GroshLink

Lest I be accused of unfairness I'll say a few things about Ellen and Hayley too.  They have had a full and exciting summer thus far.  After our family trip to Cedar Campus in Northern Michigan they came home to Pony Camp, a 5 day, 2 hours a day horsemanship camp held at the Elizabethtown Fairgrounds.  In scorching, humid weather they donned their bicycle helmets and long pants to learn about horse safety, anatomy, behavior and riding.  Each student was assigned to a pony, according to their size and that was the pony they groomed and rode during the week.  On the last day they were allowed to decorate their ponies.  These patient ponies tolerated feather boas, plastic tiaras, painted hoofs, ponytails (no pun intended), and braids.  Ellen and Hayley thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

   Click here for more summer pictures.   

The following week they began to attend the local rec commission's playground program, where I get to drop them off at the park from 9-12 M-F.  There they explore the creek, build "cities" for the crayfish they catch, play games, and generally get sweaty.  Their 3 boy cousins who are visiting from Israel also attend this program so every morning the minivan loads and unloads its precious cargo.  To give the girls some down time each day they have a "quiet time" in their bedroom while Eden takes her nap.  It's a time for all of us to recharge for the rest of the day.  I encourage them to read or work in workbooks that their teacher gave them at the end of school, in an effort to prevent brain atrophy over the summer months.  After quiet time they usually search out their cousins for the rest of the day, playing together and watching t.v. and videos.  We corral them for supper again before releasing them back out into the yard for the nightly game or lessons in wiffleball.

Last week Hayley and Ellen attended a different day camp from 9-1, called Circle C camp.  It's sponsor is Mt. Calvary Christian School for those of you familiar with the area.  They went with a friend from church.  Imagine Bible School from 9-1 M-F and that pretty much sums up the atmosphere.  They enjoyed it very much.  This week it's back to the playground camp, and for the next 3 weeks.  Occasionally we have something else to do and they don't go.  The camp only cost $30 for the entire summer!  If you live around here, you may want to consider it.  For that price you don't feel bad missing a few days (or weeks in our case!).

Ellen continues to have interest in drawing.  While we were at Cedar campus she drew a Lady Slipper orchid that was growing beside our cabin, with some instructions and encouragement from fellow artist Barbara Trevethan.  Note:  pictures from Cedar Campus are posted here, Ellen's drawing will soon be scanned and added to the collection.  Pictures from the trip to/from Cedar Campus, including our time in Pittsburgh are posted here. 

Hayley enjoys playing games, especially board games and Uno (we have 4 varieties).  She's a very good sport.  Yesterday she was teaching Eden to play Connect Four.  Somehow Eden managed to win several games.  Not sure how that happened.  She's also my t.v. fiend.  When she exhausts her alloted t.v. time in our house she's been known to go next door to Grandma's house and sneak some more t.v. there!  I've had to make a rule "No Infomercials" b/c the kid will watch anything!  Currently we're watching Seasons 1 and 2 of Little House on the Prairie -- enjoyable for all the women in the household :)