McKnight Family Reunion - Day 3

Another good night's sleep for Hattie (after all the years of bad sleep there with our girls, we definitely appreciate their new found skills):

Today was the full family reunion. Of course, that means a wiffle ball game. See the videos of Clara and Hattie both getting their hits (one of many for each, and yes, Hattie was playing in her pj's):

Then more smores, fishing and cousin pics:

Daddy drove home the next day, and the girls got one more night at Camp before heading back to Lock Haven for the week.

McKnight Family Reunion - Day 2

Day 2 starts with a bang, Pappaw making a pancake breakfast and goofballery reins with the cousins:

Then it's hike time. Camp is 200 acres, and we covered a good chunk of it with Hattie leading the way:

We tried out the deer stands:

And crossed the creek on a downed tree in Ray's Bottom:

Hattie is coming to know the ways of Camp, glad to ring the bell whenever someone comes or goes:

And who needs a real bath, when you can take a pond bath?! (Seriously, the girls went a full week without bathing...wow!)

Hattie showing off her mad swing skills:

And all the cousins doing the parachute game:

McKnight Family Reunion - Day One

We got the McKnight Camp to ourselves for the first 24 hours relishing in all sorts of activities before the rest of the cousins starting arriving that night.

We started with some smores by the fire:

After a brutal North Carolina July, we were glad to get some cool mountain air. The nights got down into the low-60's...just enough to reset the old body thermometer. And, of course, sleep hard at night:

We had quad rides (these girls like speed!):

Then more pony rides:

And some blueberry picking, of course:

Jed, Shana and the kids came in that night, so we even got a little swimming and fishing in before ending a long day:

Camp McKnight

Ready for the Long Drive to Lock Haven

Not to be confused with McKnight Camp, Camp McKnight was inaugurated this summer when Hattie and Clara went with Ga and Pappaw up to Pennsylvania for a full week before Paul and Kate came up.

This required bravery on everyone's part. The girls had never been away from their parents this long, the grandparents had never taken full responsibility for the girls for so long, and the parents had never been at home without the kids....ever.

It was not without challenges. There was definitely some homesickness, but what a treat - and what a set of memories - for everyone.

They even got some time on Ricks up on Punxie...

Blueberry Picking (from June 18)

Volmer Farms has become an annual tradition for strawberry and blueberry picking. It's also our equivalent of notches on the door jam for measuring our girls' heights.

2016...

2015...

2014...

Just Hattie Washing the Car

She really, really wanted to. Why not?

All About Clara

We have the most amazing 7 1/2 year old around. And she has taken the genes handed down from grandparents, Mama and Daddy to become a voracious reader. This summer, she steals away time to just find the space to read. And she can go for hours.

 Here, she and Daddy completed an origami project. All her idea. Those are swans, and then Clara decides to make a pond for them to float in, complete with flowers and rocks and surrounding grass. She loves creative projects.

And the big news for the end of the summer...Clara (and Hattie) will be switching schools to St. Timothy's. At first, this was not something Clara was too keen on. She is strictly a t-shirt and soccer shorts girl, and the idea of uniform created strong resistance. She was refusing to even consider enrolling. 

But in perhaps the most impressive job of persuasion the world has ever seen, Kate won her over. Now she's excited for the new school, and she's even parading around the house modeling her new uniforms. What a change!