Horn Creek 2012

  We just got back from Horn Creek on Saturday and have been slowly adjusting back to normal non-vacation life.  We had such a great time at Horn Creek.  I wouldn’t describe it as relaxing, but it’s pretty doubtful we’ll be describing anything as relaxing in the next several years.  We met lots of new families, and since it was foster and adoptive week we (for once!) didn’t feel like the weird ones.  We didn’t even seem like we had a large family in this group – it was great!  We even got to meet a family who, prior to camp, we had only had contact through the blog!

  Tootaw did great the whole week, and I’m pretty convinced that she will be our easiest child.  She’s pretty quiet, and actually listens when I ask her to do something!  (Who knew children like that existed???)  It was a great bonding time for her with us and Bella absolutely loved having her there.

  One of my greatest concerns in having Tootaw move in has been Sylvia – because they are the same age and Sylvia will have to share Bella with someone who she is, by default, more attached to than to Sylvia. About halfway through the week Brian had a conversation with Sylvia about having Tootaw with us and gave her the opportunity to share if she didn’t like the dynamic of her being there.  Sylvia thought about it for a moment and then said, “Nope, I just like having another stister.”  That gave this Mama a little sigh of relief.  I love that girl and her big heart.

 

  We managed to come home with nothing short of one concussion, one broken arm, three cases of pink eye, one child with a fever, and one child with a bad rash all over her face.  Let’s hear it for vacation!

 

Naomi LOVED playing in the rocks and dirt.  She could have done that all day everyday and been happy.

 

 

 

Sylvia and Tootaw on the hanging log.  (They hang a log from the ceiling and you and a partner have to straddle it and try to knock each other off with pillows.) 

 

Bowling, which I’m pretty sure was Tootaw’s favorite part of the whole camp.  Although it was hard to tell.  Approximately 10 times per day she’d look up at me and say, “This is fun!”

 

 

 

Teeter tottering on half a log at the playground.

 

 

 

Catching pancakes for breakfast one morning!

 

 

 

Success!

 

Painting rocks to take home as souvenirs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swinging, which comprised about 3/4 of our week.

 

The swing that Sylvia fell off of and broke her arm.

 

Cousins.  Sylvia was saying, “It’s ok, Timmy will be safe because he is holding my hand.”

 

We drove into Colorado Springs one day and went to Garden of the Gods and Whit’s End.

 

 

 

 

 

Ice cream at Whit’s End.

 

 

 

Horseback riding at Western Night!  Sylvia and Tootaw both loved it – but after last year, we made sure that Bella stayed VERY far away from the horses!

 

 

 

Sisters at Western Night.

 

Square dancing.

 

The part of the week where everything starts to run together.  Sylvia fell off of the swing at the playground and got a concussion and broke her arm.  No. Fun.  I felt so bad for her, but she was so brave!  We took her straight to the clinic where they did x-rays and wrapped her up.

 

 

 

On a nature hike.

 

 

We had another fun year at Horn Creek.  For the returning families, it’s fun to watch everyone’s families grow and change.  We feel so blessed to get to have such a wonderful vacation tradition with our girls.