We took Loch to camp yesterday! He's finally old enough for a weeklong sleep away camp, and he was so excited! Finn is still only old enough for the 3 day sleep away camp so he is a little disappointed to not be with his brother, although he would never admit it.
This camp is up in the Yorktown area, a very beautiful drive on the way.
Almost there...
This camp is on a Naval base, and get this... $200 includes the whole week stay, all food and all trips/activities. They are going tubing down the James River this week, night fishing offshore on a charter boat, ropes course, campfires every night and some tent camping away from the cabins. Camps like this normally cost above the $1000 range so we are so fortunate to have this as one of the benefits to being a military family. The pay isn't great in the military, so I take advantage of every other thing that comes our way :)
Below is Loch's cabin. These are called "Sea Huts" and are what many of our military members live in overseas in the Middle East. The other "living quarters" that are popular are shipping containers - I'll take this over that any day :)
(Fun fact: I was stationed at this base after active duty when I served in the Reserves - a beautiful place about an hour from our house)
Below is one of Loch's counselors, "Jarvis". In typical college age fashion he was eagerly clapping his hands and rounding up all his new campers and just about bursting with energy, I think it's awesome that the kids get to have a week of being with these guys every year, they have SO much more energy than I do and don't care about messes!
Loch claiming his bunk, with Finn checking it out...
Loch all but pushed us out of there, looks like they have some big campfires planned this week!
I let Loch have my camera for the week instead of wasting money on a disposable that I will never get around to taking in to be developed :) - hopefully he remembers to take some photos this week and not to bring it tubing!
Other events this weekend included my birthday gift... so cliche' for a Navy wife but I've wanted one forever. It looks gold in the photo but it's silver. As a rule I don't like wearing jewelry but I do love this!
...and the harvest is coming in strong now! Finally we have gotten a couple of heirloom larger size tomatoes. These are Old Virginia's. At least if the blight takes them all now I can say I at least got a couple first.
**For grandma & grandpa and anyone else who is interested in what Loch will be doing this week, here's a link to his Camp Schedule - looks like fun even in spite of the ticks and heat!
I bet Loch is going to have a blast at camp! It sounds like you really got a great deal, they seem to be offering a lot of fun activities for the kids. Your birthday present is lovely. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnke, as I write this I'm watching the weather alerts and he is having severe thunderstorms with 70 mph winds and golfball size hail! Poor kid is probably counting ticks in the cabin right now instead of tubing the river today, awwwww.....
DeleteThat looks like a good camp, the weather is supposed to cool down in western va tomorrow so they might get a break in the heat over your way. Those bunk beds looked super!
ReplyDeleteSunnybrook, yes please send that cooling weather this way! Looks like their week is off to a stormy start already LOL
DeleteLoch is going to have a ball! Camp is so much fun. Love your birthday present.
ReplyDeleteIs Finn going at the same time but only for 3 days or will he go at a different time that his big brother?
Sparkless, Finn's camp is actually a different camp for 4-H, this military camp won't take the kids until they are 9 so he has a couple more years to wait :)
DeleteI can just see him herding you towards the exit! Nice looking camp and what a great deal! I love your necklace - it's very special. I also appreciate the fact that you are using snow as a backdrop on your blog - I may have to visit it quite a few times a day!
ReplyDeleteSusan, LOL I forgot all about the snow and wondered what you were talking about for a minute! Yes, I think I'll leave it up it's SO HOT!
DeleteOh my, a true rite of passage for Loch! A whole week gone to camp. Will Finn's three days coincide with Loch's week? I mean, what if you and hubby are left home ALL ALONE for three days?? Oh that's right, you still have the dogs around to keep you from getting too wild. ;o)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful necklace, m'dear. Very lovely design.
Mama Pea, Finn's 4-H camp isn't until August I think, so nope - he's here LOL! All alone? What's THAT?!
DeleteHappy Birthday-the gift is lovely. Does Loch ever get.....homesick?
ReplyDeleteSue, never! He is a really independent kid, and he's been doing camp since he was 5. Finn is a little more so but not enough for him to want to come home either LOL
DeleteCamp looks like fun and your harvest is gorgeous. Nice time of year!
ReplyDeleteStefaneener, I wish I was enjoying it more, with the heat we've been having it's so much more toil and trouble this year!
DeleteI try to find every benefit to being an Air Force family, too. It helps. I don't wear a lot of jewlery but I do have my husband's "crab" (EOD) on a silver necklace. I wear it all the time. :)
ReplyDeleteChristy, sometimes you just have to have it LOL! I'm still looking for my own insignia in a charm, it's the IUSS insignia and it's impossible to find except the actual uniform device but I fear that's a bit heavy LOL!
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