Mills & Syddles: June - the end of school and more camping!

Just when you think her hair has grown out enough to lay down, she wakes up with the most incredible bedhead! I think chlorine hair contributes to it also. Back at the pool quite a bit these days!

Ugh. Another mole removal. This one came back from the biopsy as the most common and treatable form of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma. I had a procedure to remove it, which wasn't too big of a deal. The girls always get so concerned though. And Syd cries when she sees me with stitches. Sweet caring hearts. <3 They get tired of me preaching SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN!

Millie had a little science project for school where we floated an egg in salt water. Well would you look at that, it worked!

Syd squared living the good life. I've been taking the three girls to the pool in the evenings for late swims and it's been great!

We still love going to the Cruiks for swim and play time. George loves it too.

That pizza was delicious, eh Syd??

You know what this means: time to go camping! With all that has been going on (homeschooling, race riots, virus pandemic, quarantine, skin cancer), I decided we needed a mental reset. So off we go for another week at Devil's Den where time stands still and cell phones don't work.

Back at "the beach" Video: devils den swimming hole

This one prefers to get her feet wet and that's about it. Can't really understand why. She loves to swim in pools. Maybe she's afraid of snakes? We do see quite a few (non-poisonous) water snakes here.

The first day was a scorcher, so we spent a good deal of time inside. Good thing we get a long. Playing cards with JKK is one of my favorite things.

And eating grass is one of Lily's favorite things...

The next day, Nana, Kendyl, and Hazel came to camp! Kendyl was visiting from Colorado, so it worked out perfectly.

The girls loved having Hazel with us.

First up: yellow rock trail hike!

We made it! It was hot though, so we didn't spend long at the top.

Rock painting

It's just beautiful down in the den

Millie and Kendyl did some cliff jumps! Millie only on the lower one though.

Brave girl! Video: Kendyl jumps!

Aughhhhhh! These things were everywhere this week. They shy away from people, so they are easy to avoid. But we have to go and stand guard on the beach and tell the girls to get out of the water when we spot one. They pop up without notice. It's a bit much for Syd. She has so many questions about how long they can breathe underwater and how far down they can go, etc.

Hey cutie! Video: Hazel visits the swimming hole

Syd LOVES to play games. She's excited to be old enough to play card games like Uno and SkipBo. She does a great job!

Millie does a great job too, she just has less patience for games.

JKK had to go back and forth to work a few times, and one night he hit a deer on the way home. A bit scary, but he was fine. He still got in some good time at the campsite.

Hazel was unsure of the water. Not a fan just yet. As Syd told her, it's part of life. You're just gonna have to live with it, Hazel. YOU DRINK IT. Video: Hazel is starting to get more comfortable

Rock-skipping: why are guys so good at this?!

So glad they came out to camp with us for a couple of days!!

Performances at the amphitheater are a must.

The audience was in awe.

Look at that spoiled puppy!!

Nana fixed us the BEST campfire breakfast!

I find these beauties on my phone pretty often. ;)

Daddy's girl always and forever <3

Saying goodbye to Hazel was hard!

We had a lot of downtime and it was good for all of us. The girls skipped the last week of school to go camping, which they weren't mad about. It was soooo relaxing. Thankful we have these times together. Thankful JKK is willing to go move the camper when necessary and do so much work and drive back and forth when necessary. Thankful the girls behave so well and entertain themselves. Thankful I get rest and reading time too. Thankful Lily gets to come with us. Thankful we have such a nice camper to make it all so easy. We are some lucky ducks!

Syd usually falls asleep on the way home. Camping wears them out in the best way possible! And not one mention of Roblox all week.

Always good to be home though!

Back in the snake-free water for evening swims again!

Whoa! Another good one. Last day of third grade for this one!!

Soon to be 4th and 2nd graders!

Beginning and end of year comparison. They've grown taller and their hair is longer!

Mask up...time to leave the house.

For the last day of school, the teachers gathered for a drive-thru parade. Hopefully this will be our last! Good to say goodbye to everyone. We made it!

Millie really does notice all the details and processes things before acting. I told her she might be good in the FBI one day. She was unimpressed.

Millie's teacher sent some pics from their outings this year. I'm so glad she had 7 months with her class before homeschooling started. She had a great year!

Syd really does have the BEST handwriting!

TCBY celebration, of course

Last Girl Scout event of the year: the camp-in! We would normally get together some place with our troop for a camp out, but with the pandemic restrictions, we have to camp at home and hang out on a zoom call. Syd was thrilled. JKK set up these little tents for the girls and they slept together in the dining room that night. It was so fun for them!

The troop leader dropped off supplies for some arts and crafts and these delicious little s'mores pies!

sisters in a tent in the dining room watching a little tv before lights out

Milestone alert: Piddy is going on her first sleepover! Syd H. invited her to sleepover last weekend and she was SO EXCITED. Those two are so alike in so much: they love to craft and play games, they are shy and introverted, they can be a bit anxious at times, they are homebodies, they love their pets and they really love sleep. They wore themselves out doing a ton of activities at Syd H.'s house and were both asleep by 9pm! Ha! Now that is Piddy's kind of sleepover. She came home the next morning so proud of herself and feeling like such a big girl. I'm glad her first experience was a good one!

Millie went on a sleepover to Sage's house on the same day. So JKK and I found ourselves with some free time. I chose to do a little crafting with my alone time. ;) Midge and I did these tiger king paintings that were actually quite fun (and fancy).