Camp Sherman 2017

No sooner had Audrey and Kate unpacked their suitcases from their Alaskan adventure then it was time to repack them for a trip to Camp Sherman for the annual Gutzler family gathering. After soaking up plenty of screen time on the car ride down, they got settled into their Lake Creek Lodge cabin (#13 again this year), met up with the full complement of Gutzler/Taylor/Williamson cousins, then headed over to the "food house" for a delicious dinner prepared by Mark and Sharon (one of their last, as Mark and Sharon later announced they would be hanging up their Camp Sherman chef hats).

This year's camp theme was "Harry Potter." Sharon secured some Harry Potter robes, wands, necklaces, and glasses for the kids, and mixed up some butterbeer and provided a pinata in the form of a Golden Snitch. Audrey worked with Dad to prepare a series of Harry Potter-themed activities the kids participated in over several days: a Sorting Hat ceremony; a game of Quidditch utilizing pool-noodle "brooms;" a "torchlight" march to "Lake Hogwarts" (the fishing pond); a taste-testing of gillywater (mint water), butterbear, and pumkin juice; and a potions class in which they made Felix Felicis (glitter slime) and Tiger's Eye (a customized potion created with random ingredients harvested by the kids). Audrey served as "Head Girl," explaining Harry Potter to those who hadn't read the books. Aunt Marcia added to the fun with rock-coloring, shirt-making, and rootbeer-tasting activities.

Aquatics featured prominently this trip. The kids spent a good portion of each day in the swimming pool. They also hiked along the Metolius River to check out the old family cabin and the nearby swimming hole, stopping for ice cream at the Camp Sherman store on the way back. They made good use of Lake Creek, catching fish, crawdads, and insect nymphs; taking a short creek walk; and floating down the creek on pool floaties. Audrey and Mom went to Suttle Lake one morning so that Audrey could try stand-up paddle-boarding (she enjoyed it, despite the windy conditions).

On the last night, the kids enjoyed s'mores and sprinting. On Friday Audrey and Kate said their goodbyes and headed home, dropping Kate off at a friend's bounce-house birthday party in Beaverton on the way.

Camp Sherman Trip 2016

Audrey and Kate traveled to Camp Sherman this week for the annual Gutzler family gathering. A move to a different cabin this trip was a source of some concern for them at first, but was quickly forgotten once settling in and meeting up with cousins Lily, Cora, Liam, Elsa, and Wyatt. The group did not venture too far afield from Lake Creek Lodge (save for a shopping trip for Audrey into Sisters with Mama, GG, and Morgan). They were content to stuff themselves with lots of yummy food and sugary drinks supplied by great-uncle Mark and Sharon (margarita mix--sans tequila--proving a surprise hit), dress up in superhero garb supplied by Sharon, play in the pool, walk to the Camp Sherman store, and pose for lots of photos. New activities tried out this year were catching crawdads and baby fish in the creek to be "pets,"roasting marshmallows for s'mores in a new fire pit, a short creek walk, studying amphibian life along the fishing pond at dusk, and the kids getting some limited freedom to wander the resort on their own. (More Camp Sherman photos here.)

Alligator art

Kate and Audrey started the first of several summer camps this week. Audrey is doing a rock-climbing camp at the Circuit Gym, and Kate is in an art camp where she is making crafts out of recycled materials. Today she brought home a creation she's been working on most of the week, an alligator made out of a pair of pants, a binder, stuffing from a futon cushion, and other salvaged items.

Audrey Oxbow Park class field trip

Audrey's class went with a couple of other second-grade classes on a field trip to Oxbow Park today. (Dada went along as a chaperone, but got there late, as he and three other dads that were driving together got lost on the way.) The kids looked at animal tracks, looked for insect larvae and nymphs under the rocks in the river, and took a hike through some old-growth forest. Audrey was happy her friend Kamea was in her group.

Auction art

Mama and Dada went to the Alameda Elementary auction this evening, where they got to see the finished products of Audrey and Kate's class auction projects.

Making the case for a kitty

Audrey and Kate are lobbying to get a cat; two, actually. Kate took to the laptop this evening to articulate her case. Her note reads: "I need a cat, Mom. I will feed it. Please. I will scoop up the poop. Please. I do not need your help. I will care [for it]. Please. I will make [my] bed by myself. Please. Write back. From Kate."

RIP Raspberry

Just a little over two months after Kate's fish died, today Audrey's betta fish Raspberry also died. Audrey, Kate, cousin Lily, and their friend Olivia held a little backyard burial service for her this evening.