I'm back. "Vacation" continues.

Well, it was a whirl-wind weekend of picking kids up at camp, driving, family graduation party festivities, camp laundry, more camp laundry and dropping kids off to camp again.

And h-u-g-e thunder storms and torrential downpours. Oh yeah, driving was fun. Not. It was so bad at one point that I (and everyone else on the highway - lest you think that I was just a Nervous Nelly) had to pull over and wait for it to subside a bit.

And DH and I have a fundamental disagreement about driving. Highways vs. scenic roads. No, it's not that simple. It's actually highways (sort of out-of-the-way) vs. the shortest route, even if that route is backroads. Guess who's on which side?

DH has satellite radio. I found the 70's station and had a blast singing off-key to some great one-hit wonders. The seventies was a decade of some realllly bad music, but I loved it all. :-)

Anyway, I didn't take as many photos as I thought I would, but I'll share a few later today. It was H-O-T this weekend and the party was outdoors, under a tent and it was miserably, sweat-trickling hot. Enough whining.

I wore the green Boden dress, but after I had the tailor change the straps from ahalter to a cross back, I felt like I didn't have enough support or coverage and I didn't want to be spilling out during the family party, so I wore a cute little green shrug type sweater. That didn't last long. I had my MIL pin the straps (real classy) so I could remove the sweater, and I don't know what was worse - the safety pin or my fat arms.

I almost wore the Ann Taylor dress, but not only was it silk (hot!) and snug around the ribcage, but I broke the strap in my sweaty haste to try on multiple outfits, so that choice was lost.

The party was nice, good food, a chance to catch up with relatives (less fussy than a wedding and more fun than a funeral), and a chance to see my adorable little nieces (7 year old twins and their 3 year old sister).

Darling Daughter is safely ensconced at my childhood camp. I wanted to stay there in the worst way. Did I mention that my grandmother, mother, and all my female cousins were also a part of that camp as board members, campers, counselors and admin staff (Mom was Nurse, I was Waterfront Director and my cousin was Asst. Director) over the years? From the camp's inception in 1937. I think that's a pretty cool legacy.

Number One Son is back at his Y camp. Looking forward to golf camp this week. He is soooo good with younger kids. he was outstanding with his younger cousins. I wish he'd show that patience and caring with his sister, but at least I know the capability is there.

I hope they're having as much fun as I did back in my camp days. I'm trying to be good at sending them cards and news from home. That was always a highlight of "rest hour" - getting mail from home.

I have to be creative, since Emma's camp now prohibits all food care packages - there's a worry about bears. Yes, BEARS.

So, I'll stick to magazines and puzzle books, I guess. Mickey would love food care packages, but he already has stuff I sent wth him and I don't want to give him *too much junk food. I know, what a killjoy. Sorry.

Besides, they both have access to a camp store where they can purchase treats.

So, my childless vacation continues. :-)

Enjoy the day.

We're off

to camp today.

Both kids are going to YMCA camps for the next 3 weeks.

Just to be clear - by their own requests - although there is the added bonus of child-free weeks, date nights, and the conspicuous absence of bickering. :-)

We'll pick them both up next weekend to go to our nephew's graduation party in CT, then Number One Son will go back to the Y camp and Darling Daughter will go to the camp that I went to as a kid.

Then, they'll both be at their respective camps for 2 weeks - and DH and I will be on a mini-vacation so we won't see them on the in-between weekend. :-(

They'll survive.

And not only that, they'll Thrive.

Swimming, boating, sports, crafts, music and drama, hikes and explorations, new friends, fun and No Computer and No TV. Sounds perfect.

They'll be old pros at this by the time they go away to college. And DH and I will also have experience with the empty nest and all that goes with it. I highly recommend sleepaway camp as part of the milestones of growing up - the independence, freedom and more. I think it's a part of healthy development - for both parents and kids.

And of course, it's fun, too.

Unfortunately, it's raining today which never makes move-in day fun.

gotta go.

Enjoy the day.