My first Camp Longhorn adventure started today!

To attend to Camp Longhorn, you must have completed second grade.  That's me!  I start third grade in a couple of weeks.
 
I was up early and dressed for my bus ride to Camp Longhorn by 7:50am.  I ate a koloche, then Mimz, Daddy, and I were ready to leave Mimz' home at 8:15.  I was so very excited.  So were all of my adults!

Mommy drove to the bus pickup location and she was waiting for us to arrive.  There were nine buses.  Five of them were going to Camp Longhorn Inks.  The other four were going to Camp Longhorn Indian Springs, which is where I was going.    I was nervous since this will be my first time to be away from my family...and I'll be gone for TWO weeks.

When it was time for me to say goodbye, I cried a little.  Mommy cried...

 and my dad might have had wet eyes...

...and Mimz did too!  You would think I had never been away from them before..... Oh, that's right... this is the first time I have been away from my family.  I've had sleep-overs but my family was just down the street not three hours away and I've been camping with Cub Scouts but Mommy was with me.

Daddy took me to the door of the bus and I was tentative about getting on, but I went to sit with some other boys  (all the boys on the bus were my age).   By the time the bus was ready to pull away I was up moving around and meeting other boys.  I keep hearing that I will have a BLAST so that is my plan!

All the families waved as the bus pulled away for our four hour drive.  I heard we will stop for lunch, maybe at a fried chicken place.

Camp Longhorn Indian Springs address.

I can't have visitors or phone calls.  We will have a quiet time every afternoon and I can write on postcards to send them home telling about my activities at camp.

This is how trunks are delivered to each cabin.  These colorful trunks belong to the girls.   I'm in cabin RS Down (Rattlesnake Down).

One of my councilors helped me carry my trunk to the cabin.
I took a trunk and carried a laundry bag.  In the laundry bag were a pillow, sheets, blanket, and a towel and swim trunks.  That is what we will need before our trunks are delivered.  

My family can email me after 4pm today.  It's not using regular email.  It is over the camp's closed website.  The Camp Longhorn office will print off the letters and deliver them, sort of like the postman does at home.   (Barbara sent me an email at 4:01pm.)

 There are eleven boys in my cabin and four councilors.

We started having fun right away.

 This is our open air cabin (no air conditioning, of course).  We are ready to go swimming.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

I was going with my dad to pick up my trophy for winning the league baseball summer champiionship but I was busy playing so Daddy went alone. 

Besides getting a large trophy I got a ring for our great season of baseball.  I was real excited about that.

Daddy went to my house and got my packed trunk and laundry bag.  At Mimz' home we added a couple more things to the trunk, then I was all set.

I was so very excited.  I found out the bus trip will take four hours and I wondered if I could take a nap.  Mimz said I could but she thought I would be busy getting to know the my new camp friends.

I practiced opening my flashlights and putting in new batteries.

By 10pm I had finished my shower.  by 10:30pm I was in bed almost asleep.  I said I was anxious like I had been before I went to Disney World a couple of summers ago. 

Friday, July 27, 2018

 I slept until almost noon.  Acually GGM and Barbara laid back down and took morning naps and we all woke up about the same time.

I ate breakfast and read in one of my books about the Titanic before running off to play.  Xavier, Julian, Anthony and I played at Jayden's house all afternoon.  Barbara came to check on my three times.  We all played nicely, except Cullin, so he went home.  I'm glad he left.

At 6pm we all went outside and rode our bikes up and down our street, before playing baseball in my front yard.

My baseball team, the Cubs, won our league championship.  I received a trophy and a ring.  What fun.

I barely was willing to stop to eat.  All I wanted to eat was cereal.  Barbara tried to talk to me about camp but I was in too big of a hurry to get back outside with my friends.

All of my things are ready for camp.  They were laid out on the living room floor...

...but now they are in my trunk.   I leave for camp on tomorrow.
Daddy and Mimz came to pick me up around 8:30pm.  We were going out to eat and I spent the night with them.

reserved Thursday

Oh, dear, I forgot to write today.  I'll have to try to remember what I did.

Well, I did find these pictures and I don't know when they were taken:

 Me pitching

 Left to right:  Me, Caen, Brady, Kelso

Until my dad or Mimz picks me up today, I can't play with friends or use the iPhone or iPad. That is my consequence for my bad behavior last night.  Two kids knocked on the door but I could not play.
I slept until almost noon... no reason to get up since I couldn't play with my friends.

I didn't want to read.  I looked at my baseball videos on Barbara's computer. 

Barbara agreed to throw some whiffle balls to me if she could be in the shade.  Mr. Brad was home working in his garage.  He came over to watch.  When Barbara said she was done in, Brad agreed to throw me 20 balls and he expected to see some home runs.  We had to tell him a homerun was when the ball went past the sidewalk. 

He is a better pitcher than Barbara and I hit seven home runs on 20 throws.    It was sure hot outside but I enjoyed being outside moving around.

I threw balls to Mr. Brad.  He was a good hitter, hitting several home-runs.  We use a short plastic bat for this game.  Brad said the bat was so short that he could do better if he only used one hand on the bat.

Daddy picked me up around 3pm.

Mommy and Barbara think we have everything we need for me to go to camp.  I leave on Sunday.

I slept until 11:15am, I think.  Kids had already been knocking on the door to see if I could play.   When I did wake up, I had to eat breakfast and read for 20 minutes before I could go play.  I didn't want to read, but after I realized I had no choice if I wanted to play, I gave in.

I played all day with all the neighborhood kids, not all at the same time, one or two here and there.  There is a new fifth-grader, Jay, who lives next door to Julian and Xavier.  I like him.  

My day ended badly.  I was being mean to my mom, Barbara heard me and she got out her paddle.  I ended up getting two spankings and going to bed.  It was already late but I couldn't sleep.  For the next hour I was super polite and agreeable.   

Monday, July 23, 2018
Daddy and I went to Splash Town.  It was fun, but too hot.  Funny, too hot to be swimming. 

Daddy and I both got haircuts.  I needed one before I go to Camp Longhorn starting this Sunday for two weeks.  This will be the first time, I have ventured out on my own.  One thing I need to learn how to do is change batteries in my flashlight and my fan.  There is no air conditioning at camp.

Daddy brought me home around 7pm.  I played with the neighbor kids until dark.  Then I came home.  I stayed in my mom's room watching her iPhone while she worked on some project.

Anthony and I asked Mommy to take us to get doughnuts for breakfast, so she did. 

We played around here until noon.  Then Barbara sent Anthony home, because I was not being agreeable.   After a short time, I decided

reserved Saturday

I slept until 10am.  I was invited to Xavier and Julian's to swim.  I didn't have either of my swim trunks here, so I wore shorts.   I couldn't find either pair of my goggles.  I wonder if I left a pair at Anthony's.  Barbara says I'm going to run out of clothes and needed things, if I don't start keeping track of them.  She thinks I'm old enough to do that job, so she doesn't do it any more.

I swam and had tacos and spaghetti for lunch with Xavier and Julian and the Erickson boys.  They had spent the night.  I came home around 1:30pm.  I went over to Anthony's to see if he could play. He was asleep..... at 1:30pm?????

At home, Barbara decided I needed to do a chore.  She wanted me to help her put clean sheets on my bed.  I said I wasn't going to and I wanted to call my dad so he would come get me.   She said I was not going anywhere until my bed was made.  It a couple of minutes I changed my mind.  Barbara says I will have to make my own bed at camp so I better learn how quickly.

I'm supposed to read ever morning before I start playing but since Xavier was waiting for me to come swim, we let it slide.  Well, after I came home with no one to play with, she had an idea.  She wanted me to read.  I didn't want to and promised I would read with Mimz tonight.   She had me look at my Blackout Bingo reading challenge.  I have 13 more squares to do before I have Blackout.  I still would not read.

Daddy took me over to Mimz's home.  I did a great job reading to her.  I really enjoy the non-fiction readings.  Today we read about the Statue of Liberty and Veterans Day.  There are questions to answer at the end of the readings.  I had no trouble reading the stories at all.  And if I am quizzed about the information in the stories a few days later I still remember the facts.  



   

July 19, 2018
Today was the last day for summer baseball.  My team, the Cubs,  played our last game for the league championship.  We won, 8 to 3.  And I won the game ball.  My fans were Mommy, Papa, Mimz, and Daddy.  Barbara really wanted to be at this game, but she had committed to babysitting Anna Kate and Bradley.

That is my third time to win a game ball.  I played first base and pitcher.  I pitched well.  I had two good hits.  One was in the air to center field and I made it to second base.  The other was a single.  I stole home on an error.  And I made two double plays all by myself!  Doesn't that sound like I earned the game ball?

After the game, a man came up to my dad and tried to recruit me for a select team.  Daddy thanked him, but said I was committed to the Spartans.

I came home with Mommy.
      

I slept late even though I didn't go to bed real late.  Guess I was getting caught up.

I spend the day with my dad. 

I ate dinner and was finished with my shower by 7:45am.  

Alyssa, Anthony, Cole, and I had a slumber party at Anthony's home.  I stayed awake until 5:50am.  Cole stayed awake until 6:12am.  We slept until noon.  We went swimming in the afternoon.

I got dressed for my baseball game at 4pm.  My dad picked me up at 5pm and took me to our pregame warm-up.  The game started at 6pm.  My fans were Mommy, Barbara, Mimz, and my dad.  I played first base and pitcher.  I am a very good first baseman.  I pitched a couple of innings.  I threw a bunch of balls and I threw a bunch of strikes.  At batting, I struck out once and had a hit but was put out at first base.  I did earn an RBI.

My team won so we are going to play in the championship game on Thursday evening.  That will end the summer season. 

My second cousin Harper Gates made a select baseball team!  Way to go, Harper!

I spent the night at Anthony's.  We played well together all day.  Barbara checked with Mr. Mark and he kept saying the boys were playing well and he would send me home if he got tired of me. 

We tried playing Hide and Seek outside with Alyssa and Cole but it was just too hot.  Barbara gave us Popcicles.   Mr. Mark said he would watch us so we got in their swimming pool.

Tonight Cole was going to spend the night so I asked Mommy if I could please stay again for a slumber party. 

reserved Sunday

reserved Saturday

Jacob's birthday party

Friday, July 13, 2018

***computer problems and no electricity for 14 hours***

Daddy took me swimming for awhile before my 6pm baseball game.

I was the first pitcher and I did well.  I struck out a few batters and I threw a few balls.   I struck out batting mostly because I didn't swing at a couple of strikes.

My team did win.

Daddy, Mimz, and I went to Mel's Dinner for dinner.  I sure love their cornbread and fried cheese.

****computer problems for the last two days

I didn't fall asleep last night until around midnight.  I slept really late this morning, maybe it was noon.

Anna Kate and Bradley were here when I woke up.  We were babysitting this today so their mom could run errands.  We brought my "kitchen" downstairs so they could play kitchen.  Anna Kate fixed food and GGM ate it all!  Bradley was enjoying playing with all the food and dishes.  GGM fixed salmon patties because she knows all three of us kids like them.  But Kristan had stopped at McDonalds so AK and I at McDonald's and Bradley ate salmon patties.

 Bradley sure likes me. 

He follows me and climbs on me.

When he went down for a nap I went over to Anthony's and played there most of the afternoon.
Barbara dropped me off at baseball practice.  My dad was there with my gear.   I had one great hit.  The ball went almost to the fence.  Mommy came half way through practice and she brought me home because I was going to spend the night at Anthony's home.  Anthony and Alyssa both have baseketball camp in the morning, so they needed to go to bed early, so I came home around 9:30pm and finished watching the Astro's play baseball.   It was 11:30pm before I fell asleep.

I spent the day with my dad.  He brought me home around 7:30pm.  I played at Anthony's for about an hour, then I came home.

I asked Barbara if I could use her phone.  She had not forgotten that I could not use her phone or my mom's until Thursday as a consequence for not willing brushing my teeth.   (I did eventually brush my teeth, but it was too late.  I had already earned my consequence.)   Well tonight, after being reminded that I could not use the iPhones, I through a tantrum and stayed mad for about an hour.  When I finally got over it, I was a perfect little boy.  Oh, I did get two swats from Barbara during that time. 


I'm glad that the 12 Thai boy soccer team and their coach were rescued safely from the cave they had been stuck in for around 18 days.  So sorry one of the rescuers died.

I stayed up watching the Astro's baseball game.

My great uncle Donnie was in town on business.  When he finished he came over to Mimz' home to spend the evening with us.   I played catch with Donnie and he was really impressed with my pitching.  Daddy grilled steaks and made his fantastic squash and broccoli veggies and salad.

After dinner I played ball with Knox and his dad, Jake.  Mimz sat out on the driveway watching us and listening to the evening sounds.

By 9:20pm I had showered and was ready to relax with Daddy and watch the movie ET.  I knew I could not stay awake long enough to finish the movie.  Daddy remembers when his parents took Uncle Scott and him to see the movie when they were about my age.

Mimz was not the only person enjoying the cool-ish weather...Barbara and Mommy were outside enjoying the nice evening while sitting in an empty Hobby Lobby parking lot.  Mommy's car battery died and Barbara used her AAA membership to get it replaced.

Here are some pictures of Catherine's first couple of days:

Catherine slept well.  Bridget and Chris did not need to wake up Grandma, who had volunteered to help out if needed.

Here is a picture of me with the new Berneche family.

Catherine is so little... but she won't be little for very long.

Mommy and I started the trip home about 3:30pm and we arrived home about 6:30pm.  Mommy shots some hoops with me.  Barbara agreed to come outside to play with me if it was under 90 degrees...  it was 80 degrees, so she threw me a big basket full of whiffle balls.  I hit many home-runs.

My dad came over with my trunk for Camp Longhorn.  It is time to start filling it with the things I will need to take to came on July 29th.  I left with him.  He wanted to spend time with me.

Barbara shared this picture with Bridget.    I was wearing a onesie make for a one-year-old. 

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Papa and Andy played with whiffle balls with me.

About 10am Grandma and I went to the hospital to see Catherine and her parents.

Mommy drove up this morning (she could not take off work yesterday), so she could meet her new niece.

About 3pm Bridget and Chris got the okay to be released today.

they found this cute stork sign in the yard when they got home.  Who put it there is a mystery so they don't know who to thank for it.
 
Papa and Andy drove back home today.

Papa and Grandma's four grandchildren:

MONDAY'S CHILD IS FAIR OF FACE
by Mother Goose

                 Monday's child is fair of face,      (Mason and Bradley)
                 Tuesday's child is full of grace,   
                 Wednesday's child is full of woe,       (Anna Kate)
                 Thursday's child has far to go.
                 Friday's child is loving and giving,          (Catherine)
                 Saturday's child works hard for a living,
                 But the child born on the Sabbath Day,
                  Is fair and wise and good and gay.

Mason          9-21-2009        5 pounds  10 ounces      18 1/4 inches   Houston
Anna Kate    8-20-2014        5 pounds   9 ounces       21 inches        The Woodlands
Bradley        12-5-2016        6 pounds  4.4 ounces     19 inches        The Woodlands
Catherine      7-6-2018         6 pounds  12 ounces      20.5 inches      San Antonio

 

Friday, July 6, 2018

Papa and Andy drove to my house and at around 7:15am we started the three hour drive to San Antonio.  Bridget and Chris were going to have their baby this morning.   We thought we might get there before my cousin was born and we did.  We arrived about 10:30am.  Baby was born at 11am. Everyone, except Chris, had been told to leave the delivery room by then so we did not get to see Bridget before Catherine arrived.

CATHERINE DAWN BERNECHE was born at 11am.  She weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.  Both mother and child are both doing great.   The baby has Bridget's middle name and the same initials as her dad.  Chris' middle name is Daniel.

Catherine was perfect and scored a 8-9 on the Apgar test.   Bridget and Chris spent an hour bonding with her before we got to go in.  I wondered what was taking so long.

 I got to hold Catherine before she was 3 hours old.

She yawns a lot.   And we noticed that she twitches while sleeping like her mother does and like I do. 
They have a suite.  When you go in the door, there is a sitting area, then the next room was Bridget's room.  We had a celebration all afternoon and evening in the sitting area while Bridget took care of her baby.  

Grandma bought a San Antonio newspaper that they will save as a keepsake for Catherine.

Back at Bridget and Chris' home Andy and Papa played ball with me.  


   

Thursday  July 5, 2018

I spent most of the day with my dad.  I was supposed to have baseball practice but it was canceled.  Daddy brought me home around  6pm.  I ran over to play basketball with Anthony and George.  I then spent the evening playing with Anthony. When I heard that Andy and Papa were going to drive to San Antonio Friday morning I wanted to go with them.  My parents said that would be fine.

Driving by the clubhouse, we noticed this large pile of debris left over from the fireworks show.  It was a big big show.  I didn't see it but, Mommy, GGM, and Barbara did.
 *********************

In San Antonio:

At 8:30am Barbara texted Bridget to ask if there were any signs that the baby was ready to make an entrance.  Bridget's answer was "Not yet!"

Bridget's due date is July 8th.  She went to work as normal.  At 3:30pm she had a doctor's appointment.  The doctor told her the baby would be born tonight or in the morning.  On her drive home Bridget called Chris to tell him they would be going to the hospital that evening.  Boy was he excited.

They met at home and headed to the hospital after 7pm.  Grandma and Chris' parents arrived there later that evening.   It was an uneventful evening.  They just sat around watching Bridget.  They played Up and Down the River.   The Berneche's got a hotel room.  Grandma slept in her car for a couple of hours. The baby was not born tonight.

Fourth of July was a dreary rainy day for most of the Houston area. Some fireworks displays were canceled.

I mostly played video games with Daddy.

Mimz has been reading biographies with me, which are the stories of real people's lives.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Monday, July 2, 2018

I spent the day with my dad.

I came home to shower and I wore new clothes to a party with my dad.


FYI:   Breaststroke is my best swim stroke.  We went through my ribbons and wrote down my race times.  My first year on the team I didn't swim breaststroke.  So I have only been swimming it for two seasons:
6-13-2017    33.50 seconds
6-10-2017    29.84

5-21-2018    27.39
6-2-2018      27.88
6-24-2018    23.39   Divisionals

I'm improving as I get older, taller, stronger, and improve my breaststroke technique.