Canyon Camp Week for Non-Campers

 Patrick and Mike headed out to northwestern Illinois to spend the week at Canyon Camp.  We at home had to do something to pass the time!

 Mary figured out how to pedal her tricycle.

Cecilia was chosen to help the magician at the summer reading program.  You could feel the eye rolls from the back of the room.

George got bored at Becca's softball game so I took his picture.

We made the almost 3 hour trip (with 4 kids in the Hyundai Elantra!) up to Canyon to see them.  We stopped at Union Dairy in Freeport.

Union Dairy is right next to a park that was the location of Freeport's Lincoln-Douglas Debates.  Being me, we had to look around and George had to be George.

Despite the rain, Mike and Pat showed us around the camp.   Mary enjoyed the iguana.

 Here we are waiting to watch Pat climb.

Because of the weather, they decided to have the campfire inside.  There was some wait time so I took some more pictures.

Those crazy Hatton chics!

I have been to many BSA campfires (thanks Dan!) but this was the first time I could really see what was going on.

 Then they had the Order of the Arrow tap out.  I knew ahead of time that Patrick had been elected.  Here is Mike telling the dancers who to grab.

Big hug or just trying to communicate?  Who's to say.

 This is the group Patrick was part of.

 

 

 All the elected being taken away for their ordeal.  Only Patrick had to wait and do it in council.

We went back to a clean, dry hotel room where a warm breakfast awaited us the next morning.   To get the kids excited about the trip, I may have execrated how wonderful hotel breakfast can be.

There are tons more pictures from camp but I wasn't there so ask Mike.  I really do try to keep this blog up to date but 5 kids and a slow processor make it difficult.

May

May was a bit more chilly this year.  But we played soccer anyway.  Here's some pictures.

 

And George too.

 

George throwing in the ball. 

 

Mike gave the kid a thrill by jumping on the trampoline with them.

Nap time.

Every spring the St. Pat's School band plays at the Peoria County Courthouse.  If you look closely, you can see Becc'a face behind the tuba player.

I love the outfits Mary puts together for herself.

The last week of school, Cecilia FINALLY lost her first tooth.

April

It has been a long time since I shared pictures here.  Not because I didn't take pictures or was too busy, but because one of our children liberated the mouse for this computer.  Without it, I couldn't get in!  So here is the first of many back up post for day.  I give you the month of April.

Becca and her girls from down the block.

Random shot of the dog. 

 Cecilia doing a reading at Friday Mass.

Becca jumping the hurdles.

Daddy Daughter Dance hair doing!

Lia asked me to put curlers in her hair and then wouldn't let me take a picture.

She wasn't happy with the results either.

This was Lia's first Daddy-Daughter Dance.  She's still unhappy about her hair.

But she got over it.

Mike with the girls.

Mary won't be left out even if she can't go to the dance.

The theme was Grid Iron Heros: Mike wore Notre Dame, Becca wore Saint Mary's College (where there is no football), and Lia wore her dad's high school jersey.

That is all I got for April.  May will be coming up shortly.