Family Camping

Last weekend, my entire family of 20 went camping.  Well, I say "camping" very loosely because we stayed in air-conditioned cabins, so not quite sure that can officially be considered camping.  Anyways, the 20 of us went to a Jellystone Park in Fremont, Indiana, and although any Jellystone is somewhat of a cheesy place, it was a perfect fit for this family with 10 grandkids between the ages of one and six.  The kids all had such a blast with non-stop playtime with their cousins (they kept saying to each other, "You're my BFF, my BEST friend forever!"), and the adults enjoyed the time together, too.  We ate and played and swam all day long, and when the kids were too tired to function anymore, we tucked them into sleeping bags and sat around the fire together at night.  Perfect combo.  We went mini-golfing, played at several different playgrounds, went to the pool, the splashpad, and the beach.  Some of the kids went fishing, and we ate many, many meals on picnic tables, plates overflowing with all the good food we had (WAY too much food!).  We listened to music, drank sangrias, and made smores.  We chased kids down the street, solved a few squabbles, and rescued them from mishaps at the pool (yes, yes, this would be my children and I  believe I am only able to joke about it because this is typing and not saying it out loud).  All five men went golfing one day, and the next day, all five women went out for an adventure of our own which ended at an ice cream parlor and an art gallery in the middle of a teeny tiny town in Ohio.  It was lovely.  All of it was lovely.  So here's to our time together!  Here's to cousins and camping and perfect weather and to generous parents who make this all happen.  Here's to summer and to family!  Very, very thankful.

Most places we walked, it looked like this... 

Train ride around the campground!

Jumping pillows in which children AND adults all had a blast jumping.  Lots of laughter here!  SO fun!

Yep!  This is my amazing and fun and gorgeous mama!

Sophia loved the pool...and she loves Auntie Katie!

Ella jumping off the side of the pool over and over and over and over....

Apparently we were laughing...

Sammy's favorite person to swim with was Auntie Kim.

Girls!

Fishing with Daddy!

All of the kids touching a fish Nolan caught.

Sophia helping with the bobbers.

Savannah's catch!

Campfire time...How cute are they holding hands???  Love.

Sophia so sweet in her camping chair RIGHT before she toppled foreword and face-planted into the gravel.  So so sad, but she was a trooper.

Parktime!  The beauty of camping: you can go to the park in your jammies and no one cares!

Dawson and Ella...our two peanuts sharing the stroller seat.

Beach time!

Sophia's own, personal kiddie pool at the beach.

ALL TEN KIDS!  This is an accomplishment, people! 

We let the boys stay up late to play mini-golf, go to the arcade, and do some sparklers by the fire our last night there.  The boys thought this was super cool.

So thankful for this time.  Lots of memories made!  What have you been up to this summer??  Do share!