Ava Miss Gracy turns 6!

For Ava's 6th birthday we celebrated with my family by roasting marshmallows for s'mores. Though it was a tad warm, as the 8 o'clock hour rolled around we were all in high spirits enjoying our sugar-high!

Can you believe that this was my mother's first s'more?

Owen likes his marshmallows black and crispy!

Yum!

Great-grandma Lopez and Gabriel Dodge

Grandma Rose & Gabriel

Dewey (a.k.a. Petey or Ryan), Ricky, & Nicole

Happy 6th Birthday Ava Grace!

You are a delight to not only your mother and father but to the whole world around you. You bring us so much joy with your sweet spirit, and to this day your big brown beautiful eyes melt our hearts!

We love you sweetheart!

Family Camp: Day Five, Say Cheese & Go Home!

The last day of camp is always bittersweet.

Everyone tends to housekeeping matters, and when all is said and done, we gather for a family photo.

From left to right and then snaking back again...
Aunt Patti (in red), Uncle Ron, Houston, Elizabeth, Veronica, Jessica, Luke, Joe, Lillian, Nathan, Clista, Gary, Wyatt, Jesse, Leah, Rachel, Bill, Mason, Iris, Ali, Jacob, Ava, Isabella, Hallie, Abby, Lennon, Gabriel, Olivia, Samuel, Owen, & Meghan.

Loaded up, on the road, and absolutely filthy!

Civilization:

Here we come!

Family Camp: Day 4, French Toast Friday, the Waterfall, Pinata Madness, & "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"!

I am convinced that for miles and miles the delicious aroma of our French Toast could be found! This is the beginning and end-all of all camp breakfasts, which is why we save the best for last!

Dear Aunt Patti teaching Ava and Jacob how to flip those bad boys!

You're looking at the future in family camp cooks! It looks like we're in good hands!

After breakfast we decided to take the kids on a hike up the road to the waterfalls. When we finally arrived we had a time of it lowering 14 kids down the rock face. Thank goodness for helping hands!

My wild man!

The beautiful waterfalls.

Iris, Ali, & Luke

Gabriel reached his limit with this hiking nonsense. He was ready to head back to camp!

Owen behind his rock fort. This was before his secret spot was invaded by his cousins!

Fourteen goobers. Okay, fifteen if you count me!

Back at camp, a favorite past-time is a game of cards.

Owen and Meghan, literally laughing about nothing.

Owen, Iris, & Meghan

Yum!
Fridays begin with French Toast and end with-what else?-French dip sandwiches!

Many, many moons ago, great-grandpa Schwab went down in the Elmer Family history books as making one of the toughest homemade pinatas to crack at family camp. Last year, Samuel and I created our own version, and when it finally did break open, the kids were disappointed to find nothing more than candy reduced to powder! We decided to make this an annual tradition, and this year the Joe Elmers took up the challenge.

They had the fantastic idea of bringing up two pinatas. One for the kids...

and one for the grown-ups.

This was a serious pinata. I think Joe employed every construction material known to man to make this pinata indestructible!

The steel bats literally reverberated upon contact. Yes, I say "bats" in the pleural sense because one broke early on! After many attempts, Samuel was the lucky one to break it open. His prize was $5 dollars!

As night fell, beautiful things started to happen.
Christmas music filled the air, and a beautiful Christmas tree, complete with Christmas lights, decorations, and faux snow at the base, lit up the night!

Aunt Leah played Santa and handed out a myriad of gifts from Santa's sack.

It was a magical way to end our final night at family camp.

Merry Christmas!

Family Camp: Day Three, Attack Cupid, Happy Trails, & Birthday Wishes

Thursday dawned bright and clear with a hint of...fire smoke? No.
Pine trees? No.

Aw, yes. I know that smell well.

It's love!

Love is definitely in the air which means its...

VALENTINES DAY!

(Whoa, there Luke! Don't get too sweet on your cousin there!)

I was in charge of this particular holiday and because I LOVE sweets the kids decorated sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles including pink sugar crystals, red-hots, and conversation heart candy.

Iris hard at work.

Isabella with her delicious creation-but oh! What's that there in the woods? It looks like we have a visitor!

Cupid (a.k.a Samuel)!
That mischievous love bug has invaded our camp intent on pricking us with his love arrows!

I told the kids that while we love that he pricked their parents with arrows many years ago, it was time to turn the tables on our match-making friend. Each child, armed with a cupful of ice-cold creek water, made their assault to keep him at bay. I thought Cupid would be a bit more nimble, but within seconds his garlands sagged under the weight of the water!

Alas, he wasn't defeated though. He managed to capture me and planted a soggy kiss! I owed him though, seeing as he's always willing to be part of my crazy schemes!

Thank you honey!

You really are a sweetheart!

Later in the afternoon we took the kids on a mini-hike.

We made quite a sight tromping into the woods.

Two of my manly mountain men.

Sweet Iris

Owen, my heart.
(And how appropriate for Valentines Day!)

Isabella & Abby

Gazing in the stream, or in Uncle Ron's case, up at the sky!

Uncle Houston blowing a beautiful dandelion parachute ball.

Ava's birthday fell on this, the third day of camp, and we celebrated with chocolate cupcakes.

Later, with tears in her eyes, she told me she wished that we could stay at camp forever!
She has such a tender heart.

Ava with the birthday crown that Isabella made for her. I'm so glad these sweet girls are good friends too.

Happy Birthday Ava-dear!