SLINGSHOT SLEEPOVERS

Cora and I loved slingshot paintball at Troop Camp so much that we decided to buy a set for us to practice with at home:

The Cora went over to Cara Beth's house for a sleepover and James enjoyed sole use of the TV:

(We always watch awesome 80s movies with James when Cora is gone - this one was a BIG hit with him)

The next night, James Tate came over to our house for a sleepover:

By Sunday night we were all exhausted, but that didn't stop us from staying up late to continue on with our Stranger Things marathon. The kids finally decided they were ready for it (they really want to watch Season 3 when it comes out, but we told them they had to watch the first two seasons before we'd let them watch the newest with us when it drops) and while they've had some jumps and scares, they are loving it! Cora decided to make some Upside Down Slime designs tonight:

AMERICAN BEAUTY

Cora received an American Girl Doll beauty set from Gramma for her birthday and she's had so much fun doing Tenney's hair (and her own)!

AROUND THE HOUSE

Summer is rolling right along and the kids are keeping busy around the house...

Setting up Tenney and Logan's apartments in her closet

Putting a doll's bike helmet on Binx because he keeps scratching his ear raw

Putting the fairy garden together that Grambot and PawPaw sent her for her birthday

BANTAMS AND REDS

NON-GUARD

Patches is beautiful and sweet, but she gives no cares about snakes...

(This thing has been impossible to catch and dispose of...)

HOT HOT HOT

After a long, hot run this morning from coach's house, we jumped in his pool to cool off!

SHINY AND NEW

First the fridge went out, then the washing machine, now the dishwasher... Just like when we moved here 12 years ago, we've dropped a lot of money into appliances this year. Sometimes being a homeowner throws unexpected (and un-budgeted) curveballs.

Clawdia, however, seems to be enjoying how shiny and new the dishwasher is (we keep finding her laying like this and gazing at herself...)

TRIUMPH MUSIC CAMP

Cora attended Triumph Church's annual summer music camp this week while James was at Bricks, Bots, and Beakers, and the week ended with a splash party. Cora loved it!

B3 LEGO

James enjoyed Bricks, Bots, and Beakers this summer too. His class was all about LEGO!

CORA THE BABYSITTER

Cora helped me babysit "baby Ella" this afternoon/evening while her daddy helped Jay finish cutting up the fallen tree out front. Cora LOVED having her, but agreed that babies (and toddlers) are a lot more work than her cats ;-)

Ella loved Cora's Calico Critters. She knew to feed the dolls with their tiny bottles, but was very confused that she couldn't fit into their van...

KETTLING KITES

Leaving the soccer fields tonight I spotted a couple dozen Mississippi Kites kettling (the soccer fields are at the top of one of the bigger hills in Vicksburg). I'd never seen kites kettle, so I made the kids stand there with me for a LONG time while I watched them - it was super cool!

SECRET SQUIRRELS

James and Cora have been spending more and more time with the neighbor kids, especially Gracie (who lives at the house below us with the pond). They've been adding to their fort and making friends with the squirrels (collecting acorns for them and trying to convince them to come live in their fort). They started calling themselves the Secret Squirrel Club (so, of course, I looked online and found a patch to order them as part of their fort sign). When evenings got busy with soccer camp, Gracie was missing her buddies, so she started leaving letters in our mailbox.

BUILD IT BADGE

James and Jay built me a remote control holder while us girls were away at camp. They also had Man Hour, which includes bubbly drinks and cursing to go along with power tools and spitting...

They designed it to fit two Playstation remotes along with the regular TV remote. I hadn't been able to find anything online that looked even close to working, so this one was measured out and planned and custom made. Complete with the new James-Jay signature (using the router):

The bonus is that this creation helped James earn his Arrow of Light 'Build It' Badge too :-)

END OF SEASON PARTY

Cora and I rushed home from Troop Camp so she could attend the RiverBelles End of Season swim party at the outdoor Y pool. She loved her personalized water bottle and player's card :-)

TROOP CAMP 2020

Troop Camp 2020 was probably our best yet! Lots of Troop members and their moms attended, the weather was nice (hot, but not pouring rain!), and the Olympic theme kept everyone busy.

We carpooled down to Camp Iti Kana (in Wiggins, MS) with Sarah, Cara Beth, and Addisyn:

First stop (as always) = swim tests:

Our campground this year was 'Paradise Lost' (across the lake, and a bit of a hike from everything, but slightly closer than last time we went to Iti Kana):

All settled into camp and ready to cross the bridge to the dining hall for dinner and games:

Saturday dawned bright and early with a mama run:

Time to get rolling for the day (after some early morning arts and crafts while we waited on everyone to get ready)! The girls (and most of the moms) wore their Troop shirts for the first half of the day and it was really nice being able to keep track of them all so easily.

Pinning her SWAPs to her cap:

Card games after breakfast (anytime they had an extra 10 minutes between activities they were either playing UNO or drawing in their journals):

First stop? Paint ball slingshots and archery!

(Back Row: Addisyn, Olivia, Cheyenne; Middle Row: Kennedy, Madisyn, Emma, Anna Paiten, Cora, Cara Beth, Abby; Front Row: Autumn, Vivian, Mary Austen, Marie, Lily)

(Adding in the moms: Sarah, LaToria, Catherine, Sarah, me, Kelsey, Ann, Sally, Tiffiney, Jessica, Michelle, and Sally up front)

Never pass up a chance to practice my skills for the zombie apocalypse!

Painting pillowcase with pain pens and water guns:

Getting silly at lunch...

We won the Spirit Stick after dinner! Our camp (our Troop and the one other Girl Scout and her mom sharing Paradise Lost with us) got to add a SWAP and pose for a photo:

More photo posing (with the fake flowers the camp leader gave them during craft hour):

Afternoon swim time (the best part of Troop Camp - when we get to cool off!)

Followed by lake time (Cora did the paddleboard and canoe):

(ALWAYS sprints to the front of the line so she can get suited up in a life jacket and on the water first. I've tried and just can't break her of this...)

(I love seeing these brave, strong girls out there exploring!)

Time for the pre-meal song prayer before we march in to the buffet line:

Checking out the horses after dinner (they were there for the Resident Camp starting Sunday afternoon, not for our Troop Camp):

Being a Goober and sitting on the pokey pinecones:

Time for more post-dinner games!

(I love me some Daisies, and Marie is definitely my favorite - shhh!)

(jelly bean toss)

(water balloon bust)

Day 2 started much slower...

And that's a wrap for Cora's 4th year at Troop Camp!