the "cold" that just won't leave

So sadly, fun memories are not the only thing we brought home from camp 3 weeks ago.  The kiddos all caught some sort of NASTY, morphing, bug, and brought it home as well!  All the cousins seemed to have it right away, and Olaf got it about 5 days later.  We're talking runny eyes, fever, coughing, snot galore.  You moms, you know, the good stuff.  I thought I was going to escape it, but I did not.  I got it about a week and a half in.  Not too bad -- I got everything but the fever and cough and thought - why this is nothing more than a bad cold, right?  But noooooo, for the last three days I have had no sleep, and dry racking cough day and night.  Low grade fever.  Achey.  Headache.  No energy.  Honestly it feels like the flu, except I had my flu shots so it can't be that.  I tell you what though, this thing is putting me through the ringer.  I keep thinking all this coughing and stomach flexing is going to put me into labor!  Luckily it hasn't yet, and Steven is on his way home to help us out.  So if you are wondering why I am lame and not posting anything, like the amazing progress on our landscaping outside... now you know why.  I will hopefully be back in the swing of things again soon!  (and hopefully all the cousins and their sick parents will be too!)

Family Camp 2010... AKA Playground Time

We spent half of last week up at Tall Timber Ranch at Family Camp.  It was fun!  Refreshing.  Relaxing.  I always think about camp (remember it) as the place where you go to play like crazy - rock wall, ropes course, zip line, giant swing, canoeing...  maybe talking to some cute boys...  but these past few years my idea of camp has had to morph a bit, of course, because we have a 2 year old now as part of the family.  He still naps.  He can't canoe so well.  Giant swing?...  = Terrified Toddler.  Not going to try.  So... we spent a LOT of time at the camp playground.  Swings, merry go round, slide, giant tires to climb, tetherball... you know, the playground.  But you know what, Olaf LOVED it.  And it was great because he was playing with 4 of his cousins most of the time, and a bunch of new friends.  And when we weren't at the playground, Steve and I were able to relax.  Read books.  Talk to friends.  Do puzzles (well just me and Jenny and Kristin, Steve has no patience for those).  NOT cook.  Or clean.  To listen to a great speaker.  Sing silly camp songs with summer staff, who look like they are all about 12 years old.  Then I remember that I probably looked like I was about 12 too :)  You know, back in the day.  It was new experiences, but still fun ones.

The only really terrible thing, not gonna lie, was the MATTRESS.  I slept SO terribly the whole time.  Preggo + bad mattress = back pain.  Yuck.  But I would do it again.  How about next year?

Anyway, I know this is jumbled and not well written (sorry all you English majors.  Jenny.), but I just wanted to share that we had a wonderful time, and can't wait to do it again next year.  Come on friends, join us!

We came down to the White River to throw rocks and sticks in the water.

Trygve, Ingrid and Micah search for perfect stones to throw.

A quizzical Serenity.

We are cheezy!

Ingrid = dirty gerty.  They liked to roll in the sand.

Step 1 - Push Daddy over in the meadow.

Step 2 - Daddy falls over and Oly gets a little bit of flying time.

Mommy!  I LOVE CAMP!!!