Can You Say "Epic"?
A few weeks before school was out, I was talking to my dad about how much the boys were looking forward to the summer and wanted to come down and visit with him and my family in California. I mentioned in passing that it would be neat if they could enjoy "Nana & Papa Camp" for a week or something. I simply meant like hanging out with Nana and Papa for awhile. What I didn't realize is that he'd take that little seed of an idea of run with it! Within a week or so, I heard back from my dad about how they were going to be hosting their first annual Camp "Pa-Na" (short for Papa and Nana, but put together to sound like an Indian name). He was so excited. He told me about when he was little and went away to camp like in the old Parent Trap movie with horseback riding and swimming in a lake and all that. This wouldn't be quite like that, but he and my mom had already started planning an agenda of activities, were planning to have the boys camp out in the living room in a tent and really go all out. It sounded so fun!
So, from Saturday, June 23rd until Friday, June 29th, my parents and sibs took the boys on a whirlwind of fun with Camp Pa-Na. It. Was. Epic. (At least if you are seven or nine. Totally.)
NOTE:
Since I did not personally attend camp, the following information is per the plethora of keepsake photos that my family took over the course of the week and what little the boys disclosed to me during our phone conversations. (They can be surprisingly tight lipped when I try to talk to them on the phone, but here's what I've gathered.)
Here was base camp. Is that sign not adorable?!
The boys were equipped with sleeping bags and a large flashlight for those midnight trips to the toilet. One must have his torch handy in case of bears or large stumps on the ground! I liked the foliage added beside the tent as a finishing touch.
The first day, Papa, Nana and Uncle Don took them out target shooting in the desert near Apple Valley. The boys were sure shots, getting to shoot on their stomachs like snipers hiding in the grass wearing a ghillie suit. Totally official. My dad brought his little chipmunk rifle, which was just their size. They also got to use his AR-15. Safety goggles, sound suppressors, and everything, it was a great set up.
The second day was Sunday, so they went to church with Nana and Papa. Then they hung out with baby cousin, Alex. Brendan found a puzzle to work on.
The third day, they went with Nana, Aunt Laura, Aunt Valerie and baby Alex to the LA Arboretum. They got to see peacocks and geese, walk by waterfalls and run between lush trees. They saw the house that was used to film the old tv show Fantasy Island ("The plane! The plane!") and explored some replicas of Indian dwellings. There are all sorts of interesting things at the arboretum.
The fourth day, they went to Oak Tree Village in Oak Glen. They went to the petting zoo and had some of their famous 5 lb. mile high apple pie!
They also went to the Mountain Town Natural History Museum and did some park hopping. Nana said that they were basically worn out at the end of each day, and I believe it. Good times, though!
On day five, it was amusement park time and they went to the big Scandia down in Ontario. It has mini golf, go carts, water boats, roller coasters and other carnival-style rides. MAN, these kids got spoiled! Brendan reported that he got a hole-in-one. Woohoo!
On day number six, it was the LA Museum of Natural History's dinosaur exhibit and prepping my dad's boat for an outing the following day.
My dad agreed to teach Caleb how to row his boat for one of his Cub Scout electives. So, he and my brother, Don, put the boat in the pool so that Caleb could learn how to do it before going out on the ocean. Then Caleb helped Papa get the boat ready for transport.
The last big day was lucky number seven. The whole fam (well, minus me, Jake and Riley) went down to Balboa to enjoy the beach and take the boat out. Caleb got to do his rowing, then all the guys took a turn getting their upper body workout. Papa took anyone who wanted a ride out for a sail. Then it was time for some authentic Balboa bars. Holy cow!
It was the time of their lives. Both boys were devastated when it was time to leave Nana and Papa's house. I think they will be counting down until the next time they can go to California and live it up.
So, from Saturday, June 23rd until Friday, June 29th, my parents and sibs took the boys on a whirlwind of fun with Camp Pa-Na. It. Was. Epic. (At least if you are seven or nine. Totally.)
NOTE:
Since I did not personally attend camp, the following information is per the plethora of keepsake photos that my family took over the course of the week and what little the boys disclosed to me during our phone conversations. (They can be surprisingly tight lipped when I try to talk to them on the phone, but here's what I've gathered.)
Here was base camp. Is that sign not adorable?!
The boys were equipped with sleeping bags and a large flashlight for those midnight trips to the toilet. One must have his torch handy in case of bears or large stumps on the ground! I liked the foliage added beside the tent as a finishing touch.
The first day, Papa, Nana and Uncle Don took them out target shooting in the desert near Apple Valley. The boys were sure shots, getting to shoot on their stomachs like snipers hiding in the grass wearing a ghillie suit. Totally official. My dad brought his little chipmunk rifle, which was just their size. They also got to use his AR-15. Safety goggles, sound suppressors, and everything, it was a great set up.
The second day was Sunday, so they went to church with Nana and Papa. Then they hung out with baby cousin, Alex. Brendan found a puzzle to work on.
The third day, they went with Nana, Aunt Laura, Aunt Valerie and baby Alex to the LA Arboretum. They got to see peacocks and geese, walk by waterfalls and run between lush trees. They saw the house that was used to film the old tv show Fantasy Island ("The plane! The plane!") and explored some replicas of Indian dwellings. There are all sorts of interesting things at the arboretum.
The fourth day, they went to Oak Tree Village in Oak Glen. They went to the petting zoo and had some of their famous 5 lb. mile high apple pie!
They also went to the Mountain Town Natural History Museum and did some park hopping. Nana said that they were basically worn out at the end of each day, and I believe it. Good times, though!
On day five, it was amusement park time and they went to the big Scandia down in Ontario. It has mini golf, go carts, water boats, roller coasters and other carnival-style rides. MAN, these kids got spoiled! Brendan reported that he got a hole-in-one. Woohoo!
On day number six, it was the LA Museum of Natural History's dinosaur exhibit and prepping my dad's boat for an outing the following day.
My dad agreed to teach Caleb how to row his boat for one of his Cub Scout electives. So, he and my brother, Don, put the boat in the pool so that Caleb could learn how to do it before going out on the ocean. Then Caleb helped Papa get the boat ready for transport.
It was the time of their lives. Both boys were devastated when it was time to leave Nana and Papa's house. I think they will be counting down until the next time they can go to California and live it up.
Yeah, we're quirky like that. Thanks,everyone, for a rockin' time!
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