Jenna's Tohiglo Adventure

Remember last summer I told you about my experience at Camp Joy El? Well, this year we decided to try something different. I spent the week of July 21 at the preteen week of Camp Tohiglo (to His glory). I will try to briefly explain the week's events. My counselors, Lorissa and Annie, are mother and daughter. They were very nice. Luckily, their house is right down the camp's driveway, and they could do our laundry during free time. :) After we got settled, we hiked the Agony Hike, a trail through the woods up to the dining hall. Normally it would only take a minute to walk to the dining hall, but we went the long way. It wasn't as agonizing as it sounds, except for the thorn bushes surrounding the trail. Sunday night, we (all the campers) watched "Facing the Giants". Every evening for the rest of the week, the whole camp did something together. Monday night was "mud night", because the rain ruined what they already had planned. We played Superman tag (to unfreeze someone, you had to slide under them) and tug-of-war (the first team to pull the other into the foot-deep mud pit wins!) Tuesday was Water Olympics. We had competitions like Biggest Splash, Craziest Dive, etc. Wednesday was Skit Night. Each Cabin had to make up a skit and perform it in front of the whole camp. Our cabin, cabin 6, did the Last Supper, Hippie Style! I wish I had a video to show you. My friend Jordan was Jesus, and the rest of us were disciples. We put on eyeliner goatees and sunglasses. Wednesday was also the day Beautiful Bob performed (they call him that because he wore pink jewelry and stuff.) A counselor threw eggs at him and he hit them at the audience like the eggs were baseballs. Next, he whacked bags of  mashed potatoes and beans with the baseball bat so that the stuff splattered us. He also threw kiwis at us. This wasn't my favorite, but most people enjoyed it. Thursday was counselor hunt. All the counselors hid somewhere in the camp's property and us campers had to find them. Each one was worth 100 Cabin Points. I didn't find any. :( Friday we had to clean up all the trash around the cabins. And we had to leave. :( I didn't want to go home, but I got to bring home all the things I made in my activities. (Oh, I forgot. Every day we had three activities that we chose. I chose drawing -we drew superheroes because the theme of the week was Superhero- hemp -we made bracelets out of hemp- and perler beads -where you  iron together these little hollow beads and it makes a picture.) So I had a great week, even better than at  Joy El, and I'm looking forward  to going again next year. 

beautiful sign :)

three of the girls in my cabin- you know one of them!

beautiful cabin

Lorissa, me, and Annie

This is where most people went for free time- there's a soccer field, Gaga pit, an you can barely see the snack shop. 

Swimming Lessons

Micah and Claire are taking swimming lessons.  2 weeks, 8 lessons, 45 min each lesson, both at the same time.  Evening.  Outdoors (HOT for the adults who have to sit and watch-- thankful it's not been nearly as hot this time as some other years when I've done this!).  Williamsport pool. 

They are loving the lessons!  This is a Red Cross program, and the instructors do a terrific job.  

See Micah with all his girls? :)  Actually, there's one other boy.  One of the girls cries all thru every lesson, and 2 other girls are often crying as well.  Yippee.  Funny, they still will swim when it's their turn, tho. 

Here's Micah doing "Sleepy Head"-- floating on his back. 

Van

A week ago, our van broke down next to 81, very near home.  Chad and I sat in the dark and in the rain until a neighbor picked me up and the towtruck came.  Worked out well that it was not on one of our airport runs, and that it wasn't me out alone with the kids, and that it was a week when Jenna was at camp.  (only 5 fit in our car)  5 days until our van got fixed.  Pretty expensive, but I was thinking we might to buy a new vehicle, so this was a much better outcome.  Ask Chad if you want more details.  I do my best to stay out of vehicle issues, and I never want to know the actual amount when we have to pay the big bills.  My brain doesn't do well with numbers like that.  I work better in $15 piano student increments or in $150 grocery bill increments. 

Very thankful to have our van back and have it working well!  It's a little tough to go back to one vehicle.  We did that for 11 years, but that was before our kids were old enough to be involved in so many things!

Lots of States

All the states we were either in or flew over this summer.  (Plus Canada!)

We are now finished traveling for a looonnnggg time. 

Does look like next we ought to hit the northwest, doesn't it? 

Our cat

Micah wanted to pretend to be a cat.  Claire even got him milk in a bowl. :) 

Stung!

Got my first ever bee sting yesterday.  Boy, does it hurt!  Still.  On my 4th toe.

Now I can sympathize better with people who get them.  Like I told Katie, maybe it's a good thing she's still getting over a miserable cold.  Since she's always so healthy, this way she knows what other people go thru.  Not sure she appreciated my comment. :)

CA trip Thursday

On Thursday, we drove out to the coast.  Caravanned with 2 vans and 12 of us.  Interesting scenery along the way!  It's not a place I'd like to live, but it was fun visiting and experiencing it. 

Hillside with sandbags, I guess to stop erosion

Pretty barren and sandy.  Looks like it would be sweltering hot, doesn't it?  The couple weeks before we came, they had all days of over 100.  Like in the 110 range.  Our week, tho, it was only 95ish.  And, because it wasn't very humid, we all were pretty comfortable.  On the other hand, at home in WV, it was the hottest week of the whole summer so far.  100 and humid.

We saw so many immense fields of so many different crops!  Tomatoes (passed several tomato trucks on the way to San Jose), avacados, fruits and nuts, and lots of grapes.

A 50's style McDonalds.  Does anyone know if that used to be their logo?

Elvis was in McD's!

When we got to the coast, we walked out on this path.  Pretty chilly, and got much colder as we walked.

Had lots of fun exploring

Drove to another area for lunch-- Morro Bay area.  It was frigid!  Amazing when it's so hot inland.  We saw 60 degrees on the car thermometer when in the town near there, but it had to have been real-feel temp of 40ish when we were down by the water!  We had sweatshirts and blankets and towels on.  No one was in the water, except one man we saw kite surfing with a wet suit on. 

Caleb at the visitor's center

Trying to keep warm while we ate lunch

A cream separator in the museum.  Thought dad might like to see it. 

Walked down to the water at another spot.  This had some tide pools that were fun to explore.  Hermit crabs and starfish and snails, etc. 

And some fun rocks to climb on.  With Caleb's propensity for getting hurt, some of us were pretty nervous about him climbing around on these rocks, but he did great!

Went to yet another area that was mostly sand.  In fact, the sand was blowing in our eyes. 

Morro Rock

Caleb flying a kite

Caleb and Madison made some sandcastles

On the way back to Visalia

Claire saying goodbye to Ginger, the Outfleet's dog that the kids enjoyed VERY much.  What a sweet dog!  If only I weren't allergic and we could be guaranteed to have a dog like that... I'd be very tempted. 

CA trip Wednesday

Chad put together this fun track with Micah and Caleb

We played several games!  Taught Madison to play SkipBo and Dutch Blitz

Not a great pic, but I guess it's the only one we have of the fireworks Nate did out in front of the house one night.  Chad helped light most of them-- thus, we have no pics. :) 

Claire found out she likes to do Fill-it-in puzzles

Katie got a cold, and really was not feeling well some of the time, but she still had a smile on!