Tatiana's first Girl Scout camp!

(These pictures uploaded funny and it takes too long to straighten them out. So they are not in a particular order!)

When we returned from our big trip, I had TWO DAYS to do all the laundry, repack and head to Girl Scout camp with Tatiana! We went to camp Arrowhead near Stevenson, WA. It was so much fun.

We did a lot of fun action songs at the "singing logs"...

We had cabins that slept four people. Tatiana and I were in a cabin with Michelle and Katie Harmon.

Tatiana, Katie, and Kristen...Brownie Buddies!

We did some canoeing!

Our unit of girls, our four from Albany plus three others. They all got along great!
You have to wear a lifejacket to go swimming in the lake, no matter how good of a swimmer you are...

And after jumping in we knew why! That water was so cold it sucked the air right out of you! Brrr!!!

We had fun doing some crafts...

We sang songs at the campfire each night...

The food was great! They fed us well. Each unit took turns setting all the tables, then after each meal, each table was in charge of cleaning up their own...
Plenty of hiking...

Here we are in our camp t-shirts on the last day. It was a three day camp and a lot of fun! The girls all want to go back again next year!

Listening to some of the counselors sing and play guitar as we wait for every unit to be done with their camp clean-up assignment and meet for the final closing ceremony.

Good bye Camp Arrowhead!

Parasailing!

One of the highlights of our trip for Nathan and me was our parasailing adventure in Myrtle Beach!

Here we are strapped into the harness, being lifted into the air.

About half way through our turn, we were brought in and slowed down enough to be dipped into the ocean. Very refreshing.

This is the AMAZING view from up there! We definitely want to do this again!

Benjamin's Restaurant

A whole post just about a restaurant? Of course! Especially when the restaurant is this cool and shares a name with our Benjamin!

Welcome to the world famous Benjamin's Calabash Seafood!


We took some pictures of Benjamin with his name signs, couldn't pass up the opportunity!

Down stairs is a workshop where a man (sadly I cannot remember his name) who hand builds all these model ships they had displayed throughout the restaurant. It takes him hundreds of hours and he made everything himself, by hand! Even the people and the tiny rope! Nick was fascinated (anyone who knows Nick would not be surprised by this), so he hung out for a long time while the nice craftsman taught Nick about his trade.

They also had a fun playroom downstairs with TONS for the kids to do and make-believe!

This row boat is on a waterbed frame and mattress. "Whoa! It's a wild sea tonight!"

At the end we decided it would be fun to take a picture of Nathan "playing dentist" on a fake shark outside. So this is how we were taking the picture. I was talking to him, telling him where to put his hands so it would look just right...(notice Nathan is nowhere near the shark!)

And this is how the picture turned out! Pretty good, heh! (click on the picture to enlarge it so you can see just how real it looks!)

What else is there to do at Myrtle Beach? Well....!

We didn't just play in the water and sand at Myrtle Beach. Here is a few of the other things we did...

Paddle boats in the lake.

Climbing coconut tree! Go Nick and Tatiana!

Hanging out with dinosaurs. Andrew is playing "dino dentist"!

Playing in the fountains...Andrew LOVED this!!!

Eating at Joes, but of course! Just like the one in Nashville. Fun place.

We went to "MagiQuest". It was one of the kids' favorite things! I really wish we had one here in Oregon! You have to check out the website to learn more!

Here are some cool photos we took on a green screen at MagiQuest! Aren't they cool!!!

I love how our dragon expert, Nick, is protecting Ben and me in this one!

We also had fun at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. It was a wonderful show, very patriotic and very beautiful. The food was great too!

Nick and Tatiana were able to be part of the show by participating in the chicken chase! They got a souvenir medal and book for it. They were very happy!

We also played with some wild animals! Okay, so not too wild, but super cute! Nick was thrilled to hold a baby tiger!

And Tatiana got to hold a monkey! Anyone who knows this little girl knows she LOVES monkeys! She was in heaven!

Is that all we did?! No way! More to come...

Some WET and WILD fun at Myrtle Beach, SC

We ended out BIG family vacation in South Carolina at Myrtle Beach. Here are some pictures of our adventures just at the beach and pools. We all had a great time!

Ben had fun flying a kite in the gentle breeze.

The kids played a lot in the sand. This was Ben's favorite activity at the beach. He never did go into the ocean. He is a very cautious child.

We even made some new friends on the beach. "Hello crabby!"

There were several pools and "lazy rivers". These were a favorite of Nathan's and mine, ahhhh relaxing! Andrew is giving me kisses, so cute!

Nick and Tatiana are not competitive at all...ummm...okay, but it is so fun!

Ben got into the action and had fun jumping into the pool. He did it over and over! He loved it!

The children's pool was very cool. Lots of neat water features including this big fun "sunken submarine" that was squirting water everywhere! Yes, we are swimming after dark. Remember it was a four hour time difference and not quite our kids' bedtime, the pool was open till 11:00PM, and it was still 90 degrees out!

This is a great shot of Tatiana jumping in the waves.

Nick and Tatiana had fun learning how to boogie board. They got very good at it too! (Better than their mom.) And there are those competitive faces again! LOL!

Here is an awesome shot of Nick "catchin' a wave"!

It's been CRAZY!!!!

This week is Cub Scout Day Camp week. We're gone all day and barely having time to get things done at night. I do not know how mothers do it who work outside the home!!! I am exhausted. I know I am still behind on my blog. We'll see if I ever catch up. But, speaking of that, I do not have time for it right now even! Just on here to make a quick note for anyone who does care to check. The kids are LOVING day camp. This is Nick's last year (sob sob) and Tiana and Ben both get to go this year too. Andrew is being doted over by different adoring fans each day and being a very sweet baby. I miss him SO MUCH though! I hate being away from him all day. More on camp later when I have time...

Leaving Atlanta

When you ask the kids what their favorite part about grandma and grandpa B's house is, they will tell you about the dogs. So I have to include this as part of our "travel journal". Bill completed the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska in 2002 and some of his sled dogs now live with him in Georgia. The kids love to go out and help give the dogs their breakfast. Pony, Nacho, and Tonto live with him. We have his sled dog Crystal living with us. You can check out his "Cool Dreams" website here.



On the way from Atlanta to South Carolina we stopped by to see Jordan at work. He is doing an internship at Proctor and Gamble and offered to give me a private tour of the factory he works at. It was very interesting and I was touched that he offered.

When we were there he introduced me to one of his co-workers who asked if I was older or younger. Jordan is 10 years younger than me! We didn't take pictures at Proctor and Gamble, but here is one in taken while we were in Kennesaw of the two of us. He is a neat young man.

Jordan also finished the Junior Iditarod in 2002. And he is an Eagle Scout just like my husband, Nathan, and my other brother, Christopher! Pretty impressive!