big news

Our biggest news is that Sophie is officially walking. She's actually using it as a mode of transportation on her own. The best news is that, since she's up and off the ground, there hasn't been nearly as much mulch, dirt, rocks, etc. being ingested. She is so fun to watch!

week 4

Weeks 3 & 4 were really tough. The kids were really off kilter - getting up at 6am, not napping well or at the same time. Plus the weather was cool and rainy which made for lots of indoor time. I tossed around daily the idea of coming home for week 5. But alas, I am still here. Week 4 we got a little more time with Ben, but not much. It seemed to help Ted's disposition and obedience issues. But truly, for being out of their element, eating different food than they usually eat, living with other people, and being surrounded by so many people all the time, they have done quite well. I have decided that you should not take a baby on assignment from the time they are mobile thru approx 18 months. . . . I think that will be my new set of limitations.

Doh & Pap came to visit this week as well as Katrina. The Berg's came to visit for a couple of days, too.


Sophie's favorite dining/playing spot.



Ted decided on Week 4, Day 4 that he liked Club. We've only been about 4 times.



Midair doing cushion diving on a rainy day.

Sophie and her new baby.

Eating a hunk of bread for dessert.

Swimming in the pool with Pap.

Mary & Emma Berg with their 5 week old brother, David! The Berg's are moving to Sommersville in a couple of weeks. We're so excited to have them closer.

Week 5 is Capernum - special needs. This should be a neat week.

Week 3

Highlights of Week 3 . . .

Grandma & Gary Pap came for a visit. That's always a great thing to see grandparents!


Ben had a couple minutes the other day and started a wrestling match. Ted's winning in this one . . .


But Sophie overpowers him in the end. . .


Ted stops to get a drink everytime we walk by

Hanging with Daddy at ESPN lunch

The Shaak's came to visit. We even got to go on a hay ride back from the rodeo.

It's been a really cool, rainy week. We've spent lots of time indoors which gets hard. The new "Guess Who?" is the game of choice. If you haven't seen it, it's awesome!! Even for big people.

The Jaye's came to visit. They were instrumental in helping start Young Life in Bridgeport and getting Ben on staff there. They moved to California in 2000 and recently moved to VA. We hadn't seen them since they moved. It was so good seeing them and their BIG kids.

Last Day 6 we spent about an hour with Ben having a little "Daddy Date." Ted played basketball with him. He loves have the hoops lowered and can even do it himself now.

So, that's about it. Sophie took 4 steps today - multiple times! We're getting close. Everyone is super tired and we hit a bit of a wall this week. We're all cranky. Ted started whining on Day 1 and hasn't stopped. I tried to take the kids off camp which ended up being a complete disaster. This is definitely no walk in the park and I feel like slugging people that call it a "vacation!" So don't go there people! Week 4 starts tomorrow. We come home two weeks from yesterday. It's within sight.

week 2

It was a good week 2. We are all very tired though. It's hard being out of your element and being in a place that isn't child proof. I have to watch every move my kids make. Sophie has eaten (or at least tried to) untold amounts of mulch, grass, pebbles and leaves. Both kids are so tired and getting kind of cranky. We've gone to an earlier bedtime. We haven't been to Club all week. Ted has no desire to go. Ted and Asher get along well which is helpful. The kids are all getting up really early in the mornings which makes for a very long day.

Here is our week in picture review:



Mark and Trevor Buda played with the boys forever one night. They played wiffle ball, frisbee (roast beef as Asher calls it) and on the playground.



Some meals are so messy we just let Sophie eat w/o clothes on. She doesn't really mind.

We had a rainy day this week. So we took them to the Club room to play around:

Sophie playing with the drum-bone they use for the Night 5 finale.

Ted & Asher taking a turn.

The tent we made for rainy day fun.

Ted and Daddy on Country Night.

Ted relaxing in the sun.

Playing on the playground.

We have given up on the pool for awhile. It takes too much time and effort for the 20 minutes that they want to be there. So, there is this beautiful new stream that runs right through the middle of camp. It is perfect for the little boys to play in. The put on their swimming trunks and play. We put out a blanket in the shade for the babies. And it makes for much easier and better entertainment.

Ted with his arm floaties and ring. Just in case he gets in over his head in the couple inches water.

Ted & Asher scooting down a large hill. They tried rolling but ended up going sideways.

All the treasures they found after the volleyball tournament.

Week 2, Day 4

Well, in the biggest news, my pastey white children have tans! You can no longer see straight through them.

In other news, Sophie can now get to standing from the floor on her own - even when she's holding things in her hands. She's taken one step on her own so far. But nothing more. I've moved my goal of walking by Week 2 (beginning or end) to just by the time we get home.

week 1

Week 1 in review . . . no particular order. I did not do well with taking pictures and it took a couple of days to adjust. So here we go.


Sophie taught herself to do steps in the Club room. She did one face plant and that was all she needed. She can do them anywhere now. No sign of walking yet. We're using lots of Shout as she crawls through everything, everywhere.


Greg, BA & Jane came to visit. We loved having people we know with golf carts! I am SO SORE from pushing a stroller all over camp. The hill to Walton's Mountain seems to get a little steeper everyday. But I'm working those leg and butt muscles baby!


Sophie & Ted at the Adult Guest Lodge


Friends that visited this week.


Ted checking out the zipline from the top - he still says he wants to do it!

Brooke's family arrived this week. She is the head leader and her husband Tate is playing Mr. Mom. They have Asher who just turned 3. He and Ted are good buddies. They have Reuel (pronounced Rule) who is 8 months. Sophie likes to pull at his ears, eyes, nose, hands, face, etc. She is rough with him but he is used to having a big brother!


Sophie & Reuel hanging while the older boys . . .


played in the new creek that runs through camp. This was towards the end after Ted had been very hesitant to get wet.


Sophie crawling all over the pool area.


Sophie climbing as she's been doing A LOT lately.


Sophie driving the golf cart (seriously) and eating it at the same time. I kid you not!


Hanging with Daddy at Frisbee Golf Lunch. Meals were the only time we really saw him. He would get in after 1am every night and be out by about 6 am. It bothered Ted a little bit. He thought Ben was lost a lot. Hopefully we'll get to see him a little more this week.


Bruce & Debby made a surprise visit. It was on Days 1 & 2 so we weren't quite settled and in a routine. But it was SO GOOD to see them. The Santen's were the adult guest hosts. Chad & Sarah Cobb came. Josh & Katie Cross. John & Martha Hannah were the camp doctors. It was fun having people that we know and love around camp.


Ted hanging with Kirk & Ben at the welcome on Day 1. Today, Asher and Ted were playing in the toy closet. They call it the club room and one of them is Kirk and one is Ben and they have their own little club. HILARIOUS to listen to.

home away from home

So, I thought I'd give you a little vitual tour of where we are living for the month. This is Walton's Mountain - the building where all families who are here for the month live. There are 10 apartments and one community living area with a kitchen.



This is the small play yard outside Walton's.


This is the big one.


This is the community living room area . . .

This is the play area. The closet is stocked with toys and there's a full kitchen (which we never need to use) behind it.

Each aparment has a kitchenette . . .

A master bedroom . . .

And a room with a set of bunkbeds. Because there are so many families without kids, we got a connecting apartment and also get the bunkbed room to the apartment next to us. The kids each have their own room which is lovely.

And, of course, a full bathoom. But I didn't think you needed pictures of that. So, we have LOVELY accomadations. This is my favorite place to live for a month!

The kids are adjusting well. The are eating everything that the dining hall gives us. They are eating better than they do at home - truly. They love the pool and Ted is being a champ walking all over the place. So far, so good!

week 1, day 1

Well, we made it past the part I was dreading the most. Dinner and Club on night 1. Ted has some fear issues that can be absolutely paralyzing to him. One being lots of noise and choas in situations that he is not familiar with. I was slightly concerned in that I couldn't hold he and Sophie at the same time. But today went rather well.

We went to the pool after lunch and watched the campers arrive. We haven't seen much of Ben which is really hard for Ted. Yesterday he was convinced that Ben was lost. Today, he just keep looking for yellow tshirts b/c he knew that was what color he was wearing. After naps, we hit the snack bar to hold us off for a late dinner, looked around the camp store, and saw our friends who are here this week, John and Martha, Matt and Stacy, and Josh and Katie. Then came dinner . . .

Ted did well and even engaged in conversation with Ken (property staff guy) who sat next to him. But after dinner, all he would do was stand on his chair and wait for Daddy to come out the doors. He was so set on this that he passed up the giant cookie smothered in ice cream. In the meantime, Sophie is tired of being cooped up in the high chair and I've let her on the floor to scavenge. This went on through dessert, rules, and the beginning of the "Girls Wrestle for Guys" sell. He stood there waiting - didn't move a muscle. When Ben came out in his tux to be the ringmaster, Ted said, "Let's get out of here!" What? I later discovered that Daddy didn't have his silly teeth in so Ted wasn't interested. Sheesh!

So, we waited for Club. Ted had to be held. Sophie wanted to be on the floor. She climbed up and down and up and down and up and down the last three platform steps in the club room for about 25 minutes. In the dark or light, next to kids she didn't know at all, and letting strange people she didn't even know (but I do) move her from one place to another. Ted wouldn't even smile when they played "Move Along" - one of his favorites. Thankfully, Ben has the appearance of wearing his "silly teeth" for the run on. And Ted stood there watching him until Kirk came out and was doing things - then he was ready to go. That was it - DONE! If his dad isn't center stage he wants nothing to do with it!

So, it was bedtime for Sophie anyways. I can't even explain to you the lack of fear she has and the way she is completely unaffected by hundreds of screaming high school kids that she crawls into the middle of. Meanwhile, I've got Ted hanging on to me for dear life. But we made it. And Ted even said that he kind of liked Club. I guess we can go back tomorrow. I feel like I've been in a wrestling match between the two of them and pushing this stroller hither and yon. But it was a good 1st official day of camp. Pictures to come - I don't feel like walking upstairs to get my camera.

Day 0

After weeks of talking about Rockbridge, we finally left on Sunday - only to stay at a hotel Sunday night. Hotels are not meant for small children. Espeically when the elevator is broken and we were on the 4th floor . . .




Thankfully, there was a large piece of furniture that they could play inside . . .





Monday was Day 0 at camp. The June Assignment Team left in the morning and we arrived around lunchtime. We couldn't get into our housing until 3pm so it was a long afternoon. This is the kids watching their own personal dvd players for awhile. We walked and played and then got settled. Work Crew and Summer Staff are learning their jobs. Kirk and Ben made videos and unpacked their endless tubs of costumes, supplies and props.



400 campers will be arriving today from all over the East Coast. Many who have never set foot on a camp where people serve them, where they have more fun and laugh harder than they have in a long time, where they will eat food made from scratch and stay in places that are more like a resort than camp, and will be shown the love of Jesus. We have about 100 staff and volunteers ready to give them the best week of their lives.