Oy Vey

I need a vacation to recover from my vacation.





Got home this afternoon, did chores, unpacked the van, put everything away, bathed four unbelievably dirty children, fed them, put them to bed, and now I am going to share a bit with you, and then go to bed.

Utterly exhausted does not even come close to how I am feeling.

What a busy, fun couple of days though.




Just getting to relax, and play with the kids, and watch them play, and visit with family,
and chat around the campfire….



it’s so totally worth the exhaustion I am feeling at the moment.

So here’s a few pictures of the first night.

Celebrating Canada’s Birthday!

I am going to post a lot of pictures, not all of them good, but I want to document the fun family times we have.

Sorry if it bores you.

Actually, I’m not really.

This is my blog, so I get to do what I want ;p

Lake Huron.

And Huron County rocks.

Duck toes in the sand.

Linda and her peeps:

Ava and her twin cousins, who are only a few months younger than her.

It was c-c-c-cold!
The high for the day was only 17 degrees.
And it was down to 8 at night.


It IS summer, isn’t it?

Fightin’ with the Duck-man.
Check out the grimaces on the menfolk….

An upside down Ducky.

He is my sister Sarah’s boy.


So, my nephew.


Just in case your brain is functioning at the same level mine is at the moment.

Awwwww.

I love this picture.

Little brother….
wearing his sister’s sweatshirt.

Little brother,
freezing to death ‘cause he wants to show off his guns.

Ava eating her “chippies.”

How Nana looks when I try to take her picture.


Actually, it’s usually a beautiful picture of the back of her head.

Nana when she sees her Momma.

This little man loves the camera.
He’s been well trained.

He’s a flirt….

This tug boat cruised the coastline
filled with a bagpiper band.


I love the bagpipes.

The sun setting over the salt mine.

A few of the very many boys, contemplating the water.

Some crazy child.

It was 8 degrees.


8.

A jumping Justin.
They were trying to catch bugs.

And a Stewie....
 doing what Stewie's do.

This is the only picture not shot in Manual Mode.



Little girl cousins hanging with their uncles in the dug out sand chair.

This is the only time my flash worked.


I tried to get a picture of all the little boys in the “trench” they dug to sit in,
but I couldn’t.

I have no idea who these people are,
but they were incredible brave.


Why?


They sat in front of us.




And “us” consisted of:

gimme a second while I do the math….










31 kids.

Yes, I said 31.


And

20 or so adults.




We took up a lot of room.


And we’re not really quiet…..




Anyway,
I’m proud of this picture.

It was dark out, daaaark.


My aperture was wide open, and my shutter speed was incredible slow.

And I like it!

And then it started!

And that was it!

We headed back to the campsite,
got kids in bed by midnight,
and sat up way too late at the campfire.





And somebody MAY have been loud enough to echo off the barn.







And for once it wasn’t me.