Monday, August 5, 2013

Crayola Factory

One Saturday afternoon in July, we packed up the boys and headed to the Crayola factory to meet Dave's sister and her family.  The 4 boys had such a great time just being together!!

 Walking into the Crayola Factory.

 Cheese!

 Kaleb in front of the huge wall of crayons. 

 Kaleb and Jakey with the huge crayon. 

 Kaleb coloring a shark. 

 Jakey coloring his fish.

 Kaleb and Jakey working on a HUGE light bright!

 We tried to get a picture of Kaleb with the green water but it came out blue.

 Kaleb making his own crayon.

 Daddy and Jakey working on his crayon. 

 Jakey painting.

 Jakey waiting for his painting to dry.  

Austin giving Jakey some love.

The 4 boys!!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Camp Spofford

If you've been in the church for any length of time, you've heard the terms "spiritual high" or "mountain top experience" floating around your congregation.  That's what Camp Spofford was for me and my family. Between the teaching for the adults, the VBS-type classes for the kids with loving teachers and the awesome family time we had whenever we weren't being taught, we made some incredible family memories.  When we were choosing our week, we looked at the speaker schedule and found out that this week Tom Allen, one of our old PBU professors, was the speaker and knew that was when we wanted to go.  His theme for the week was "Becoming a More Fruitful Christian" and we learned a ton under his teaching that we're working on applying now that we're back to our normal lives.  On the drive home, Kaleb kept saying "I just wish we could go back to Camp Spofford!"  Plans were already made for a return trip next year!!

Welcome to Camp Spofford!!

 Our tentel - home away from home for the next 7 days.

 The row of tentels, lining the creek.

Jakey sleeping in a big boy bed for the first time.  He was very excited about it!!

Kaleb was equally excited to be sleeping on the top bunk for the first time! He had his face painted like a dog, hence the white goatee looking thing :)

*Little do the boys know that there is a big boy bed and a set of bunks ordered for them for when we get home!!

Right outside our tentel was the creek.  Jakey LOVED throwing rocks into it.

And the big kids loved hiking all up and down it. . .

. . .they even got to go through a couple tunnels when the daddies went with them!

Eric, Kel, Dave and I went on a hike one day while our kids were still in their classes.  We climbed these steps that were from an old mansion.  Going up wasn't too bad but coming down was a little precarious!



Every year, Spofford does a Staff vs. Campers softball game that Dave and Eric played in.

 Kel, the ever-present scorekeeper, even at camp!

 Eric batting

Dave batting

The boys in the field.

 During the game, Kaleb took up tennis.

 Not bad form!


 I was standing by the field watching the game.  I was watching the kids at the same time but I'm pretty sure this sweet girl thought Jakob was running around unattended.  She played with him for about 15 minutes :)

 Jakey loosing his drawers.  

 Cutie!!

Kaleb and his class doing a 4th of July parade.

 They also ran a bunch of tournaments thoughout the week.  Dave and Eric were the Baggo champs. . .

. . .and the Bocce champs!  Next year, there's talks of entering the croquet tournament as well.  
*Note: Shuffleboard was NOT a Kristiansen/Smith game!!  The wives and the husbands were both out the first round we played. 

Future Baggo champ - still decked out in his 4th of July hat!!

 Every afternoon, we went to the lake to swim.  Kaleb and Owen found a nice spot to stay cool.

 And this was Jakey's favorite lake activity - pouring water on Daddy's head.  

The big kids taking in some 4th of July fireworks over the lake. 

Most nights, we went to the Knutes (the cafe) for ice cream.  Having 3 or 4 desserts a day was a common fave for the kiddos.  We played a game called "Head's Up" that Eric downloaded on his phone. . .they were pretty good at it!

These are Kaleb and Owen's "I'm not smiling for your anymore" faces.  


 The three big kids climbing a tree while we played shuffleboard.

 Kaleb and Owen - best friends and worst enemies all in the span of 5 minutes.  They're more like brothers than friends.

My little monkey.

 Jakey on the horse swing at the playground - his favorite place!

My little casanova found his pockets.

 The 4 kiddos.

 Our new family picture :)

The whole group!!