Thursday, August 4, 2011

Together Time

July is gone and it was my lowest month for posting all year. Just so dang busy around here!! There aren't any more ball games (for a while), but we've had swimming lessons, gardening, feeding the animals (or should I say HYDRATING the animals and plants in the continual HEAT), renovating, job interviewing, and just plain old non-stop something-always-going-on. Plus the fact that this computer is used by a child playing a game or designing their next "howrse" banner or Lego mini-figure from sun-up to bedtime, it seems. Whenever I do have a few free minutes, one of my offspring is already using the machine. Or my husband getting ready for football season. So the poor blog has sat unvisited for a while!

Needless to say, the annual Engelke Family Campout post is almost 4 weeks late. Here's an abbreviated version. July 8-10 we all camped at the Rustic Barn Campground by Kieler, just 20 minutes away from home. It was nice to not have to travel so far (you should see our aching Kwik Trip account!) and yet feel like you were "getting away"!  (Mark and Cy had to miss most of the action because they reported to all-star football camp on Saturday.)

Luckily, it wasn't as hot as it's been the past few weeks...but it was still hot enough for a dip in the pool to feel pretty darn good!



Marla, Julie, and I grew up together, so it's kinda neat to see our sons play together now.  Payton (far left) is the oldest (12) while Cy is almost 11 and Gabe (far right) is 2 months behind Cy. 
Tim & Maryellen (in the back with their baby girls) were the hosts this year.  They selected a great location, a nice quiet family campground.  They also provided hot meat sandwiches and hosted a wonderful supper on Saturday night! (and their newest daughter Annamae was less than 2 weeks old at the time!!)
The boys played bean bags well into the night (thanks to a strobe light/extension cord)!
I broke down and bought some cheap water guns at Walmart for the kids.  I think they had a little fun with them;)
It's fun to see the different age ranges of my nieces and nephews get together and have fun.  Whereas the younger kids ran around the playground and had water fights, the older ones hung out and talked.  Or texted on their phones LOL
Some of my nieces and nephews are married and have children of their own, like Brett's son Memphis who is a few years younger than Wynne.  They enjoyed some "beach time" together!  Wynne always has to give me a pose when I'm trying to take a picture.

My brother Ken (standing in the back) brought a projector and showed a few movies on the side of one of the campers.  How much fun is this?!!

The best part about the Engelke Campout is just being together, not having to worry about anybody driving home late after a day of visiting.  Every year is in a different location with different activities both planned and spontaneous, and that's what makes the weekend so special!  Thanks to Tim and Maryellen for hosting this year; our kids are looking forward to when WE get to host in 4 more years.  Let's see, Ally will be 16 and Wynne will be 9.....oh boy that sounds so far-off! and yet I know it is not!




The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.--Psalm 145:18 ESV

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