Ingersoll Goodbye

This year was Elizabeth's last year going to Camp Ingersoll.  As a 9th grader, she ages out of Ingersoll unless she wants to return as a CIT - and at this time, that's not something she's really interested in doing.  She spent the last session as she's spent the last five years - with her best friend Katie in Fort Building.  They had a great two weeks together and we loved seeing their fort and spending time with them at our final Family Night.

With only a few days left at camp, Fort Building went to "high ropes" and the camp photographer just happened to be there at the same time.  I was able to grab these great photos of Elizabeth and Katie from Facebook. 

Fort Building.  In a wild coincidence, the counselor for this camp was the next door neighbor of one of my dearest friends and Elizabeth bonded with him immediately. 

Family Night 

Elizabeth and Emily at the fort.

Elizabeth and Katie, just before placing their candles on the raft to end Family Night.

Summer Camps

The girls both spent a few weeks at camps over the summer although for the first time, they didn't go to any together.

Emily went to four different soccer camps over the course of the summer and loved every one of them!  Here she is, flexing at the fields and sporting her Team USA tank top.

Emily's last soccer camp was for travel soccer players only.  Several of her Magic teammates were also at camp that week and we hosted them all at the pool club for a few hours.  It was the "best day ever" according to Emily - she had so much fun.  For a girl that never has a birthday party, you can see how hosting nine of your teammates for an afternoon of swimming would be a blast.

Showing off the forts from Fort Building at Camp Ingersoll. 

Family night with Lila - who lives in NYC and the girls only see during Camp Ingersoll each year. 

Ingersoll

As they do each summer, the girls spent at least one session at Camp Ingersoll.  Elizabeth was in the Fort Building specialty camp for two sessions (four weeks), while Emily was in Mega Fort Building for one session (she spent the other two weeks at two different soccer camps, getting ready for the season).  They had a great time - loved their counselors, got to work with tools, made new friends and reconnected with old friends.  Ingersoll is such a huge part of their summers and I'm so glad that they have the chance to experience it.

Emily on a swing built by Mega Fort Building.

Her walking stick....

Every camper getting hi-fived by the counselors at the close of family night.

August Odds and Ends

Photos that didn't make the cut in August, which seems like such a long time ago!

Mardi Gras day at Camp! 

Loving every single moment of summer! 

Hula hooping while her nails dry - a multi-tasker.

Fun at the pool.

Half marathon training.  Long runs = compression sleeves for recovery.  Tough to get old.

Some things never change.  May she always love books.

Lost another tooth!!

The weekend that I went to Maine with the girls, Lee made a fire pit for me.....

Travel soccer camp for a week.  Total exhaustion at the end of every night, but eager to go every morning.  And look at those socks.  This girl is a fashion plate.

Strong is the new skinny - her new favorite headband.  We are doing our best to raise strong women (mind, body and soul), and athletics are so good for these two.

Back to school night (day before the first day).

Camp Ingersoll

The girls only spent one session (two weeks) at Camp Ingersoll this year but it was still a great experience.  They attended the same specialty camp - Mega Fort Building - and had a great time building and playing for two weeks.  The last session of camp always includes the Color Games and as you can tell from the photos below, they were on team blue.  While blue didn't win, they still had a great time with all of the games and competitions involved. 

They begged for blue hair - I found a hair chalk which rinsed out of Emily's hair after two washes; it wasn't until Elizabeth swam in chlorine that the last of the blue came out of her blond hair. 

We checked out the new amphitheater for the first time at the last family night of the summer. 

In their fort. 

With Leila, their NYC buddy that returns every summer.  This friendship is one of the amazing things about Camp Ingersoll. 

Singing the Camp Ingersoll song - cue the lump in my throat. 

The girls with Leila, at the beginning of the candlelight ceremony. 

The barge of candles, out on the lake.