Staff Party

Every year here at camp, we have a staff party on a long weekend. We spend the day Friday playing different tournaments (foosball, bball, pool, ping pong, frisbee golf, etc) and then on Saturday we do different kinds of fun things for the summer staff.

This year, Mike was put in charge of the menu, as well as shopping, for a special dinner on Saturday night. So, we had so much fun putting all of our ideas together, shopping at Sams with loads of groceries - all on someone else's tab, I might add...that was the best part - and then prepping and cooking it all.



Here's Bryan and Angie Samms playing in the foosball tourney

Malachi got in on the pool tournament.

Eric Gustafson and Cody manning the grills...we had Pepper Crusted Sirloin, Italian Chicken, and Balsamic-Honey Glazed Salmon, as well as grilled marinated veggies wrapped in foil...they were very busy!!

Getting in a game of frisbee golf in the afternoon...here's Eric, Aaron Harshaw and Dave Keck (Mike's taking the pic)

Here was our final spread after all the work was done.

On Friday night, after all our kids went to bed, the Samms, Gustafsons, Herbsters, Kecks, Saseks and Tina Parry got busy prepping all the food for the following day. Even though it was alot of work and we were up late, it was a great excuse to HAVE to be together doing something so fun and just being together, in the same room, for probably the first time all summer!

Getting the desserts plated up...

Elizabeth, Joy Keck, and Tina getting all the veggies ready. I sliced more peppers that night than I ever have in my life!

On Saturday morning, all the men put on their aprons and made breakfast for everyone in the chapel. They served up pancakes, eggs, bacon, juices, and coffees.

Bryan Samms cleaning all the stuff up...

We even had cartoons on the big screen in the chapel for everyone to watch while they ate breakfast.

We had a great weekend just being able to be with our staff, taking it easy, and making many memories with them!

Our Buds are Back!

Two weeks ago, Aaron Harshaw, Southland's former program director, was the speaker for a Junior Camp. He brought his family with him and all the kids had so much fun together! Spencer (the dark haired one) and Bobby (the youngest one) were campers that week. About half way through the week, after watching Micah, Malachi and Austin playing together all week, Bobby asked his mom, "What do I have to do to get kicked out of camp?" He wanted so badly to be able to play with the boys like old times! Harshaws, it was so great to be with you again! You are dear friends!


Bobby and McKenna playing air hockey together.

Look at these happy faces!

Here's the whole crew at lunch.

Bobby and Michala...when we first saw the boys after they arrived, Bobby said, "Mrs. Herbster, do you remember when we were here two years ago? Michala had a huge crush on me!" We might just have to work out a pre-arranged something!!

Malachi, Austin and Micah

Spencer, Micah, Malachi and Austin in the game room.

McKenna's New Bike

The evening we took McKenna to the ER, we went by Walmart to by her a new bike...and helmet! :)

She was so excited we had to tell her she would need to wait til the next day to try riding it. After all, the discharge papers said, "Avoid any activity that would re-injure the area." I would call getting on the bike that type of activity!

However, Monday morning, she was begging us to ride. She was afraid of the training wheels because they were wobbly, so she asked Mike to take them off. And then SHE was off! We were amazed! She did great!

So now, when she rides her bike down to camp, she has to have her helmet on. :)

Not Down for Long!

"This is the Way to the Emergency Room!"

This past Sunday, the whole camp staff was at a church where we did a morning service, potluck, and then an afternoon service, giving us, what we thought, would be the whole evening to go back to camp and have a fun night being together.

Well, on the way to dinner, McKenna was riding her tiny bike (it really was too small) and fell over. She must've hit her head on a small pebble or something, because it made a small, deep hole in her forehead...blood gushing everywhere...yuckiness! (We teased her and called her Goliath). :) She immediately looked up at Mike, who was using the tail of his shirt to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding, and said, "Daddy, I'm so sorry!"

We took her to the ER - which is 30 minutes away - to get it looked at. The Lord was good...there was no one waiting, we got right in, and best of all, she didn't have to have stitches; it just needed to be glued back together. She was REALLY happy about that!

So, we got home just when the babysitter was putting the older three to bed, around 8pm, and even though it didn't go like we had planned, McKenna is okay and we still had a little bit of a relaxing evening after the kids went to bed. :)


This is the "after", happy picture.

The nurse putting her back together. :)

Sooo sad!

Her 2nd visit to this emergency room...the last time we were at this ER was the night she was in the car accident with Grammy. (We were thankful to just be there for this small incident this time!!)

Flower Pickin'

At the church picnic the other day, I looked across the field and saw a bunch of the little girls playing near a field of flowers. So I hopped over there...hoping that it was okay they were there, and found the owner's wife with them, helping them find just the right ones.

Soooo, I knew this was a great time to take fun pics of them. They got SO dirty, but had so much fun picking their own flowers out in a field.


McKenna with her first bunch. When I took this picture, I knew right away that this was going to be bad for a white-shirt-day!! :)

McKenna
Emma Gustafson

Abigail Gustafson

Well, here's what I meant by the bad white-shirt-day! Fortunately, we have washers! I didnt' care though...it was worth it!

McKenna with all her picks!

Michala decided to have a seat to bunch her flowers all together!

Michala found the absolute biggest one!

Michala in the field of flowers.

Church Picnic

On Saturday, the church we attend here during the summer had a huge church picnic out at a farm. We had so much fun eating, getting to fellowship with the summer staff and church people, more eating, playing games, eating again :) , and watching the kids have a blast!


I teased Mike that this must be the "Old Man's Table." They sat there for the longest time eating watermelon and watching all the younger guys getting beat up playing football. Mike willingly conceded to being in the Old Man Club. :) Plus, he knew that if he got hurt, he might not get much sympathy from his wife who already has 4 kids to take care of. :)

They rented a blow up playground for the kids to play on. The kids loved it!

Mike playing volleyball with some of the summer staff.

Micah enjoyed playing baseball.

Malachi practicing his swing.

Happy 4th!

Since camp was still going on all day Friday, we were not able to make it into town to watch fireworks (we've gotten used to the fact that we can see them every 7 or so years...the night the 4th falls on a Saturday!) but we had a really fun day celebrating the 4th of July!



Right after chapel in the morning, we went into Ringgold (1 minute away!!) and let the kids pick out their little fireworks. Plus, we took the kids to the gas station (a far cry from QuikTrip!!) to get an Icee.

Here are the boys with their fireworks and their icees.

Fortunately, the gas station has WHITE cherry icees...much easier to clean up after!

I thought Aunt Amy would love this pic...this summer, we have asked the boys to read for 30 minutes total each day. Micah figured that if he read his Hardy Boy's book on the walk back home from the dining hall, he could knock out 10 minutes of his time. He really does LOVE to read...it's just that he LOVES being outside even more. :)

Michala and Adrianna Samms at dinner.

Here are the camp kids getting ready to sing Friday morning. They were excited to wear all of their 4th of July outfits.

Eric Gustafson with Emma, Abigail, Ann, and Erin

McKenna loved dressing up all her dollies for the day as well.

Malachi and Emma

This Could Take A While!!

WARNING: what you are about to see is reflective of the fact that I have not posted on this blogspot in a timely manner. It is truly amazing that I still own it and have the privilege of posting anymore. :) You may not know what you are in for if you continue to scroll down...and down...and down...!

ENJOY!!

Day Out with Dad

Last Saturday, after staff meeting was over, Daddy and the boys headed out to the golf course with a few other guys from camp. Micah, Malachi and Mike ended up riding with a man who professed to be Catholic and so he got a day with a preacher!! The boys were so excited to be able to witness to him, plus he loved helping them find Nike golf balls!

The boys got to tee off at the junior spots so it was more than just a day of putting!

They were exhausted when they got back...as you can tell!