We made a very last minute decision to attend Family Camp this year!
We had not planned on going for many reasons.
The short story is that the Lord impressed it upon my heart that we were supposed to be there, and He ended up making it happen.
SO thankful we went!!
Everyone had to pitch in to get ready so quickly, especially because of our food needs.
It was a lot of work, but SO worth it!
Blake rented us a camper from the same place we have rented in the past, but they have a new owner AND new campers.
Our camper was the largest one we have ever had, and it was new and SO clean!
We watched the weather closely for camp week once we decided to go.
The weather looked TERRIBLE!!
It was supposed to be so incredibly hot – almost dangerously hot.
The kiddos and I knew what to do!
We started praying about the weather about four times a day.
We knew that God cared about this detail.
The day we headed to camp the temperature was in the high 90’s, but then the Lord answered our prayers and the rest of the week was SO beautiful and in the 70’s!!
Just look at the SKY!!
The BEST part about camp is always the people.
We have dear friends that still attend this camp every year, and it is just the BEST to all come back together for a week!
It is also beyond my dreams come true that David and Kayla bring their family to Family Camp now!
Living next to our favorite people in a camper for a week is so fun!!
We were missing Grant, but Chad was even able to get off of work and join us for Friday through Sunday.
The chapel and sessions were amazing, as always, and I truly enjoyed what Mr. Bowers shared the most.
The children do so well sitting through the sessions!
There are families who share their talents in music each day, which was really special.
Our camper neighbors shared one evening and they were SO talented!
One of my best friends also shared during the mother-daughter time, and she did such a good job.
The evening session would start each night with a game – and Lane got picked to be in it one night!
Do you see him there in the third photo below?
When we were not in chapel or session, we were outside.
Remember that GREAT weather??
We enjoyed SO many activities, but I know our children enjoyed the horses the most!
Tate and Eliza took a lesson one afternoon, and then Blake, Lane, Tate and Eliza all went on a trail ride one afternoon.
There were games on the playground, shooting at the gun range, fishing on the lake, and of course that annual game of Mighty, Mighty Scoop Noodle Challenge!
Lane, Tate and Eliza all said this was the best year of camp that they have ever had!!
And this was our ninth year attending, but our twelfth year if you count the other three years that we visited during camp week!
On Saturday, the last full day that we were there, we all headed to the lake.
It was the perfect temperature to play at the lake that day, but first the guys were racing the cardboard boats that they had built during the father-son time.
They were only given cardboard and duct tape to make their boats out of.
They were in teams, and had to row to the dock across the lake while being timed to see in the end who was the fastest!
Needless to say, our team’s boat did not do so well!
It was super fun to watch and cheer everyone on!!
The rest of that afternoon we stayed at the lake and the kids had A BLAST!!
There was a slide, canoes and kayaks, and a blob that you could get shot off of!
Kayla and I stayed on the beach to keep track of everyone, and I have never counted to seven so many times in my life as I did that day, ha, ha!
Counting heads is my full-time job when we are with our own children and our grandchildren!
Of course you already know that I loved playing house in that beautiful camper!
This was the first year I did not have to climb over sleeping bodies in the dark in the mornings to get ready and have my quiet time.
It was WONDERFUL having all of that space!!
I would rest each afternoon for just 30 minutes or an hour, but this is the first year I did not have children resting with me.
We did, however, bring Tate and Eliza back to the camper close to their regular bedtime each night.
We would get ready for bed and then I would play a game with them and we would all have hot cocoa.
It was super fun!!!
Tate and Eliza and I were the only ones who used the camper bathroom to get ready each day.
Everyone else headed to the lodge to use the newly remodeled beautiful bathrooms there.
It was chilly in the mornings!
I packed a lot of wellness support for the whole family, because 200 people on a camp ground for a week just brings illness whether you like it or not!
The last night of camp there were camp fires, smores and hay rack rides.
It was really fun!
And chilly!!
There were endless special moments at camp – I could never list them all!
Getting to know new people was one of them.
We did help our camper neighbors when their youngest daughter got stung (the bees were SO BAD!).
The next day this note was delivered to our door and it just made my heart so full!
Isn’t this cute??
Kayla delivered lattes to our camper after we were at the lake Saturday afternoon and it was really yummy!
I love that they travel with their espresso machine!!
Eliza got first place in the coloring contest for her age range!
Let me just add that the original color page was just of the people – she added everything else you see there.
Sunday morning chapel, followed by a brunch was the end of our camp week.
We headed home Sunday afternoon – but let me say – NONE of us wanted to leave!
Here is how some of the passengers in my van looked on the way home, which shows what a great week they had!
To say that this week away from the grind of life and being all together was just what we needed doesn’t seem to do what I am trying to convey justice – but those words are true.
The sessions were so encouraging and challenging, being with friends that are like family was so lifegiving, enjoying the fresh air and the outdoors was so good for us physically, and even though we slept less than we ever do at home – the rest was AMAZING.
Blake and I returned that camper together late Sunday evening, and just like that Family Camp 2023 became a memory.
Thank you, Jesus, for letting us be there!!
Thank you, my sweet family, who did not think I was crazy when I said we NEEDED to be there!!
Thank you, Mr. Blake Moschel, for always making my dreams come true, and always doing so with a smile on your face, joy in your heart, and a kiss to the top of my head.
I LOVE YOU MORE, honey!!
And most of all, thank you to everyone who works so tirelessly to make Family Camp what it is.
You bless those of us who are there SO MUCH!!!
Do I dare say I can’t wait until next year??
Well, Lord willing, I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR!!!!
Family Camp 2023, you were SO very good to us!
Memories made, and memories tucked very deeply into our hearts!
