neighbor field trip

for many years, neighbors from the tenney lapham neighborhood go camping together. it's changed a bit over the years, but the essence is the same: extroverted neighbors who love each other and feel strongly about fostering the community connection village that works to raise our children all converge at the wyalusing state park indoor group camp. we all sleep in bunk houses, eat in the gathering room, make food in the industrial kitchen, have a fire in the firepit, and generally have a wonderful and relaxing time. i love it.  we went in 2016, again in 2017, we went this year, and will just keep on going and going until we don't want to anymore.

and this year, the old guard completed the transfer of their tradition: none of the older families came, and population was entirely younger families with younger school aged kids. it was amazing. and kind of like trying to live peacefully alongside a pack of feral dogs. but also amazing.

the threat of flooding kept some neighbors home, keeping the numbers at about half of the usual 90 people, and while lots of friends were missed, it was a nice size group. i like the big group too, but 45 felt nice.

waiting for the arrival of more friends, hanging on the slack line...


so any wild kids, running around a fire. what could go wrong?



the next day started with rain and more rainy day crafts than you can imagine...


big lunch...


followed by the annual hike down to the river


through the woods


with a detour to check out the cave (where new and terrifying risks were taken by few kids...not mine)



little girls on the edge of a very swollen mississippi


back at the cabins, the adults grabbed a picnic table while the kids did god-knows-what...


and then sara organized the talent show planning


while a kindergartener prepped the peppers for the dinner salad.


dinner


and after dinner? TALENT SHOW. the best. these kids are amazing.

dance routine? with scooters and ramona as...director? who knows.


this shy kid sang a song! (video coming...)


talent show scooter choreography was hilariously perfect, and these guys were so serious.

 and of course, the school songs were sung (lapham AND marquette songs) under the direction of neighbor and dear friend amy....who also happens to be the music teacher at both schools! (see, what did i say about my community being the village that raises my kids?)

and then we all had smores after a significant struggle to start the fire on wet wood with a simple flint stone. 

 

 next day good byes with this giant crew, and lots of "i'll see you this afternoon" and "i'll see you at school on tuesday" and lots of sweet kid interactions that are particular to that special friendship bond that neighbor kids can make.