A couple of weeks ago the grands and I headed to San Antonio for Mighty Muscles Camp. My 2 grands were joined by a set of triplets and another grand for a total of 6 happy campers! Mighty Muscles is a day camp and we would drop the kids off at 9:00 am (I must say that first morning was a little hard for me; my daughter-in-law had entrusted their care to me and what if something happened?) and we would pick them up at 3:00. Each day for 4 days they had a variety of activities that they did, including but not limited to, swimming, karate, dance, climbing a rock wall, tennis, arts and crafts. When we would arrive to pick them, they were exhausted. Somehow on the air-conditioned drive home they would gain a second wind. Good thing we had lots of fun stuff for them to do in the off-camp hours.
My friends hosted all 6 children and 3 additional grandparents for a total of 5 adults. This kids took over the quilt room.
A soccer tent provided a great indoor camping experience for the girlsAnd the boys had a small tent that we also set up indoors.
Swimming of course was a major activity (grandma’s know this will wear them out!)
We dropped them off the first day and they figured out how it all worked…..
Some of our evening activities included tie-dye, decorating cupcakes, making a snow globe and scrap booking……
Tie DyeBeing cute!ScrapbookingScrapbookingSnow Globes – did you know a LITTLE bit of glitter goes a LONG WAY!Sock bubblesMore sock bubblesCupcakesCupcakesMmmmmmmm
One of the kiddos favorite activities was ‘smores. One of my least favorites – we are giving children long poky devices with hot marshmallows on the end!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNo More Photos!
We attempted Crayon Art!
Adults need a better plan for this one
A few photos from camp….
Arts and Hearts!Waiting to performWaiting to perform “Who Let the Dogs Out” This is one tired puppy!Performing!A great dance for boys – it included basketballs
And just a few with the grands!
Gorgeous and Miss K!Grandma and another Miss K.Me and Mr. B!Little Toot with Dee DeeGrandma and another Mr. B!And Miss Holly with Miss A!
Our happy tie-dyed campers!
Thank you to all the grandmas that hosted our gang. My grandkids are still talking about how much fun they had and they can’t wait for next year!
Last year I started a summer camp for my grandkids with their cousins that live in another state. This year the cousins were not able to attend so we invited a friend’s kiddos.
Day 1 we used the afternoon to let the kiddos get to know each other ~
A little bit of sustenance for our campers – notice no red licorice or smores ingredients – I had to make another trip to the store!Watching a Lego Movie!A little bit of girl time bonding!A little bit of girl time bonding!
then we headed out to a Skeeter’s Game. This was our first visit to this ballpark. We chose the “lawn” because it is near the playground. I was extremely impressed with the ballpark and especially the playground. The staff working the playground were very attentive, if children were not obeying the rules, they were not just told to “stop” they were pulled aside and it was explained why the rule was important. The staff also took the time to show the children how to use the equipment properly. Little Toot was so proud of herself after she did the “ropes” course all by herself! Next time we will be bringing the swimsuits, as the splash pad is pretty awesome also. The lawn seats are right above the bullpen so the kids were able to watch the players warm up as well. Players and coaches are encouraged to give out autographs and the kiddos thought that was pretty cool!
Round and Round the saucer goes!A little push from mom!Stretch!Great climbing!Had to ride the alligator!Trying to get an autograph from Skeeter – by the time she would make it all the way down to the field he would’ve moved on!As we were leaving she was able to snag an autograph from Skeeter!
Day 2 involved a little bit of tie dye activities – A big thank you to the older sister of our guests for making all the kids pants to tie-dye! Each kiddo was able to dye a shirt, pants and pillowcase!
The Tie Dye ShirtLook how cute these pants turned out!
Day 3 was just the grands, we headed to “Luling, TX” for the Big Watermelon Thump. Now a smart grandma would’ve checked the weather to know that the heat would be close to unbearable (111). We had fun anyway with lots of cool downs. Little Toot participated in her first watermelon eating contest – I thought I had my record button on, but it wasn’t so I will just have to tell you – it was really fun to watch! Both kids enjoyed the Magic Show and little toot was even chosen as a volunteer! A couple of removable tattoos were added to the children and then we headed to lunch at Blakes! Luling is known far and wide for their BBQ, but we enjoy Blakes!
Oh yeah – when you are Luling at the watermelon thump – you must bring home a watermelon!
Day 4 was spent at home, we worked on a painting project but realized it was going to take a while to paint enough popsicle sticks for our project and headed out to ride bikes and swim instead, then we had BBQ chicken, hotdogs and smores!
Where there is a will there is a way – eating red licorice while painting is a tricky deal!Step 1 – taste itStep 2 – get that extra chocolateStep 3 – stretch the marshmallowStep 4 – pose for the camera!I am not sticky!MmmmmmmStep 1 – Taste it!Step 2 – Stretch it!Giggles!Hey who took a bit out of my Smore?
Days 5 & 6 were enjoyed with the kiddos new friends, we made pizzas, suncatchers, played video games, watched a movie, played “Angry Birds” (not the electronic version) and found a new favorite game for children and adults to play together “Left, Center, Right”. And of course lots and lots of swimming! Oh and we also had some water balloon games and lots of fun with bubbles! Have you ever made bubble snakes with a water bottle and a sock?
Sun Catchers!Another one bites the dust!On a wing and a prayer this one gets caught!Nice Catch!
I will get it!Whoops that one just popped!Great Catch!Daddy is a baseball coach – don’t show him this picture!See that cooler in the background! That is where all the balloons were!Launch!Pencil Jump to keep the splash at a minimum while the camera is out!Splash!Little frog eyesLove this picture!
We also built a fort! Thanks to our Camp Counselor Samantha for the great walls and roof!
The fort!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Cherished quiet times – before bedtime!Could only get one of him – he didn’t like the flash!Getting ready to sleep in the fort!Looks pretty comfy to me!
Day 7 we picked up donuts and then got the car inspected while we munched, then off to the carwash! Once we got home the last of the laundry was finished up and momma was there to pick up her kiddos! They had to show her some of their projects and teach her how to play LCR! Another new game we played was the word game “hangman” momma was pretty impressed with how well little toot could play this game!
Momma was also able to play while the kiddos were away, dinner with dad, then celebrating a friends 30th birthday, she also participated in the “Electric Run” and had a girlfriend day that included lunch in Galveston and other fun without kiddos!
Little Toot has had such a wonderful time at school this year. Her teacher, Mrs. Hall was put on bed rest a couple of weeks ago as she is near term with her first child. So close to the end of the year this could’ve really affected such young minds to have a new teacher – but Little Toot just loves her new teacher, Ms White and wanted to give her something. I asked if she would like to come over and make something for her teachers and she of course said yes.
I had found a couple of art activities on Pinterest that I really liked and showed them to Little Toot and she said yes. So we had to practice on paper first.
Yikes – pretty rough startNot quite there yetGrandpa liked this one (and he had not seen the others)Option 2 – as a quilter I can echo anything!
Well I think that is as good as I can get on paper – as I tell my clients when I am drawing quilting designs with pencil and paper – “I can’t draw on paper, but I can do some wonderful things with needle and thread!” I wonder why that is? I am sure it is a mind thing!
So now on to the cloth – we traced her hand with a pencil and then I did some thread work. Most of you have seen my very large quilting machine, but for this task I felt it would be more engaging for little toot if we used the Bernina – so I attached my free motion quilting foot – dropped my feed dogs and took a deep breath!
Dang – I forgot to take a picture of this one before she added her rainbow of colors!
A little rough but she likes it!With the binding I think it turned out pretty cute!
This one shows the thread work and once she colors it in you won’t see my imperfections!
This one went home with her for the coloring and signature work! (and the binding is already attached)
I hope her teachers will enjoy these little gifts – she had so much fun making them. They are approximately 8″x10″ so not to large, but bigger than a rug mug.
She spent the night and momma was picking her up for Sunday school the next morning – she wasn’t very motivated to get ready until I asked her if she wanted me to curl her hair – well up the stairs she zoomed. And here is the little cutie patootie!
Ready for Sunday School!
She told me has 3 1/2 days of school left and then it is summer break and then “Camp Dee-Dee” at the end of June. More about that later!
What a beautiful weekend to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. We seem to have some odd ways to honor this holiday – coloring of eggs and baskets of goodies? This weekend was busy – we had one of the kiddos Friday night and on Saturday the rest of the family joined us for some spring celebration.
Friday night we colored Easter eggs using shaving cream and food coloring – this proved to be a very fun activity. I hope you will consider trying this activity with your little ones – I would recommend gloves though as the food coloring does not just wash away!
On Saturday Little Toot wanted a rose, so we headed out to the Maas Nursery to pick up some plants, including her rose.
She also wanted to plant some seeds, her choice was burgundy okra. As we are not true southerners my husband and I have not yet bonded with this little veggie, but the plants are very pretty and so we will hope for a successful planting. Once her planting was done she played and played in the mud.
Part of their Easter surprise were kites, no wind yesterday so they created their own, and of course as brother was running down the street the phrase “Run Forest Run” was going through my mind.
I hope your weekend was long and spent with family creating memories.
