Can't forget about Chooch's first day of four year old preschool! So CUTE!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
First day of school
The first day of school, a day of mixed emotions: sadness that the summer is over, excitement about seeing old faces and meeting new ones. Trepidation about more difficult subjects like advanced math or reading. Wondering if the new teacher will be cool or interesting or let me sit by my friends. Will my new patent leather shoes give me blisters? It is a great time of year!
The fifth grader and the third grader
The fifth grader and the third grader
August...part 4 - the last hoorah of summer!
We just returned from our annual family outing at Camp Osto!
We did a two hour tube from Beauty Bend to Crawford Park - the view of this stretch of the Muskegon is worth the extra effort involved in getting into the river at this point (steep with poison ivy to dodge). The kids played rousing games of Bloody Murder each night, screaming and running in terror every few minutes! There was also swimming at the park, pond fishing, outdoor showers, playing in the pump, driving black beauty and wandering the trails. The adults enjoyed too much food, just enough drink, nightly campfires and the company of family. One nice addition for the weekend was a portajohn we rented. Its kinda funny (and pathetic) that I felt spoiled by an outhouse this weekend! Bobo and Mike visited for the first time too.
We did a two hour tube from Beauty Bend to Crawford Park - the view of this stretch of the Muskegon is worth the extra effort involved in getting into the river at this point (steep with poison ivy to dodge). The kids played rousing games of Bloody Murder each night, screaming and running in terror every few minutes! There was also swimming at the park, pond fishing, outdoor showers, playing in the pump, driving black beauty and wandering the trails. The adults enjoyed too much food, just enough drink, nightly campfires and the company of family. One nice addition for the weekend was a portajohn we rented. Its kinda funny (and pathetic) that I felt spoiled by an outhouse this weekend! Bobo and Mike visited for the first time too.
Dan and Nancy also celebrated their 40 year wedding anniversary! We celebrated with the world's largest cake, homemade cards and a framed collage of their wedding pic, their parent's and their children's wedding pictures. Thanks to Missi for working out all the details on that one. Congradulations to 40 years - that is a hell of a long time!
Thanks everyone for sharing in our little campout. Even though you have to rough it a little, it means a lot to Osto and me to share the outdoors with our nieces, nephews, kids and family. These are great memories!
August...part 3
The Biggest Fish We Ever Stole
by T-Bird, Cal, Chooch and Papa Bob
One morning at the family cottage, we went fishing in the pontoon. Calli saw a big eagle flying overhead. It made a sharp turn and dove into the water. It brought up something very large. The thing was very heavy and the eagle could not get it into the air - even with its large 7 foot wing span. Since it couldn't get airborne, it did the "eagle stroke" pulling the thing, trying to swim to the island to where its baby was squawking. It gave up so we drove the boat closer to get a better look. It was a huge pike! We drifted away hoping the eagle would return to retrieve its catch but it wouldn't. So we decided to scoop up the big fish and bring it back to the cottage to show everyone and tell the story. The fish measured 27" and you could see the talon marks where the eagle grasped the fish! We returned to the island and put the fish there. Later that evening when we took another boat ride, the fish was gone and the eagles were still perched in the trees.
Our "prize" - a stolen 27 inch pike!
These marks are where the eagle's talons cut into the fish.
The baby eagle doesn't have a white head yet, but is almost as big as its parent.
Friday, August 29, 2008
August...part 2
Mid August - we had our friends, Steve and Lisa and their kids up to Camp Osto for a tube trip. It was their first visit and I know they were impressed. Steve is in awe of the pure luxury that can only be found at Camp Osto. They are moving to Brazil soon and we will miss them so much!
We also went back up to the family cottage last week and had a great time. Except Marley (the dog) got bit or stung by something on Sunday night (your dog will always need emergency medical attention on a weekend...) and her eyes swelled shut and she got hives all over her body. Osto called a vet up where we were and he told us to give her benedryl. Luckily we had those meltaway strips (very handy for a dog) and that bought her sleep for about three hours at a time. But not for me or Osto. I think he would have taken her in that minute, but the emergency vet fee to walk in the door at 11:30 on a Sunday night was $150 - just to start. She wasn't having any trouble breathing, so I thought we should wait. (I'm poor not heartless). Needless to say we were at the vet first thing in the morning for a steriod shot and meds. $92.00 later our puppy is feeling better. It was weird. 
We had a very relaxing week and did some fun stuff with the kids like visit a maritime museum in Alpena, and my dad and Osto took them putt putt golfing while mom and I shopped. Kids were very good so that always makes it better for me! The kids fished and caught frogs, toads and turtles. We named the turtles Rainbow and Dude and painted their first initial on their backs and set them free. T-Bird shot his first critter - a chipmunk and then it was game on and he was a war with the little rodents. The giant head thing (see pic below) is outside of the Alpena Combat Training Readiness Center.
We had a very relaxing week and did some fun stuff with the kids like visit a maritime museum in Alpena, and my dad and Osto took them putt putt golfing while mom and I shopped. Kids were very good so that always makes it better for me! The kids fished and caught frogs, toads and turtles. We named the turtles Rainbow and Dude and painted their first initial on their backs and set them free. T-Bird shot his first critter - a chipmunk and then it was game on and he was a war with the little rodents. The giant head thing (see pic below) is outside of the Alpena Combat Training Readiness Center. 
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)