Travel Day Update

We made it ALL THE WAY OUT HERE to Buena Vista, CO. We started at 4am and arrived at 4pm CST. 

Here are a few tasty pics from the day: 

Loved snack time

In flight entertainment rocked our faces off. 

Matt and Asher looked like rock stars in the Denver airport. Guitar and cowboy hat. Hilarious. 

The kids sitting on top of ALL OUR LUGGAGE. Five checked pieces. Plus two carryons for everyone. Geez. 

A three hour bus drive through the wilds of Colorado. 

Arrival at last! We just found out that a leader on our Young Life team at TC Roberson hung this sign in 1993. Isn't that so cool?! So many pictures are taken under this sign every year!

Fake it till you make it. Not looking as fresh as yesterday. But alive and with full hearts. AND NO PUKE. It's a miracle!

It Begins Again!

Here we go again! Young Life has graciously asked us to go to Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista, CO for Young Life camp. 

We left yesterday afternoon for Columbia, SC and right now (4:44am) we are on our way to the airport! Flying to Chicago, then Denver. We will meet our team, board our bus and travel to camp-two hours away. This will be a long day. 

But at the end of the day, we will be sitting in the middle of a 14'r-Mt. Princeton. I can not wait. 

Here is the address for camp in case a little mail wanted to be sent our way: Frontier Ranch

22150 County Rd 322

Buena Vista, CO 81211

To recap, here are some pictures from the last time we were there! 

http://ashevillesloan.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html?m=1

We love you and will miss you all!

Playing Catch Up

Not to bore you with a million details, but obviously things have been hectic around here this year.

Lucy in kindergarten.
Asher in second grade.


Gymnastics.
Basketball.

Young Life.
Work.

Running half-marathons.

It's a zoo.
But a fun zoo.

Lately, our family has been trying to slowing down to enjoy the ride a little bit more.
It is a challenge to dial back our lives to see each other and make time for living rather than just surviving.
I read this article on the Huffington Post that got me thinking that our family really needs a better morning routine.

We will install the alarm clock idea.
Also, if we are late to school-SO WHAT? No one will die if two elementary school kids are late by 2 minutes.

I think I need to relax on this idea that the world will end if we are not in the line at just the right time. Any other good ideas out there on how to settle down your personal world?

Sleep-Away College

"Mom, I'm just letting you know...I'm not going to any 'sleep-away' college."

"Asher, you know you get to eat breakfast there," says Lucy.

"Mom, is that true?"

"Yes."

"Like cereal?"

"yes."

"like...sugar cereal?!"

"mmmmhmmm."

"Even marshmallow cereal? And pebble cereal? And fruit loops?"

"Yes Asher. You get to eat pretty much whatever you like at college."

"Sold! I'm going mom! I'll see you in four years!"

"Well...it doesn't quite work like that..."

(he stops paying attention while he dreams of ALL the cereal he will eat while I pay for that right.)

Daily Dose of Truth

“Dear God,
I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!
Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?
Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?
Please help me to gradually open my hands
and to discover that I am not what I own,
but what you want to give me.” 
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life

Welcome Back

Asher started the 2nd grade today.

He was so excited. He got the teacher he wanted. He has an awesome lunch box. All his school supplies. He was fired up.

Then as we approached his classroom he started yammering, "You know what? Summer was awesome. Let's do the summer over again. Let's leave. Let's get out of here and just keep on doing summer. Seriously mom. No to school. Let's just have more summer." 

Sorry bud. 

2nd grade is here to stay. 

Can't wait to see you at the end of the day!

Lucy starts school tomorrow. 

Stay tuned for this nut case: 

From the Grave

I just read this and I swear, my late grandmother Mimi could have written it:
Letters of Note: Regarding your dam complaint

Week 2 in Review

Week 2 blew right on past us and we are now nearly done with Week 3!
I am going to try to catch you up as best I can.

We started off on Saturday night when campers left.

Our friend Patrick missed his high school graduation to come on work crew. We felt like it was only right, when all of his friends were walking across the stage to graduate back home; to throw a graduation at camp.

Camp Speaker James Rockwell helping adjust the tassel.

Thankfully, the camp director agreed and printed a "diploma", grabbed a cap and gown from the prop closet and after campers left...the speaker (James Rockwell) said a few words about how so many of us have given up things to come to camp, but Patrick gave up a major life event that was taking place back home at that very minute and we wanted to honor that. Patrick walked across the stage to receive his diploma and the entire club room filled with assigned team, summer staff and work crew erupted in applause and started a chant, "Shelow, Shelow, Shelow" (his last name).
They then rushed the stage and went crazy on him.

It was one of the best moments I've ever experienced. Goosebumps all over.

It was WAY better than any high school graduation that I've ever been to.

And it was on the heels of hearing over 70 kids stand up and say they accepted Jesus.

So then going into the week, we had a BLAST!

Lucy and I grabbed tons of swag from the Volleyball Tournament.

Asher and Lucy looked adorable on Western Night.

Matt and the guys were hilarious all week. 

We took the kids on the All-Camp Hike and it was great! 

We have been loving it here!

Week 1 in Review

We have had an amazing week here at Crooked Creek Ranch. We have had so much fun that we have taken tons of pictures, eaten a half-ton of nachos and been swimming like fish. The weather has improved like crazy and  we all have sunburns because we are so much closer to the sun (9k feet in elevation). 

Check it out:

Jessica and Knox Odom

(L-R) Asher, Brandon Beller, Lucy, Jackson Patchell

Patrick Shelow (on Work Crew from TC Roberson, Asheville)

(L-R) Lucy, Rebecca Long, Hallie Hancock

Clayton Nettles (on Work Crew from TC Roberson, Asheville)

Colton Gibson (on Work Crew from TC Roberson, Asheville)

Asher and Jackson Patchell

Lucy and her beau Cruz Rockwell