Jaggers Point

All of a sudden on Tuesday, someone decided that we should go camping really quick before we left for Hershey Pennsylvania on Wednesday. The following blurry pictures are what followed. The only thing I didn't photograph is me laying in the tent staring blindly, sans contacts or glasses, through the net into the dark woods every single time something or someone moved. It took me about two hours to realize that when Luke moved his foot on his air mattress it sounded like someone lurking next to the tent with a hatchet and a crazy, evil grin. And a limp. Then sleep took me. Then I woke again for another couple hours. He was out there, believe me.

Anyway. I made up for it the next night sleeping in a lovely hotel room bed in Hershey where I passed out about 3 minutes after my head hit the pillow.

Here's Luke helping to unpack and Seth doing what he does best, accompanying. Sometimes he walks around the house and strums according to the conversation or mood therein. It is funny and I laugh every time I catch him doing it. If Stan and I are in the kitchen having a heated conversation, he produces a firm, loud piece. If the kids come running in telling of an adventure, he plays a jaunty little ditty. Anyway again. I'm sure he was playing something campy here.

I followed Sean to the playground next to our site and gave him a push.

I don't know what those faces are about.
Then we discovered velvet ants or cowkillers as they're called. I've read that's because their sting can kill a cow. We caught them and took them home to show my niece and nephew. Then I realized that we had to kill them because I didn't want a colony of them living in my yard. That would be frightening. So Sean and Luke filled the cup with water. Then sand. Then buried it in a marked grave in the backyard. Kinda made me feel bad, but not rilly.
Then Stan and Luke built the tent. So glad I have boys to do that now, it used to be my job.

While they worked, Stan thought it'd be a good idea to let Sean practice throwing darts at the tree above them. Men.
I encouraged something less fatal, like biking.
Then the boys and I went on a ride while Stan perfected the campsite. He finds it "relaxing" to set up the campsite. Men.
When I was pregnant with Seth I used to take walks here on this very road.


We arrived at our destination. The gravel hole. The boys scoped out the drops.
Seth took the first rides.


Luke and Sean slid around on the edge.
When I was young I used to play in a gravel pit. I don't know why, but I thought it was fun.

Here goes Sean on his maiden voyage.

Then he got hot.
And the dirt got too slippery. And we decided to go back.
And I got on my bike and took a picture of my filthy feet. Which I washed off in the shower upon returning.
Later I sat in my chair and read my book while the kids buzzed around on their bikes.
And I took this fuzzy series of Luke. I call it Luke fuzz.

The last time we were at the orthodontist, the nurse poked her head to the office window as we were leaving and paying the bill and said, "Luke needs to brush better."

I replied, "Do you mean his teeth or his hair?"
Then Sean and I played Knock Out and I enjoyed watching him trying to count his moves. You see, you get three dice and you can split the roll any way you wish to claim certain numbered holes on the board. So if you roll a 3 and a 4 and a 1, you can cover any holes adding up to 8.
I can be difficult for a 6 year old, but he hangs in.

Some rolls are difficult.

And thought provoking.
But he usually wins.
Then it was canoe time.
I used to go canoeing on this lake with an old high school boyfriend of mine. Shhhh.
While the others were gone, Seth decided to break all protocol and start the campfire. #1 Stan is the fire master. #2 Stan would have waited a bit longer so as to time the wood pile just right, just long enough to last till bedtime. #3 Stan is the fire starter master person always and forever.
But Seth, my little brave one, didn't care. He knew Dad would have to git over it and step aside for young blood.
Then Luke and Sean helped out when they got back and Stan said something like, "I see you've learned well my son," when I poked him in the ribs and told him to compliment Seth's fire. Basically he said, you may have started that, but I am the master fire starting teacher. Roar.
And then the night fell and I took even more weird shots.
And the kids chased toads that came out at night. I didn't know toads came out at night.
And Sean burned his toes on the handy dandy smoking things that Stan surrounded the campsite with to keep away bugs. Actually Stan and I burnt our legs and toes on them too. They were handy little suckers. Handy, handy.
Then I sat under the lantern and read while the men sat around the fire and grunted.

THEN! We came home and someone had decorated our front bush with fake and real flowers.
And who that was remains a mystery.