Olivia at Camp

Olivia is having a great time at camp.  Her first round of activities included pottery, gymnastics. tennis and photography.  Rockbrook built their very own zip line on their campus.  I can't wait to hear if Olivia tries it out.  It looks like great fun.  They have held the Miss RBC pageant and Redbird Olympics and had a visit from the Biltmore (all you can eat) Ice Cream Train.

Checking in with Mac at Camp

One of McIver's camp counselors left us a message yesterday.  He said that McIver has buddied up with a little boy named Tommy and that they have become the leaders in their cabin.  McIver has signed up for archery, riflery and survival skills.

There is a Camp Arrowhead tradition where campers and staffers are separated into tribes for a bit of a friendly rivalry/competition during the camp session.  McIver was inducted into the "Boots" tribe (short for Bootashataloos).  Each tribe elects a chief, medicine man and dog soldiers (I'm guessing that's just everyone else).

So, bottom line, McIver has settled into camp well.  I've seen several pictures on the camp website and am confident that he is having a blast and not missing us at all...

Waterpark Fun

McIver's buddy, Beau, is moving from Columbia to Arizona next week.  We were able to enjoy an afternoon at the waterpark at Fort Jackson (Beau's dad is an army pilot) as a going-away party.

The last time we went there, the summer we moved to Columbia, McIver was not tall enough for the tallest water slide.  This time, he was able to enjoy it...

... and gave it two thumbs up!

Mac and Beau

McIver's Art Folder

Just a few of the art projects that came home in McIver's Art Folder from 2nd grade.

McIver's Camp Drop-Off

I woke McIver up at 6:30 yesterday morning so that we could hit the road to Camp Arrowhead by 7am.  He wanted to be there as early as possible.    As we drove down the long dirt road leading us into the camp, there were signs commemorating Arrowhead's 75th Anniversary.  Each sign listed different years in Arrowhead's history and what was going on in the United States and the world ... gas prices, world population, Elvis buying Graceland, first publication of Rolling Stone magazine and more.  McIver was most interested in watching the price of gas rise from $.10 per gallon to $3.92 on the most recent sign.

Mac spotted TenFoot watching over the road.

After we got all checked in, the counselors led us over to Mac's cabin.  There are five sets of bunkbeds, so if all of the beds are full, there will be eight campers and two counselors.  Campers on this side of the cabin all share a bathroom which is attached to the room.  I can't imagine what that cabin/bathroom will look like once everyone is all settled in.  McIver was excited to be there early enough to claim a top bunk.  He found a couple of nails/hooks above his bed and hanged his backpack filled with rest period activities inside.

McIver humored me with one (quick!) picture with his counselors before I left.  He couldn't wait for me to leave.  His counselors were super nice and kept asking me if I had any questions.  I just hope McIver has as much fun as he thinks he's going to!

Camp Drop -Off

It was a drizzly, gray morning when we got the girls unloaded at camp.  It didn't take long for them to get checked in, meet their counselor (who happens to be the niece of our backdoor neighbor) and get unpacked and settled.

Home Sweet Home for the next 11 days.

The view from the Junior Lodge where the girls hang out after dinner playing games, reading and doing crafts.

Dolly's Icecream Stop

McIver and I drove Olivia and her buddy Kit to camp over the weekend.  Rather than leave our house by 6am in order to try to be some of the first to arrive, we found a hotel not too far from Brevard.  I dragged the children with me to Cotn, a store with THE SOFTEST PJs and nightgowns, so the least I could do to thank them for their patience was to stop for ice cream at Dolly's.

No one even minded the photo opp.

Last Day of School

 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL:

I went to the awards ceremony on the last day of school.  It was so fun to see the children high-fiving their friends who were awarded citizenship, attendance and principal's awards.  Toward the end of the ceremony, the 4th grade lined up and each student shared their favorite Lower School memory.  Olivia said being in Mrs. Herring and Mrs. Clarke's 3rd grade class was her favorite.

Olivia also received a certificate for her participation in the Recycling Club.

Create A Country & Baccalaureate

Last Tuesday was Olivia's Create A Country exhibition day.  At our school, at the end of each division (kindergarten, 4th grade, 8th grade and 12th grade) students are asked to participate in an 'exhibition of mastery.'  For kindergarten, it was the Habitat Day.  For 4th grade, it is Create A Country.  Not sure about 8th grade.  Graduating seniors work on their Senior Exhibitions all year long.  

Anyway, Olivia and her classmates each created their own country... everything from the name and how it was founded to what they wear, their government, economy, weather, natural resources and more.  It really is quite impressive and gives the children and chance to learn so much about the world.

Here is Olivia showing off her hard work ... a topographical map of her country, Clerides, her 15 pages of information about Clerides, a diorama of her country's bird, the Blue Clarke, and a model of the president's home.

Each student also created a Power Point presentation of their country.

 Tuesday night was the Baccalaureate ceremony for the 4th grade.  They don't really 'graduate' because they are still going to attend the same school next year, but this is a way to celebrate their accomplishments and the fact that they are moving from Lower School to Intermediate/Middle School.  Here is Olivia with some of her classmates before the service in the chapel.

The altar in the chapel.

Olivia taking communion with her classmates ... a fitting way to end her time in Lower School.

After a reception and lots of pictures in the new dining hall, our family celebrated with dinner at Forest Lake.

Olivia & Ford

 Olivia & Maggie

Olivia & Emma Lea

Olivia with Mary Fleming and Margaret

TEX

    I love my owners!!  They all love to take and give care for me.  Oh, and by the way, my name is Tex, and my owner's last name is Merritt.  One of my favorite things that my people do for me is throw the BALL!!!  They throw the ball for me at the golf course, our house, our neighbor's house, and my favorite place in the world, the lake.
     When I go to the lake, I always have a fun time, especially when my best friend, Skittles, comes.  Except he swims like a cat.  When he comes in the water, he likes to suntan on a raft.
     Also, at night, all my owners and I will take a boat ride over to some restaurant.  I don't really remember the name of it, but it usually has some dogs like me there that I get to meet.  One thing that I do on the boat is stick my head out the front of the boat, til I smell all the delicious foods.  One thing that they don't let me do there is swim; because there are some ducks there, and they won't let me get in the water since they think that I might chase them.  I probably will, it's usually fine because then I will get some cheese sticks if I don't bark, so I don't.  I just love going back to the house from the restaurant because my ears flap and whip against the wind.  Also my favorite owner, Olivia, tells me that I look like a Chihuahua when my ears do that, she says I still look cute (but I know that anyway).
     As we get back, my owner opens the door after the boat is parked at the dock.  Then they let me out because they know that I have to go to the bathroom.  When I get back, I eat, then I go to bed.  But, I have to hog the bed because I get claustrophobic.

(Olivia wrote this for Creations, A Treasury of Lower School Art and Writings, 2011-2012)

End of School Interviews

MCIVER - 2nd grade:

What is your favorite thing about 2nd grade?  Being in Mrs. McElveen's class

What is the best part of the school day?  Recess 

Who are your friends?  Too many

What is something you learned in science?  That there are special gases in space

What is something you learned in math? I learned how to subtract big numbers and how to round numbers.

What is something you wrote?  My forest sensory poem

What is your favorite art project?  The Mothers Day project

What is your favorite book to read by yourself? Geronimo Stilton

What is your favorite book that someone read to you?  Harry Potter

What food do you like to eat at lunch?  Hamburgers

What is your favorite game to play at recess?  Running

What is your favorite activity after school?  Jumping on the trampoline with my next door neighbor

What do you like about your teacher? I like that Mrs. McElveen always hugs me.  I like that Mrs. Campbell always  helps us when we work on special things like reading.

What do you look forward to for summer? Camp!!

OLIVIA - 4th grade:

What is your favorite thing about 4th grade? Create-A-Country

What is the best part of the school day?  Rotations (art, spanish and music)

Who are your friends?  Maggie, Mattie, Mary Fleming, Margaret, Kit, Lyles, Claiborne, Leah, Catherine

What is something you learned in science? About hurricanes

What is something you learned in math?  Fractions

What is something you wrote?  Create-a-Country and Creations (written from Tex's perspective)

What is your favorite art project? Making a mummy

What is your favorite book to read by yourself?  11 Birthdays (Mass)

What is your favorite book that someone read to you?  Love That Dog (Creech)

What food do you like to eat at lunch?  Ramen

What is your favorite game to play at recess?  Four square

What is your favorite activity after school?  Soccer

What do you like about your teacher?  Nice and funny

What do you look forward to for summer?  CAMP!!!

Big Canoe - Memorial Day with the YaYas

We parted ways on Sunday ... Sadie and Ash took James and Helen to the Wildcat pool while Dawn and I took the rest of the kids to the 'cess pool' (named because the smaller pool has sand in it from the nearby beach, not because it's really germy, or maybe it is, but it's more fun because it's where the rockslide is).

One of the children snapped a pic of Dawn and me.

Julia and Andrew had a ball digging in the sand (another not-so-appealing thought for the other mamas).

Kids lined up for the rockslide.

Another great kid shot ... Mac was off with his 'new best friends.'

He managed to come back to us just in time for ice cream!

Big Canoe - Memorial Day with the YaYas

The dads took the kids for a hike on Saturday morning.  This was the only good picture they got, but I love it.  They all took grocery bags in case they found any treasures along the way.

Then, we headed to the pool.

The beach was a hit, too.

Nothing beat the rockslide, though!

Olivia brought her buddy Margaret to the mountains with us.  It didn't take long for the YaYas to bring her into the fold.  She was a trip and a joy to have in Big Canoe.

Some kind soul took this picture of us on our way to the rockslide ... love!

Mac didn't love the rockslide last year, but he seemed to have a great time this year.

Still having fun.