Camp Gigi: Home Again

08 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#campgigi, Camp Gigi 2018, grandchildren

Heading home.

Passed right by his moms to greet his “ADRIAN!”

Showing Elliot his contribution to the welcome home sign.

He got stickers at the fire department and gave the dog one to his brother who loves “woofs.”

He got a surprise ball at HUBBUB and saved it all week for his baby brother.

And then I got to spend some hours with the littlest Little while the moms took Elliot out for lunch and fun.

Bee lover.

Fearless.

Looking for the perfect ball. Or train cars. Or something.

Scooter master at 2 years, 2 months.

Camp Gigi: Day 6, last day

08 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#campgigi, #seminaryhillnaturalarea, activities with grandchildren, Camp Gigi 2018, Seminary Hill Natural Area

Going to miss this irrepressible little guy. Fortunately, he lives close by! We’ve had a great time.

Me: “I love you so much, Elliot Hill!”
E: “I love you more, Gigi!”
Me: “I love you more than the stars in the sky!”
E: “I was just going to say that!”
E: “But I love my baby brother more than I love you, Gigi.”
Me: “That is as it should be.”

We checked almost everything off our list, and had some surprises to boot.

Looking for the perfect screw.

Building project with bling.

We installed our art work.

The stick is for spider webs, not bears; though our resident bear was spotted this week eating berries along the trail.

Staebler Point.

Picking peas to take Auntie Squirrel, also carrots and lettuce.

We were going to a movie at the Olympic Club, but they changed it on Friday. We settled for a game of pool. I was more disappointed than he was.

Surprise treat! Aunt Becca asked her friends the firefighters for a tour!

The jump seat where our new friend Alex rides.

Flowers and vegetables to Auntie Squirrel.

Final night.

Camp Gigi: Day 5

05 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#campgigi, activities with grandchildren, Camp Gigi 2018, caring for a grandchild, Centralia splash park, creating memories, grandchildren, Three of Earth Farm

The penultimate day of Camp Gigi; “already.” Somehow I wasn’t so tired today; and we aren’t ending tomorrow after all. Elliot is relentlessly happy. Everything we do is “so fun.” Except for the later rescinded “No laughing, or Camp Gigi is over!” when he thought I was laughing at him, and a couple of “I don’t like you, Gigi,” quickly followed by a heart felt apology, he has been cheerful to a fault.

Another busy day, beginning with making donuts and eating them in the garden before picking another carrot or two, peas and lettuce that we took to the neighbor because we share our bounty when it’s more than we can use, and digging a few more potatoes. And, the first tomato was finally ready! (My neglected garden is a disaster! Next week some attention.)

We made muffins and cleaned the AirBnb in preparation for next week’s full house. (The cleaning might have gone more quickly had he not been following me around so closely he stepped on my heels.)

We returned to the library, and of course to HUBBUB and Aunt Becca. And FINALLY it was warm enough for the splash park.

Tacos for dinner, including the first tomato. In the middle of ice cream, he said, “I’m tired, Gigi.”

Camp Gigi: Day 4

04 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#campgigi, alcohol ink on tile, Camp Gigi 2018, Fourth of July, Fourth of July parade., string art, Summerfest

The day began early with Summerfest (aka Fourth of July) Pancake Breakfast at the park. And the playground, and hide and seek with Aunt Becca who was supposed to be flipping the flap jacks, and a checkout of the block house from pioneer days. Gigi was ready for a nap. Only 9:45. Seriously?

Back at home we looked for the woodpecker we had heard much earlier in the day. Elliot spotted it in the maple. And then art time!

String art

Alcohol ink on tile. So fun.

And back to the park hoping to find the police and emergency vehicles on display. No luck. But the we watched the egg toss. And played on the playground some more. And got Ninja Turtle ice cream from the ice cream truck. (Disgusting stuff.) Then on to the parade!

Waiting.

And now the booming begins. It’s 8:00. And the official fireworks display doesn’t begin until 10:30. Elliot has made it perfectly clear he doesn’t like fireworks. Hopefully he won’t wake up. I don’t think I’ll ever be not tired again.

And he DOES NOT want to go to the river tomorrow. I was counting on that diversion.

Adventure Log: Northwest Trek, Camp Gigi Day 3

03 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Adventure Log, Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#adventurelog, #campgigi, activities with grandchildren, Adventure Log, Camp Gigi 2018, Northwest Trek, summer with grandma

It was an Elliot Adventure Day! Northwest Trek, up toward Mt. Rainier. Rebecca and I had never been there, but our parents took Elliot’s mom and uncle during a Camp Nana and Papa. It was a great pleasure to discover it with Elliot.

Time to take this show on the road. But not at 5:40. (Good color coordination, yes?)

Herself (photo by the passenger)

Gigi’s favorite: river otters

Looking for a bear. Found two, black ones. (The grizzlies habitat is being improved.)

On the tram.

Not on my head! Here to tell you, just half of the caribou rack is too heavy to lift. How the heck?

Ride ’em banana slug!

Okay, this one is too scary. Coming back down.

Helping Aunt Becca

Finally got rid of her.

The big hole side! He was a little squeamish as bigger kids ran up the small hole side and made it bouncy, but he had gained a lot of confidence and he hung with it and got up. So proud of him.

While waiting for me to unlock the front door, Elliot said, “Well THAT was a fun day!”

Over dinner:

“Did you have a favorite thing today, Elliot?”
“Yes, FaceTime with Mommy and Mama and Adrian.”
“Pretty special.”

Second favorite was the playground. 💜

Camp Gigi 2018: Day 2

02 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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#campgigi, Camp Gigi 2018, gardening with children, Seminary HIll, Three of Earth Farm

It makes me deliriously happy to have the opportunity to share country life with this little city boy. To see the pure joy on his face when he gets his fingers around a potato buried in the soil; feels to see if the carrot is big enough to pull; picks a fat pea, unzips it, and pops the orbs in his mouth; picks the red huckleberries and puts them on his tongue erases any doubt that coming back here was the right thing.

“Gigi! For dinner I want to have everything we picked in the garden!” You got it. (He decided not to try the rhubarb sauce on his ice cream though.}

Elliot Hill, this is your hill.

100 pieces, ages 6+. Pshaw.

Camp Gigi: Year 3, Day 1

01 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by Gretchen Staebler in Camp Gigi, writingdownthestory in Essay, writingdownthestory in Photograph

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activities with grandchildren, Camp Gigi 2018, grandchildren, summer with grandma

Camp Gigi with 4-1/2-year-old Elliot began at 9:30 this morning. Several major activities on the list have already been checked off, with four days to go. 😳 Year one, when he was just 1-1/2 his heart was broken when his moms left. Last summer he was very brave saying goodbye to his moms and baby Adrian. (We skipped the year between: two was a tough year, Gigi was not feeling brave.) This year bravery was not needed, he didn’t even wave goodbye. But he was happy to see Adrian, who was missing him, by Facetime at the end of the day. Bath, pizza/movie night, games (I was declared “incredible” in my ability to match his ColorKu marble pattern), four books in bed, and out in two seconds at 7:30.

8:00: I’m in bed too. Tomorrow is going to be really long.