Pine Cove Family Camp!

We just arrived home from one of our favorite get away times ever - Pine Cove Family Camp, so FUN, spiritually refreshing, encouraging, challenging - we loved every moment & can't tell you enough how much we recommend these camp weeks for families. Check it out at http://www.pinecove.com/ & GO!

The kids loved staying in a "real" cabin the whole week and the fun, games & activities seemed endless for them! We're still repeating so many of the chants & songs we heard all week, "Can't stop, Wild Kids rock, let me see that right foot drop, boom, shake it up, shake it up...etc..." I know if you've been there, you know what I mean! Each of our kiddos had their "favorites" from our time there...

Dawson loved the huge pool slide, riding the rocket inflatable behind the boat, getting to shoot BB guns, & playing with new friends. Spy Night was a hit for him, so fun. We were all challenged to try new things that week...Daws was so brave to go off the big high dive for the first time & to "try out" the zip line...that story is one to be continued...next year!

Noah loved boating, the big sand pit, and swimming, swimming, & more swimming! I think he has a crush on the "Bubble Princess," he's still talking about her. But what he seemed to love more about camp than anything else was just the dirt, he was a walking dirt ball & then after it rained, he turned into a one big mud ball. (:

Gracie loved going off the diving board, her first ride on the tube behind the boat (I tell you, the girl has no fear, that makes me very afraid), & getting to meet sooooo many new friends! I think she got to know just about every counselor there. She loved the attention & I loved the help.

Troy & I really, really appreciated the hearts of these counselors, their love for Christ is contagious. These college kids come from all over the U.S. & are ready to serve with diligence, they do such an incredible job! Mealtimes for moms had a whole new meaning, we actually got a chance to eat (imagine that!), while our table server helped with the kids meals, poured the iced tea, & got up to get every little request made known to them by those at the table - they were wonderful! I'm still trying to figure out how to get one of them to come live at our house for a few years. (:

The 2 date nights were fun times away for couples, and our early morning date times were so great too (a counselor came to our cabin at 6:45am to sit with our kids, wow!). We went on a trail ride one morning & ate the most delicious maple soaked bacon you have ever tasted, yum, nice & healthy. Another morning we went skiing on that nice early morning calm lake water, so beautiful. Our boat driver taught us both how to wakeboard (it kind of looks like a snowboard), O.K., let's just say I wasn't "quite" as good as my husband. (:

Troy's all time favorite thing from the week was definitely riding horses, the guy is just a cowboy, you should have seen him in the cattle round up. He's a natural, he loved it and I loved watching him, what a man!

My favorite parts were being on the water again, being together as a family & being totally unplugged from the world for that short time frame. I so appreciated the new friendships that God brought across our path that week, the encouragement that comes from just hanging out with other families who love God more than anything. And this week, one of those families we met while there is moving from Austin to Cypress, into our very neighborhood just a few streets over from where we live! How cool is that?

To sum it up, the week was one that "encouraged us onward!" So often, everything in the world around us can bring discouragement, feelings of defeat, busyness that can crowd out even our most important relationships. I know that we can't all just go live at Pine Cove forever, we do live in a real world that is kind of, well, hard sometimes. But we can bring back a part of Pine Cove to our lives everyday - serve others, encourage those around you, have fun, don't be afraid to try new & challenging things, be a friend, & most importantly, just LOVE GOD.

Hope to join you there at camp next summer!