Cousins Camp 2012

Cousins Camp 2012 was totally awesome. I learned a ton about myself. I appreciate living near my sisters. I appreciate my dad cleaning up a big mess he saw. I appreciate creative minds of children doing chores and creating a block mansion. All in all, a complete success. Not success as in everyone promptly followed directions and no one pooped in their underwear and my house was immaculate, but success as in cousins hung out together and loved each other and when the party was over, Johnny woke up the next day walking around an empty, dirty house, "Guys? Hey, guys! Where are you?". I love our family.

Quotes from Cousins Camp 2012

After the pinata, everyone got to choose 5 pieces of candy to save for after dinner. Then we went reverse trick or treating where we knocked on doors and gave away candy instead of asking for it. Lulu wanted to eat her candy right away. I just told her to eat one and save the rest. She comes running in to me with Weston close behind and candy wrappers in hand. Lulu: This is why you have to hurry and eat ALL your candy. Because Weston will take it!"

I don't even know how this conversation started...

Isaac: The average adult weighs 97 pounds.

Christine: Well, I don't think so, bro. Did you know Johnny weighs 220 pounds?

Isaac: Oh, that's only for females. Guys can go higher.

Nigel: Hey, you guys.

All eyes on Nigel. Seriously, there was complete silence.

Nigel: I love my mom and I'm going to marry her.

We spent the last day at Beal's house. I actually went back to bed and forgot to childproof lock the front door. They can open a regular lock but not the up high lock. So I hear silence around 9 am and I know I've been duped. Everyone had escaped down the street to Beal's. It had been a long week of 12 cousins with lots of needs and a personal re-evaluation about the timing of my future children. I finally get myself out of bed and head to millie's with my 2 children that couldn't escape. Kids are running around as we make a plan for the day. Imagine loud chaos. Ruby walks into the kitchen to Beal. Ruby: You need more kids. Aren't you lonely?

I knew that if I laid the law down the first night for bedtime, kids would be compliant for the rest of the week. They come up with good excuses but this one was specific to Ila's sparkling personality. I admit it was very tempting, for selfish purposes. Ila: Can I clean for a little bit because cleaning makes me tired.

Beal drove all of the big kids to swimming lessons every day. We decided if they made their own lunches, they would have ownership and more incentive to actually eat them at the pool after swim lessons. Johnny was apparently a little attached to his lunch. He came home from Beal's sobbing. After he calmed down, he was sitting next to Ruby. He whispered in her ear. Johnny: Hey! Do you know that girl that took away my lunch? Her name is Camille. I don't like her.

We had a lemonade stand. We learned how not to run a lemonade stand. Next year's will be better. Although we did make over $20. The shining moment of the lemonade stand was Isaac's generosity to 2 different customers at two different times. Isaac gives a dollar bill back to them so they don't have to pay. Both customers insisted he take it back, but he wouldn't have it. Isaac: Sometimes we like to just give back.

At the lemonade stand, tons of cars stopped. One customer asked, "What do you have?" Nigel is showing his business skills early. His eager reply: Everything you like.