Minocqua, WI Camping Trip June 2009

We hope you are all enjoying your summer. We started out the summer with a one week camping trip to Minocqua. The boys loved it.
Camping was a new experience for them, but they lasted the whole week. Since Joyce has returned to work, she was only able to spend the first weekend, and then the following week
Thursday thru Sunday. Eric had some great helpers, with him though throughout the week.
Diego and Jeferson's Aunt Sherry camped from Friday until Tuesday, and their cousins, Marco and Jordan also camped with them over the weekend. The four boys play so well together. They all had such a great time, camping, fishing, swimming, catching bugs, roasting marshmallows, and whatever other trouble they could find to get into. And boy are they LOUD when they all get together. It is amazing the volume when they are all playing together.

Diego is taking a running start off of the dock and into the lake.

And JUMP!!

Hiding in the tent. Wonder what they are up to??

Fishing buddies.

The boys loved to sit around the campfire at night. They had a great time roasting marshmallows. I am not sure if they really liked the marshmallows, or if they just liked the flame when they started on fire!

Jeferson telling a story around the campfire. Both boys are great storytellers.

Cousin Jordan brought some sparklers with him, and this is the first sparkler for Diego. He was mesmerized by the sparkler.

Jeferson hanging out in the water.

THE THREE AMIGOS!!!! Diego (far left) with cousins, Jordan (middle) and Marco. They were told not to go in the water, but somehow they must not have heard the part of not getting wet.

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The four boys looking in the lake. I am not sure if they were trying to catch a fish, or looking for that fishing pole that they dropped in the water. Overall a pretty good week. The boys only lost 1 pole in the water!!

Jeferson and Diego, sharing fish stories.

The happy fishermen!

On Friday, Aunt Julie and cousins Max and Arianna, came to the campground to camp with us.

Below is Arianna with Jeferson overlooking Lake Minocqua.

On Friday night, we went to the Minoqua-Bats water ski show. One of the skiiers actually came to talk with the kids. They thought they were so cool! (We are not sure who the 5th child is, he was just sitting there, and then jumped in on our photo!)
Diego, Max, Jeferson and Arianna watching the skiiers.

Diego and Arianna, enjoying the show.

The boys would have probably spent the whole summer camping. They were very sad to have to go home. Jeferson started to call the camper his new house. Over all, the week went very well. We came home with 2 boys, and no trips to the Urgent Care! (Yes, those were Eric's 2 goals for the week!)

Many changes in our daily routine have happened over the past few months. Joyce has returned to working full time for a pharmaceutical company, called DDN. Both Diego and Jeferson have adapted well to their daily routines. Diego finished his first year in school, and will start summer school, next week. He will attend summer school in the morning, and then will go to an afterschool daycare program in the afternoons. Jeferson is going to a private, in home daycare provider full days. There are about 7 other kids there, and he really enjoys going there. He looks forward to going everyday, as he says, "his friends are waiting for him."

Both boys are really growing up so fast. Jeferson is almost 100% english speaking, and Diego is well on his way. His English language is taking a little longer to develop, but he is really learning and speaking more English everyday. We have known for a while that he really understands the language when someone is talking, and now he is starting to really talk as well. Both boys are speaking to each other in English as well. Now, we really know what they are scheming up. No more secret talk in Spanish!!

Happy Summer Everyone, we hope you are enjoying it as much as we are.

Love; Joyce, Eric, Diego and Jeferson