Summer Fun with the Caseys

I know you're wondering what else we did this summer besides travel. Well ... let me fill you in! Shortly after returning from NY and parts East, we organized a youth group camp out/lock in at church and took 30 kids and adults on a canoe trip down the Cannon River. It was a beautiful day, and we didn't tip once, though a few others had an adventurous ride. We stop at an island about half way through our 12 mile journey for lunch and body surfing. This year the water level was just right so Paul didn't scrape bottom as he floated through the rapids!

In July I cleaned the garage and painted the patio to cover up the stain we spilled last fall sealing the deck. No pictures from those exciting events, but the next shot is from another youth group extraveganza. We had the kids come to church and sweep spider webs off the building and weed the landscaping before we headed to Valley Fair. Paul and I did NOT go on any rides that spin us upside down. It's not that we're chicken, but those on the ground would not appreciate what happens when I get dizzy on rides!
The first full week of August I directed Vacation Bible School. The theme was Make a Splash for Jesus and we turned our church property into a water park for a week. One of our men hooked up hoses and a pump from the lake to create water slides and the kids had a blast - teen helpers as well as the children. Nobody went home dry, even if they just got squirted with a squirtgun. The songs, stories, crafts and treats were a perfect way to fill the kid's lives with living water!
The last weekend in August before school started we spent up north at my friend Joan and Tim's cabin. It was perfect weather, and great relaxing with adults for a change! Paul and Tim put in a day of golf - 36 holes and Joan and I shopped. We had several pontoon rides to see the eagle's nest just around the bend from the cabin. I got a few small pictures, but Tim has a professional zoom and got some magnificent ones of the eagle and the loons, too.
The sunsets were amazing - a perfect way to end the day, sitting around a bonfire and watching God's handiwork.

Out East Part 3

We took a walk back in history when we visited Plimoth Plantation. We talked to actors who portray actual historical characters and they respond as if itwas really 1627!
We spent a day traveling from Lexington to Concord, just as Paul Rever did on his famous ride - except we actually made it to Concord. He got captured along the way. A group of Patriot reenactors were on site at a tavern along the road to Concord. It was a real family affair with moms, dads and kids sharing the lifestyle of 1775 activities.
We had fun golfing at several courses during our trip. This one happens to be in the Bershire Mountains near our time share. No hole-in-ones on this trip.
On the way home we spent the night at a KOA Kamping Kabin near Notre Dame so we had to walk around the campus to see the sights. This next picture is of the library which faces the football stadium. The mosiaic is often called "Touchdown Jesus" because it is visible from inside the stadium over the Notre Dame end zone!
Well, this concludes the pictures and tales of our trip ... finally! Most of you have probably all seen the complete set of 300 photos. It was a great time, and I have made a CD of just the historical parts to show at school this fall on my SMARTboard (a whiteboard that connects to a computer and can do all sorts of cool things!) Stay tuned for the further summer adventures of the Caseys. Hopefully I can get everything posted this weekend before summer is officially over.