A Family Getaway

We finally did it.
After talking about it off and on all summer, we actually did it.
We may have done it a little differently than we originally planned.
We may have gone somewhere we didn't originally plan to go.
But we finally took a family vacation.
Not a long one, not a fancy one,
but a good one.
Just enough time away to feel refreshed.
Just enough distance from home to feel relaxed.
Just enough adventure to satisfy the need to shake things up.
Where did we go?
What did we do?
Here's a little picture of our home away from home (for 3 days at least)

 

We have good friends in Baraboo, Wi that own this little pop-up camper.  We gave them a phone call the day we wanted to leave on vacation and asked them if we could borrow it.

They said yes.

Because they are good people like that. 

They also towed it to Devil's Lake campground (after reserving us a site) and set it up for us.

Yeah, they win the 'Most Amazing Friends of The Year' award.

We showed up just in time to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich supper,  hug our friends and thank them profusely with promises to see them tomorrow, and fall into bed.

 

 

The next morning, after 3 middle of the night trips to the bathroom, we set up the rest of  our little campsite and made some breakfast.

 

H.H. was all over breakfast detail.  He's not only the best breakfast chef at home, he'd the best on a camp stove or over an open flame.  That's right, he can do it all.  

The boys helped to string up the clothes line. It had a little sag in it but we made it work.  One day they'll be able to do all this stuff without help. Troy and I will be able to wake up to the smell of frying bacon, with the coffee and tea already made.  (sniff, theygrowuptoofast) Hey, a mom can dream.
 

I stuck with my normal morning role, I mean, we weren't trying to shake things up too much, you know?  So I happily sipped my chai tea while I watched H.H. cook the bacon.  (it's crucial, even on vacation to keep some of the most important routines of your day consistent)

I think mornings are the best times while camping.  Something about waking up and sitting out in the fresh air, eating food prepared outside.
Maybe because we had nowhere to rush off to. We just took our time, ate our meal in stages, shared time in the Word together.
It was relaxing, and nice.

 

So our vacation was to go camping, which is slightly ironic since we work at a camp.  However, we haven't camped as a family very often.  Probably because we live in the woods where everyone else comes to camp.  The boys love it though, and it is one of the last affordable places to stay with a family for a few nights.

Plus, if you have access to a camper, it's not half bad.

 

Stay tuned for more of our vacation adventures!

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Jana

 

A Little About What We Did at C.A.

Many of you have never been to Canadian Adventure and probably wonder what we do up there.  
I want to preface this blog by letting you know that we always go up to work, but that's not what the campers go for. 
C.A. is there to help teenagers, men, women and groups get away from the hustle and distractions of life.  The point is to leave behind all the technological devices and demanding schedules that take your attention and instead focus all of your attention on Christ.  
Going remote forces a removal of all distractions. The temptation to chat on the phone, text, have your ear buds in 24/7, watch t.v., surf the net or anything else is all you'll have because doing any of those things at C.A. is an impossibility. 
You can't even jump in the car and drive away because like I stated in my last post, you have to take a boat to get to the camp. 
If you are really desperate and an excellent swimmer and feel like hiking a gravel road for a few miles and then hitchhiking, you can probably get back into cell phone range. 
If I were you, I'd just stick it out and see what God has to say to you during your time in the wilderness. 
Because instead of all your everyday distractions, you will be surrounded by some pretty amazing examples of God's creation. 
You'll be so busy hiking up to the tops of water falls and connecting with God and the people who came with you in your group, you will find yourself not even missing your cell phone or i-pod. 
And, you will realize that at the end of the week, you survived without face book, gasp! Although the first chance you get you will update your status telling everyone all about your trip.  
Of course I don't know this from personal experience, stop asking!

But, our group being a work group functions a little bit differently. We're there to get some things done. 
What things you ask? 
Well, dishes of course.
And of course I didn't take any pictures of me doing dishes because it is not recommended to take pictures with your arms elbow deep in sudsy water. It may be a bit damaging to your photo equipment. And of course I am the only person who takes pictures of myself, so henceforth there will be no pictures of me washing dishes forthcoming. But I did wash dishes. I did! 
About 5,000 of them.
I'm not even kidding. 
I had a lot of help though. My two boys are dish champs and a friend of ours whom I will call Wild-man Nate also helped.
Even the hard working men pitched in and of course there was the C.A. staff because let's face it, when you have 5,000 dishes to wash after every meal then you need some help. Or you'll be washing dishes until the next meal is ready and straight on till twilight. 
Understand? 
Good.
But the guys, they worked hard at lots of things.

There was the roofing job which took a couple days. If you look closely you can see Nathans hat peeking over the roof. And that's my man standing there looking hunky. And Ben was too hard at work to turn around so that's the view you get of him. Sorry.

Here Seth is overseeing the preparation of the next meal.

I know it looks like they are just standing around talking about the trailer, but it was really a discussion of the work that needed to be done on the trailer.

There is always a lot of discussion before the projects begin. 

And close examinations. 

And more close examinations. 

Here is Megan, she worked at camp all summer. She would prepare the campers meals and supplies for going up river.  That's right. They take you from your remote location and ship you to an even more remote location.  No hiking back to civilization possible from there. 

Dylan served for the summer as the camp cook.  There was no going hungry for anyone while Dylan was manning the ovens. So at least you don't have to worry about being deprived of food when they deprive you of your precious distractions.

Of course H.H. served as the official coffee taste tester. 

It's a very necessary job.

There are 3 other people who served on staff at C.A.

Wesley, he went with the groups on all of their adventures and played volleyball with them when they needed another player. 

Steve and Kris Tice are the camp managers. They will clean and shuttle and lead and cook and do just about anything to help you have a great time in the Canadian wilderness.

There was more work done by the guys but it would be boring to list it all. Just rest assured that they earned their keep every day.

But no worries! It wasn't all work! We got to have fun too!

More on that next time.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jana

Where Have I Been?

In Canada of course!
I took a voyage into the back woods, which is why I haven't been able to update the blog this past week (we won't discuss why it hasn't been updated much all summer). It is a civilized enough place where I was able to at least check my e-mail and face book, but blogging, well that was out of the question. The Internet connection there is even more questionable than ours here.
So where exactly was I?
I have no idea.
Ha!
I'm not really kidding.
But, it is a place called Canadian Adventure and it is the sister camp to Silver Birch Ranch.

This is the path you will tread upon arrival.
The camp is located on the Montreal River, many miles north of Sault Saint Marie.
You actually have to take a boat to get here.
That's right, no roads leading to this place.
We're talking remote people. R-e-m-o-t-e.

This is the first building you see when you encounter Canadian Adventure.
Appropriately called the lighthouse, it is situated just above the dock that your boat will be tied to.
Full of character and charm and life jackets, it greets the newcomer with a cheerful light and a sense of safety.

If you drive over to the boat landing and turn to look at where you have come from, you may encounter a scene like this.

Hmmm, so peaceful, the settling of evening.

A really fortunate person will get a moment like this.

In a blink it will be gone, but while you are experiencing it is is magnificent! I can't help but stand in awe of the Creator who paints the sky with such beautiful colors for my pleasure.

Thank you God.

It is truly an adventurous place to visit, this camp in the wilderness.

I'll leave you with this small taste for now.

Visit later for more about our trip into the deep recesses of no cell phone coverage and roads that don't exist.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jana