Camp Mevvie

by Mevvie
 
 

This was the weekend for the Vogt Family Cup Golf Tournament, Norm and his “boys” went to Monterey and had a great time. Now some may think that I would love having a Friday, Saturday, Sunday all to myself to enjoy, but I picked the one thing I would enjoy most, I invited all my grandkids (sorry, Julia, next year for sure!) for the weekend to camp out in the front yard.

I designed T-shirts with our “Campout” theme, each kids was made a celebrity, Josh was “Da man in Charge”, Jake the World Traveler & Photographer, Emily the Award winning Artist. Nick The California Skateboard Champion, Taylor, the Cheerleader Flyer Specialist, and Andrew was the Army Guy General Andrew Norman.

We spent most of Friday afternoon setting up tents, and settling in. Our first three games, the Three Legged Race, the Sack Race and Carry the tennis ball on the fork (Andrew got a spoon and he won with his Partner Josh). We played the Who Am I? game until it was time for Pizza. We went to visit the ghost town Aqueduct City Cemetery on the way. Stopped for Videos after Pizza but no one was much interested in movies, played outside until dark. THEN the game of the century “Ghost in the Graveyard” played in the dark out front where we've got so many great places to hide. I had called all the neighbors early Friday morning to tell them that we may be a tad bit loud, what an understatement. The object is the Ghost hides and all the kids count to 50 then try to find the ghost. Much screaming when the ghost jumps out at them, but they had a ball.

Saturday was breakfast cooked by Nick & Emily, movies, three more games and it was time to head off to the BIG EVENT, the Trip down the canyon to the Mokelume River at the Roaring Camp Saturday Night Cookout. This is a site of any actual 1850's gold mining camp, now a rustic attraction. The kids swam, learned how to pan for gold, and ate an enormous dinner or steak, potatoes, fry bread, salad and corn on the cob. Andrew got to be buddies with the guy leading the gold panning, he helped him put his gold flakes into a small vial for safekeeping. We got back home about 10:30 p.m.

Sunday morning was off to the donut shop for a boatload of donuts, then the ugly cleanup task began. We had a really hard time getting the tents back together and cleaned out from leaves, etc. (sorry Tim & David, you'll have to do a major cleanup on the tents!) The boys had the outside cleanup and Em & Tay had the inside. Andrew's job was to sweep the porch, and a fine job he did, too!

The kids were so happy to all be together and for the most part they were extremely well behaved. Josh was the 2nd in command and helped out a great deal. It was a 10 weekend, I think I had more fun than the kids, I'd do it again in a heartbeat…….o.k. maybe give me a week or so, but I WOULD!!