I was looking forward to my third summer camp with MeeMaw and PeePaw. Ohio summers are the best. Texas is just way too hot to enjoy. I take one step outside, and my hair looks like Pa’s when he is out opening restaurants… #crazyhair.
Horses
The first stop for every summer camp is to go out and see the horses, Annie and Blooper. Blooper was a bit under the weather. She was sneezing and drooling all over the place. But Peepaw and I had a job to do. It was time for their feeding and cleaning. We cleaned their stalls, filled their buckets, and gave them a proper brushing. Maybe next summer Blooper will be feeling better so I can hop on for a ride.
Camp Fire
After a good day of hard work, it was time for some relaxation. PeePaw got a fire going, and MeeMaw gathered up some marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. PeePaw taught me how to roast the marshmallow. The key is to get it just close enough, so it caramelizes on the outside without burning. But a little fire on the marshmallow never hurt anyone. Once we got the marshmallow perfect, MeeMaw taught me how to build the s’more. Graham, chocolate, mallow, graham (insert Sandlot joke). Boy, are these things tasty?
Creeking
Day 2 of summer camp was even more fun. We got to meet up with my cousins, Evan and Owen. MeeMaw and PeePaw took us to go creeking at Shale Hallow. I am always up for anything that involves playing in the water. We saw all sorts of birds, butterflies, and insects. The water was too shallow for any fish. We splashed and played for a while and then finished up with a yummy picnic.
My First Fish
PeePaw had a surprise for the afternoon. There is a small pond out in the horses’ pasture, and it is stocked with fish. So, we grabbed a couple of fishing poles and headed out to find some worms. These worms weren’t too hard to find. We turned over a few things on the ground and found some. PeePaw hooked the little guys, and we cast our poles into the pond. Within just a couple minutes, we got a bite. PeePaw showed me how to reel them in. Slowly but surely, turn after turn, I finally got my very first fish out of the water. He was almost the same size as me. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Either way, I was very proud to catch my first fish.
Tennis
We had a few jam-packed days, and the next one was no different. We headed out to the tennis courts with Evan and Owen. I wanted to show them how good I was. I think I accidentally brought the Texas weather with me to the courts. Boy was it hot! We hit for a while with all of us playing each other. I think I held my own!
Happy Birthday Ma!
That night we headed over to Aunt Amber and Uncle Jason’s house. Ma’s birthday was the next week, so we were celebrating since the whole gang was together. We played a little ping pong, raced some cars, made some s’mores again, and then enjoyed a good dinner with cake afterward. As you can see, my Aunt Amber is pretty silly!
Velvet Ice Cream
Pa had to head home the next day. We dropped him off at the airport, but then the fun continued. We headed to our favorite stop on the Summer Camp tour: Velvet Ice Cream…named after Ma, or at least that is how I see it. We got to see the water wheel and feed a few ducks, but the best part of this trip is the ice cream. It just hits the spot on a hot summer day.
My Ninja Warrior
There cannot be a complete Summer Camp without an epic obstacle course. MeeMaw went to work setting up the course with a few pointers from me. This was the most challenging course ever constructed. Ninja Warrior would be jealous. Unfortunately, we only got a single picture, and it does not fully capture the difficulty. Just use your imagination.
Family Fun
Our last day at summer camp was an easy one. It was just about spending time with the family. We headed to a park to mess around and be outside. It was our last day to enjoy the Ohio summer weather, and I wanted to take it all in.
Summer Camp 2018 was a huge success. Fishing, horses, creeking, and just good family fun makes this little boy extremely happy. Can’t wait for next year!
