The first week of summer we went to “Grandma Camp” with Jim’s Aunt Susie at her cabin in the woods. It was phenomenal! She and a girlfriend of hers both bring their grandkids and they put on a half-week of non-stop, old-fashioned, out in the woods, back-country fun! We went creek stompin’, fishing, hiking, animal foot print tracking, paddle boating, and canoeing. And intermittently the boys went ‘tetter-totting on her commercial grade teeter totter, where countless injuries occurred – but hey, that’s part of camp!
We sang songs each night and put on a talent show – complete with prizes! (Thanks to Aunt Susie!) We found bucket loads full of Geodes in the creek and smashed them with hammers for hours, we also painted other large flat brownstone we took from the river that made wonderful pallets for young artists. We hiked in the woods with our hand-carved and painted walking sticks that Susie had given the kids for Christmas, each with a different animal as the handle. We did a nature scavenger hunt finding treasures in God’s creation and we did a treasure hunt searching for clues to find a hidden treasure. We roasted marshmallows each night and we made “Hobo dinners”which entailed each child making a tinfoil pouch with veggies, cheese and hamburger meat that we broiled and savored. We ate each meal on the screened porch and Aunt Susie (aka Grandma Susie to some) had marked shuffle board course on the smooth deck of the porch and man on man combat shuffle board contests ensued (at least from my children!) Who knew shuffle board to be a combat sport?!?
Aunt Susie didn’t object when Carter was begging to use her push mower to mow the grass. By the time we left he had mowed her whole dam and the grass on the drive on the way in.
Grandma Carol brought a recipe for magic bubbles that included corn syrup which made the bubbles extra large and more durable so you could actually catch them in your hands. Some were mesmerized for at least an hour with that magical activity! Others teeter tottered the time away but enjoyed their own fun.
And really, that was the whole point – to just have fun. Meals were effortless, songs slipped off the tongue, bedtimes were strictly dismissed and the only rule was no electronics allowed.
I told Susie, I don’t know how we’ve been so fortunate to be included in this special memory making week she does for her grandkids for the third time straight, but I’m so grateful that we are! A new sign she bought in the local town gift shop that was hanging by her back door provided the answer. It read “Nana’s House – where cousins come to become best friends!”
These are special memories that I know all these children will cherish for years to come! I know I will!
And it’s also a mental note of the kind of Grandma I want to be in the future! One who creek stomps and giggles and creates an atmosphere of fun because that’s where memories are made!
