Day 1: Arrival & Rain at Cosby Creek

 On Saturday, we drove the five hours to Cosby Creek Campground in the Smoky Mountain National Park. It was to be our first 4-night family camping trip. We got a late start--not leaving home until about 11:45 (partly due to needing to water the yard plants so much before leaving).

The kids behaved very well on the drive: minimal fighting and whining. Zac spotted a bear next to the highway as we drove, and Simon and Sera also saw it. Alice didn't look in time.

We arrived at our campsite (B92) around 5:30, after a few traffic jams and pit stops. Zac and I decided he should put up the green tarp first, given that it looked like it could rain any minute. He got it up just in time-- we were soon hit with a torrential downpour. The tarp itself held up fine, but the supports weren't set up for buckets of rain and so we had to keep emptying the tarp and holding it up until the rain stopped enough for Zac to secure it to the surrounding trees instead of just the poles. It was a fun little adventure. We're used to camping in the rain by now, and as long as it isn't cold, we remain mostly undaunted.

Packing Day for the Mountain Trip

 I rejected all the playdate invitations today and made the kids help pack up for the camping trip. I wanted them to contribute more and also recognize how much work these sorts of trips are. Unfortunately, giving them jobs is always more work for me as well.

The only way Simon could cope with his job list was to think of rewards for himself after each task.

Meanwhile, Alice decided folding towels was really hard.

In their defense, they both rallied and got all their jobs done. Not motivated by any intrinsic sense of helping, mind you, but only because I wouldn't let them do anything else until they completed their lists.

Simon's 8th Birthday

Our little fisherman turned 8 today! Zac made him a big-mouth bath cake that he got to see in the morning. Then we opened presents (mostly fishing stuff) and Zac headed to work. At Simon's request, I took the kids to Eno River today, where he fished and swam and Alice read and swam. Then back home for supper (BLT) and cake!

Fourth and Final Swim Meet

 Today was the kids' last swim meet. We missed one when we were in Ohio and we'll miss one next week when we're in the mountains. This meet was another virtual meet, so quick and easy but not very exciting. They did a group picture before and after the meet.

Overall, even although it was tough to get to practices and meets on time, it was a very positive experience overall. I'm really glad we did it, but I'm also glad it's over for the season.

A Visit from the Snows

 The Snow family, that used to live across the street from us, came back to the neighborhood to visit for a few days. They stayed with the Weimers, who are currently renting their house from them. Simon and Elli picked up right where they left off, playing at the pond together and leaving messes everywhere from their various projects. Alice played with Ed and Vivian a bit on the first day, but they didn't seem very interested in spending time with her after that. Their friendship was always a bit of a stretch anyway, just brought closing during those first months of the pandemic.

I took this picture at the exact moment Simon knocked his entire plate of food on the ground.

Kentucky Fish Hatchery

 On Wednesday, the 8th day of our trip, we headed to Morehead, KY to visit the fish hatchery family.  We got there Wedensday everning, had a cookout with burgers, then headed to the lake to tube and swim. It was a cool, cloudy evening, but the water was warm so the kids were happy to swim and tube. Simon didn't like tubing very much because he said it made him "wave sick" but Alice tubed with Ella and liked it a lot. Zac water skiied. The next morning we went out to the lake again--this time to fish for crappie. It was rainy and cold. Simon was undaunted, but Alice was quite miserable. Simon and Pete caught enough "eaters" as Simon calls them to bring some home in the live-well. Pete fileted them and sent them home to us on ice. We fried them for supper the next day.

Mansfield Day 3-4: More fun!

 On our last full day in Mansfield, we did more of the same things, like canoing and biking. Stana, Alice and I went to take a bunch of stuff to a thrift store and Alice bought a bunch of shirts there. It was ironic because we were bringing home tons of name-brand hand-me-downs from my sister's kids, and yet here was Alice so excited about thrift store shirts. That and a quick trip to the grocery store took most of the morning. In the afternoon she did a trail-ride with grandpa. Simon mostly fished and kayaked all day, plus some swimming off the dock. In the evening we did sparklers. It was another great day.

On Wednesday morning we packed up to head to Kentucky to visit uncle Pete. While we got all the stuff loaded up, Simon made a boat in the basement workshop with grandpa and examined Nelson's tackle box, and Alice watched videos with Stana.

(Let's all work on our picture posture for next year, eh? Stana is the only one sitting up straight.)

Mansfield Day 2: Pontoon & Kayak Rides

 Taking the kids to Ohio is like taking them to a great summer camp. They get to do archery, kayaking, swimming, fishing...it's just nonstop fun for them. Simon even got to a have a water blaster fight with Uncle Tener. The special events today were taking a pontoon ride to the beach at the other end of the lake and swimming there. Then after supper that night we took a family paddle up the river. Simon and Alice took turns riding in the canoe or paddling the kid-sized kayak.