Calvin Camping - August 2011

This past August, Calvin held another of its annual Camping weekends.  I never know who's going to come out to this event, because it's in the summer and people are on their vacations.   

This year there were fewer than other years, but the group that came enjoyed a great weather weekend  (It's finally paying off...all those rainy weekends couldn't go on forever you know : ) )   and great fellowship as well.  

We were not the first to arrive at Charleston Lake's group campsite.  Stuart and Christine were already set up by the time we drove in at around 2 pm.  

There are those who would say that I love to camp with my tent trailer.  That's not entirely true.  I love to camp with my family AND my tent trailer.  : )  It takes about as long to set up as some of those newfangled tents out there, but I'm off the ground and that's just fine by me.  Here we are set up and ready to head to the beach.  

The water was warm and so was the sun.  Christine and Joycegina talk it up in the shade.  

Little Luke loves the water and so did his sister, Hannah, but Thomas seemed indifferent to the whole idea....

Katrina decided it was time to create something at the water's edge.  

I'm not sure what she ended up creating, but I'm sure it was amazing.  : )  You can see that Luke is still enjoying the water.

Now Christine loves to camp....Stuart, not so much.  It's the reverse for Joycegina and I.   We have camped for many a year though and have pretty much all the supplies we need to ensure we can eat, stay out of the rain, etc.  

Christine is still acquiring those things, and it seems that she forgot one very important ingredient, propane.  We gladly let her use our stove in the absence of fire on their site.  

Food always tastes better when you are camping.  

Not only does Stuart not like to camp much, he's even less fond of me taking photo's of him.  I guess you'll just have to imagine what he looks like.  They had hamburger helper for dinner, and the best part was they had leftovers.....yummy.  

Luke loved the air matress in the tent.  

A touching moment between brother and sister.  : ) 

Luke following his big brother. 

 "Wait for me Thomas, wait for me!"

I like to take Larry along with me when I go camping. 

 Some even say we look alike.  : ) I can't see that.  

With camping, comes fetching water for cooking and dishes. Hannah's doing a great job of that.  

Our little munchkin, Katrina doing her part.  

After supper there was time for some boccie ball....  

...or some theological reading between father and son. : )   

Gerry and Michelle arrived after dinner and set up his one person tent.  You know, the tents of 30 years ago (I still have one like that, only it's a two person tent).  

It slowly started to take shape.

Soon it was up and ready for occupancy.  

A work of art.  Must not be easy to change in one of those though....hmmm

While some played, others relaxed and read. 

Soon a game of "pass the pigs" broke out.  

Luke looks frustrated about something.  

Eric and Sonya arrived just before dark and set their stuff up.  

Now this was something I just had to take a picture of.  This air matress of William's is supposed to fit into that small tent.  "No way!" I said.  There's just no way......

Apparently William has a system.  

It FIT!  

I couldn't believe it! 

Though our numbers were small, we enjoyed a great campfire, with some roasting marshmallows and even having smoors if I remember correctly.  The moon was so bright, you didn't even need a flashlight.  There were shadows in the evening.   

Morning came quicker for some than for others.  Here Thomas takes his first look at the morning, but I don't think he wanted to get up...I'm with you on that one Thomas!  : ) 

Father cooking, son reading.....

what's wrong with this picture?  : )  

Little Luke enjoying his little chair.  

The girls working on the morning dishes.  

My son could learn a few things from these girls.  

After breakfast, it was time to head for the beach once again.  A GREAT day, but most of us adults kept to the shade.  Notice that nice non face of Stuart's again  (tee, hee).  

I managed to get just a profile picture of Stuart.  It'll have to do.  

The kids decided to make some sort of hot tub or something.  They spent a very long time digging.  

The end result wasn't that bad.  

Ah, the joys of summer's at the beach.  

Start out reading, end up snoring.....  : )  

Back at the site once again, with a game of boggle.  When you play with Stuart, you haven't got a chance....like last year, he comes up with words we've never even heard of...I find it great fun to watch, not to play!  : ) 

Even Luke was getting in on the action.  

Chris and I spent some time throwing a Frisbee around.   I'd shoot it high and on an angle past Chris, and it would come back to Chris.  Hey, we match as well...I didn't even see that. 

As the evening began to make itself known, a fire broke out, and so did the marshmallows once again.  

Another bright evening.  A beautiful full moon.  

Gazing into the dark, or the fire, or nothing...I can't remember.  : ) 

A new morning, and time for some coffee and breakfast before tearing down camp and heading for home.  

I forgot my ladder, so Katrina on Chris' shoulders made for the next best thing.  We were all packed up by noonish and headed for home.  We had to get Chris to work, and Hannah,  Thomas and Luke had had enough of camping.  Eric and Sonja and the kids and Gerry headed for home as well. 

It was a great weekend, with great weather and good fellowship together.  We hope to host another weekend again next summer, and maybe more of our Calvinites will be able to attend.........