Camp Kitaki

Emmy's friend Kenzley asked her to go to the YMCA Camp Kitaki this year. It was a week-long overnight camp, and I was a little worried that Emmy wasn't ready for that. Robb and I asked her in the months coming up to sign up and each time she told us she was really really sure she wanted to go. We got her signed up for the Discovery camp that was for 7-8 year old's. The week before camp, Emmy became very clingy to me and kept telling us that she didn't want to go to camp. She is a little turkey and does this often lately. She will be all in until she isn't and then she is all out. It wasn't really working to reason with her and we finally had to tell her that we have already paid, and it was expensive, so it wasn't optional. She spent about 3 days being miserable leading up to the camp date. I was frustrated, she was sad. I decided to call the camp and see if they had any ideas for me. They asked if we were available to come tour camp. We took the day to drive to camp and met the director, saw her cabin, met her counselor and saw the activities. The awesome pool started to win her over. After we visited, she started to seem a little more excited although still nervous. We went to Target and got her a flashlight and little lantern along with a fuzzy blanket and sheets to take. When drop off day came, she was really brave and actually seemed really excited. We had written her letters so that she would get a letter from one of us each day. 

Not just one but 2 of her friends were there and in her cabin. Maddie and Kenzley.

We got her bed all made and her area looking cozy.

These were her counselors at camp Tigger and MaryKate. 
The little cabin was adorable and air conditioned. Lucky! I always had so much fun at camp, and I was hoping that she would also have a great time. I will admit that it was really hard to leave my 8-year-old there and not have any contact with her for a week.

 

The New Boat

Robb has had his current boat for about 10 years. It has been a great boat, but it is starting to show its age and he has been wanting to replace it. He has been looking at boats for years and since Covid they are hard to come by and the prices have gone up. He has found a couple potentials, but they are usually really far away like Arizona etc. He managed to find this one is Kansas; it was almost everything that he wanted except the color. He didn't dislike the color he was just wanting the beige interior. I was a little hesitant on all of this because boats are expensive! However, about a year ago when Bryce and I were sobbing in the emergency vet clinic while we talked about the cost of amputating Scout's leg to save her life, I had made a deal. When Robb looked sick about the cost of the vet bill, I in turn told him that he could get whatever boat he wanted. I made good on my promise, and he got the boat that he wanted, and I got my little 3-legged mutt. Robb is super excited, and the boat is really pretty!

 

Yankton Vacation

The Yankton vacation is a week in the summer that all of us look forward to. I feel like it marks the end of summer because when we get back, we start to get ready for school. So, I make sure to soak it all in. Walking the dogs, reading by the pool, seeing friends and spending time with family.  Robb waits for this weekend all year because it is the one week of the year that he pretty much gets to go boating as much as he wants. Bryce loves the freedom of getting to do pretty much what he wants when he wants to. He can sleep in, take a nap. He also enjoys the fires at night and the good food. Caleb loves the activity. He wants to be doing something at all times and Yankton works out well for him. If he wears us out someone else is usually willing to do something with him. He also lives for Dairy Dock. Abby and Emmy really enjoy Pat being the activity director and having constant planned activities. They also get to spend a lot of time with Harper, Cooper and Zander and they also get to see their cousins a lot. They enjoy bike riding, swimming and the freedom to bounce between the 3-4 cabins. All of us love it for the same and different reasons. We all love it for the people! It is pretty special to have a group of people that you spend the week with every summer, and you can pick up where you left off. We see the Lunds and Hopkins some but not a lot and we rarely see Pat except at the lake. This is a tradition that the kids will want to keep doing for years to come!

Abby and her fan club. She loves these kids, and they love her!

Everyone loves the delicious food. I love that I only have to think about making one meal while I am there!

The age difference between Harper and Emmy has started to matter less and less each year. They get along so good.

If this isn't a perfect representation of the Brook and Bryce relationship, I don't know what is. It is a love hate cousin thing for sure.

Caleb at Dairy Dock. Caleb doesn't do well tolerating kids except Megans kids. he loves these kids.

Lucy and Scout had a blast! This is something that Lucy looks forward to every year and this is Scout's second year and she loved it. They go on endless walks, hunt and kill ground squirrels and get to be with their people constantly. I think Lucy's kill record was 6 ground squirrels. She let Scout eat one and Scout swallowed it whole causing GI issues for weeks to come. 

The boating boys. Caleb has become good at wakeboarding and Bryce prefers to tube and do the knee board.

AJ is a hoot! I get such a kick out of this kid! Bryce and Caleb love to spend time with him.

Abby got a lot of Brook time this year. Brook had a hard week with breaking up with her boyfriend, so she needed distraction and friends. I guess Caleb stayed up until 4 am talking to her after it happened. Moments like this make me realize he is a lot sweeter than he lets on.

John wakeboarding, I always take pictures of him and I think he always thinks I'm weird for taking them but I always try to get a couple cool ones with the cliffs behind them.

The rope is gone and Robb isn't going to land this one but this jump is crazy high!

I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing the boys interact with little kids! It is the cutest!

Mary and Zander. She is always a good sport with helping with the littles. I remember the days when Yankton felt more like watching your kids in a place that wasn't baby proof. Thankfully, we are out of that stage so if we can be helpful to Megan we try to.

Grandpa Bob was the coolest this year because he rented not only a pontoon boat but also a jet ski. It was pretty fun!

Pat is the activity director and the special drink coordinator. She is great with kids and the kids follow her around like little ducklings.

Caleb and his favorite person, grandma.

Grandpa is the best boat captain. He is willing to let all the little kids drive.

Yankton kids

Saying goodbye to Yankton for another year.

 

Weston comes to stay

We picked Weston up halfway between Lincoln and Omaha so that he could come stay for a couple days. Emmy and him get along so well but we get busy, and they don't get to see each other as much as they would like. Pinewood Bowl's musical this year was the Newsies and I thought that he might enjoy going with us. The kids and I stopped at Pioneer Park on the way back into town and laid our blankets down. We then drove to Roca to pick up Robb and Abby. As we were driving back Weston all of a sudden says, "I don't need shoes, do I? Because I didn't bring any." We all laughed so hard! No wonder him and Emmy get along so well! Thankfully, Emmy had her tennis shoes in the car and Weston fit into her stinky crocs. Crisis averted. Newsies was fun to watch, and the story line was easy enough for them to follow along with. It was brutally hot though and we used our fans throughout the show. 

The next day, I asked Weston what he wanted for lunch. His response was Gordita Crunch Wraps. Huh! I haven't had one of those since high school and I didn't remember how to make them. Abby was a good sport and followed all of his directions for making one. In the middle of it he stops and says, " I have no idea if this is right." We got a kick out of him being here. I'm not sure that we folded it correctly, but I think we go the general idea of the Gordita Crunch Wrap figured out. 

Emmy taught him how to paddle board. 

He eventually got the hang of it.

 

4th of July

Spending the holiday in Norfolk changes things a little for us. There are no more neighborhood or friend parties, but we get to see family and had a great time.

We went to Big Bang Boom. 

We swam at Steph's pool and had a cookout.

Korbin's band was the headliner at Big Bang Boom. They did a great job. It was fun to watch him.