Horseback riding over the weekend!

This past weekend we went camping at Oak Crest Campgrounds then horse back riding at Marmon Valley farm on Saturday.  The campground had this beautiful pond where you can fish apparently without a permit. The kids enjoyed walking around the lake. However when we got home we noticed red welts all over Jenna's legs. Turns out Jenna got bit by chiggers. I thought she had chicken pox - they were everywhere! Apparently you are not supposed to roll around in the grass. 

the lake at the campground

the kids at the lake

 Marmon Valley was great! We rode horses for about an hour. Sarah rode Angel, Matthew rode Meshach, Jenna rode Eddie, I rode Rusty, and Erik rode Samuel. Matthew was nervous about riding until he realized he was riding a Matthew sized horse. We all had a great time! After horse back riding we went on a hayride and halfway through the tractor broke! We thought about walking back but just waited for a new tractor. Erik and the girls picked some blackberries by the side of the road - yum! That was an adventure! Then we went to the petting zoo and back to the campground for dinner and smores.

Horseback riding

Broken tractor

Erik on the rope bridge

Matthew playing in the barn

Matthew - he quit shortly after this

Jenna did not quit

Sarah did it too

 We had a fantastic trip but I don't think we will go back to this campground. Everything was tight. There were trees and stumps everywhere and it was hard to get around. Plus there were a lot of backroads to get there. Our Explorer really has trouble pulling the camper. But we made it out without hitting anything!

not much space between the tree and the camper

Orange is the New Black!

We've had a fun-filled June. Matthew turned 6 yesterday - and it was a perfect day! I'm loving the ages of my kids now. They are so much fun. Obviously there are challenges but I really enjoy spending time with them. 

Kids playing in the sand

The first week of June we went camping at Alum Creek. I love camping here because of the camper beach. The kids played from 10am - 5:30pm with only a break for lunch. Erik and I set up our camp chairs and read. Erik even took a 2 hour nap! It was amazing!

They love the zoo

 This summer I haven't scheduled as many camps as I did last year. Last year I felt like I was running all over the place and it wasn't relaxing. This summer we have gone to the zoo, the park, the library, the pool all on our own time and it's been relaxing. Just the way I like it!

The second week of June we went camping in Cincinnati. We got to see our friends Randy and Julie from college. We haven't seen them in years and it was good to catch up with them. We also went to the Cincinnati Children's museum. This was SO fun! The kids loved it. There were several different museums combined but the kids liked the natural history cave part the best.

Outside the Cincinnati Museum center - our kids and Mast kids

Being silly at the museum

Matthew acting as a veterinarian

Sarah and Maddie being silly at the museum

 I signed up all three kids for a one day robot academy camp. They each won medals (everyone does!) and had a great time. The kids are so creative. Jenna made a robot that would tell you if your outfit doesn't match (it would beep for every outfit Sarah wears). Sarah and Matthew worked together on a straw that would prevent brain freeze because it would spin. What great inventions!

Jenna

Sarah

Matthew

 Matthew's 6th birthday was yesterday. To celebrate we went to Adventure park and played with his friends: Nicholas and Brendan, Camden, Austin, Addie and Tyson. Then we went to McDonalds - his favorite restaurant for lunch. After that we went swimming at the Delaware Y. His favorite pool! After that we had all his favorite foods for dinner. He loves the color orange so we had oranges, orange peppers, cheese quesadillas, and corn on the cob. For dessert we had orange jello and an orange cake with orange buttercream. After that he opened presents. He loved his presents although Sarah took over some of his presents, ie the legos!

Matthew's birthday celebration with my family at Bob Evans in Mansfield

 Erik loves riding bikes so for Fathers day we had the idea of riding bikes to Old Bag of Nails pub. Halfway there Erik got a flat tire so Jenna and I had to turn back and bring the car to pick up everyone else. We still went to Old Bag of Nails and got fried pickles. Yum!

Fathers day

 Even though it was 91°F yesterday for his birthday he still wanted to wear his favorite orange pants. In fact, Matthew loves his orange outfit so much and wears it so often people may think he escaped from prison!

Matthew's orange outfit on his birthday - no he is not in prison

Happy Birthday Matthew

In other news:

1. I'm very nervous right now about my job. Most of my friends have been laid off at my company and I don't know what to do. My job is perfect right now. I have so much flexibility and freedom. It's hard to say if it's better to just ride this out or to look elsewhere. I'm just so sad for my colleagues - they are so hard working! I feel like I'm the only one left. And that's probably just because of the PhD. 
2. This has been the summer for me reading fluff books. I'm loving it though. I finished a Hero for Wondla (the second in the Wondla series). I also finished Winter, the fourth book in the Lunar Chronicles series and the second book in the Boreal Moon trilogy by Julian May. I think I need to read something more meaty but haven't figured out what that is yet.
3. Jenna and Sarah are taking Summer Enrichment Experience camps through our school district. Jenna is taking creative writing and Sarah is taking art. They are really enjoying the camps! It is only from 8-11am Mon-Thurs. Just enough time for me to go to the Y and bring Matthew. 
4. I've been doing two workout classes on Thursday and Friday. I've noticed such a difference and feel like I'm in the best shape I've been in several years. Age is just a number!

May camping

club 456 overnighter

In May I had two weekends of taking kids camping. The first weekend was our annual club 456 weekend retreat at Skyview Ranch. Jenna brought along her friends Saatvika and Lauren. It was a great time filled with horse back riding, archery, lots and lots of carpet ball, hayride, sledding down a big hill, and fun times. I was one of the adult chaperones along with the youth leader at our church and another chaperone. 

hanging out in the bunks

Jenna on a horse

 This camp is perfect. It's only 2 hours away and has really comfortable bunks with great amenities. The kids had a great time and the weather was 70 and sunny. Couldn't ask for a better weekend!

Horse back riding

 We have been eating a lot of ice cream lately. Jenna, Sarah and I shared a banana split - yum!

Sharing a banana split

 The following weekend Jenna's troop went camping. It was a little more primitive with platform tents. The girls screamed about all the bugs and spiders but it was still a fun time. We roasted smores and sang girl scout songs. We also did several hikes. Near our tents were latrines (non flushing toilets) that the girls were also not fond of!

Girl scout camp

In other news:

1. The kids got out of school May 20. It's been a spectacular summer so far. Last year I put the kids in a lot of camps. This year we've just been taking it easy and I'm loving it. Lazy summers are the best!
2.  Our game night group is playing EQ 2 again. This brings me great joy as I really like EQ2. 
3. I've been reading several fun and simple books lately: Marissa Meyer's Winter, Julian May's Boreal moon trilogy, and the Search for Wondla (a book that Sarah read). I'm ready for a more challenging read.
4. I dragged my friend Joy to zumba. She had never done zumba but one of my favorite teachers started teaching a class near Joy. Unfortunately during the class the teacher rolled her foot and broke it. So she's out for 6 weeks. I guess Joy gets out of zumba for 6 weeks.
5. I've been lifting twice a week lately and have really noticed a difference in my arms. Our Y has body pump which involves a barbell that you can easily change the weight in the middle of the class for different exercises. I love it! So I've replaced  yoga with body pump for the time being.  
6. I've been studying quite a bit for the Certified Ethical Hacker exam. It is much harder than I realized and I am woefully unprepared. I hope I can pass though!
7. Since Jenna is going into middle school we have decided to separate the kids. We repainted Sarah's room (previous baby room) and are repainting Matthew's room too (he will be in the kids current room). Jenna will move into the spare bedroom which was already purple (her favorite color). So it will be exciting that each kid will have their own room before the start of the new school year.
8. Erik finished staining the deck at the new house and will be starting on our deck soon. It's exciting that he is almost done with everything at the new house. 
9. Jenna has already finished the summer reading program - obviously and Sarah and Matthew are doing okay. I have to say I read a lot with Jenna, some with Sarah and I've been much lazier with Matthew. That might explain why he would rather build than read. I need him to read sometime!!

Our Colorado trip

Climbing at Garden of the Gods

Last weekend we went to Colorado Springs, Colorado for Erik's Grandmother's funeral (Grandmommom). It was actually a great time. We got to meet some of Erik's cousins that I had only seen once and the kids had never seen. It was a good family time and I hope we can see them more often. AND Colorado is beautiful. I mean I would move there - it's gorgeous. There are beautiful mountains everywhere. We went to the Garden of the Gods and the kids were able to climb on rocks and had a great time. We had to leave when it rained. 

garden of the gods

 Sarah finally got to meet Erik's Aunt Sarah. She was very excited to meet her since they are both Sarahs ;).

Sarah with Aunt Sarah

Our family at the gravesite

Some of the kids at California Pizza Kitchen (Sarah, Jenna, Matthew, Malachi, Ethan, Stefan)

The hotel we stayed at (Academy Hotel) was fantastic. The breakfast was great - we had waffles and omelets every day!, the pool was nice and warm and it felt like a nice getaway. One night Erik's aunt Shelby watched all the grandkids so all the cousins could go to the bar and have some drinks. It was nice to talk to the cousins and get to know them better. We had great food also. This really was a celebration of Grandmommom's life since she was a strong believer and we know we will see her again!

The kids did fantastic on the plane ride. So well that I continued bugging Erik for us to take a trip to New Zealand. The kids and I really want to go and meet their cousins but it will be really expensive. Jenna read about 3 books on the trip - she is such a reader! I'll post more later about the two camping trips I went on with Jenna.