About a year ago, I was reading my cousins
blog about this amazing swim camp she heads up each year for homeschooling families in her area. I was dripping with envy as I read about and looked through her pictures. "Perfect! This is exactly what I want for my kids", I thought. I didn't know if it was exclusive or not, but I asked her if there was anyway I could attend this year with my three oldest. Her response was a quick "YES" and I made all the preparations necessary to make it happen.
Idaho is a special place. I loved my time there while attending Ricks college for two years. There is something unique and wholesome about Idaho. Driving up to our location was so fun for me, as I reminisced about the good 'ole days of school. So many friends, so many new experiences, some of my very favorite years of my life were lived in Idaho. It was so fun to show my kids where I used to stomp around. When I told them how much I loved it here and that this is where I went to college, Abigail wanted to know if I loved it because of the giant sprinklers I could run in with my swim suit? Ha! What a great idea that I never did, darn it! Yes, the never ending farm fields with the giant sprinklers was a highlight for Abby on the drive.
Anyway, five days of roughing it in a tent, three days of cold and rain, and two hours a day of swim lessons for the kids was worth any hassle. (picture by
Jessica, sure hope you don't mind that I stole this from you). I don't think this picture was taken this year, but this is pretty much how it looked for the first three days we were there.
Fortunately, the pool is a natural hot springs so it was divinely warm! And while the kids swam, I hung out the entire day in the warm pool house. I couldn't believe the progress the kids were making each day in their lessons. By the end of the week, I was completely blown away at what they had learned and accomplished!
I feel totally confidant that this summer the kids are going to have a blast in our pool!
The times that they weren't in the pool, one of the moms brought up some crafts for the kids to do. They made lanterns, dream catchers, necklaces, & masks.
The days it wasn't raining, they were able to explore in "the woods", pick dandelions until their hearts were content, and eat enough s'mores to last all summer long!
Hannah's new bff - Miss K
The woods
One night was "skit" night and another was story time around the fire.
My cousin Tami and friend Boo
Cousin Tracy, reading stories
Nikki came up with her three girls this day. Hannah was so happy to have Grace up there with us.
Does anyone else think that Hannah looks so grown up here?
It was so fun to be with my older cousins. Ones I've known all my life, but never really "known". Tracy is a most miraculous person, who has helped create a homeschooling environment that would blow the socks off of anyone who thinks homeschoolers are nuts! She is fun, funny, uplifting, inspiring, and loved by just every Tom, Dick, and Harry that has ever met her! And most importantly, the families up there are THRIVING in their homeschools.
Me, Tami, Tracy, Nikki - cousins
Abigail made a new friend, B, who I thought was positively adorable!
Nathan pal'd around with Annesly, Tracy's littlest girl. It was almost impossible to get these two out of the water.
There was so much to love about this week. I missed my baby and my Aaron so much and wished they could have been there with us (although it would have been a pretty miserable trip with Joe since it was so cold during the night). All the fun with my cousins, all the fun meeting and making new friends, all the things I learned from the other moms, who are truly some of the most outstanding moms I've ever met, couldn't compare to the quality time I had with my kids. We swam together, read the scriptures and prayed together each night, and had great discussions about things we were reading. Phone reception was pretty bad up there, so it was a week of being unplugged from distractions like, the internet, blogs, instagram, and more. I hope we can do this again. I hope this becomes a regular thing for us to bond and regroup as a family. I hope next time Aaron and Joe are with us.
Loving the scenery
Love Idaho!
