Again, much enthusiasm. 

While the kids are dancing, we are prepping for the Christmas tree project.

Lucy watches while Kate and Emma work on the Davis family collage.   Making room for 11 trees (yes, we even made one for the new baby) takes a long time and a long frame!!



One of the final products!!  Isn't it cute??  This collage represents the Watson family which includes Dennis, my cousin, Andrea, and their three children, William, Patrick, and Lucy. 

Getting ready to film the dance video.  We asked that all the kids stay in the house, so we didn't have to go round everyone up.  They didn't need too much convincing since it was about a hundred degrees outside!

Ally supervises another project in the bonus room - airplane ornaments.  Considering we had 9 boy cousins and only 2 girl cousins (minus the 3 older girls), we decided to make a more masculine craft!!

Jackson lends a helping hand to Andrea who is graciously shucking corn for dinner.



Later that evening, we all watch as Kyle Bliss instructs us in the proper way to shoot an arrow.
  Archery was a big hit this year.  Thank you Kyle!!

 

Well, I guess there is a limit as to how long a post can be and I have reached it.  I will have to fill you in on Day 3 and 4 in another post.  Until then...