Me on Monday

It all started in 2017. Camp Aunt Barb. 

I got the idea to do it for the grandkids of my brother and sister on our family vacation in the Ozarks. I made invitations and sent them in advance.

I stamped t-shirts in their favorite color. 

They were way too big on those little kids!

From front, clockwise around: Evie (5), Josie (2), Travis (5), Nathan (3), and Emma--my sister's granddaughter (8). I can't believe how little they were! I put everything including their lunch in the tackle boxes that I stamped with their names. We had a fun day--9 a.m.--4 p.m. By the time it was over, I was exhausted. I remember that my back was killing me--doing all that bending over to help them with the different activities. It was the beginning of something special--for me and them! I wanted them to know who their Aunt Barb is since I don't see them often. 

From then on, they have come to my house each year. This is 2018.

They were still little. Jeanne and I were reminiscing about how tiring it was.

They always had so much stuff!!

This is 2024.

Here they are in 2026--9 years of Camp Aunt Barb--I guess technically 8 since they weren't able to come last year. I'm actually surprised that they still want to come! Jeanne told them they could only have one bag since her car is much smaller than Janet's Suburban. She was always the driver.

From left: Travis and Evie (both 14 and starting high school), Josie (11) and Nathan (12). They all have sports, camps and various other activities. I'm so happy that we were able to work it out this year. They had such a good time, that Travis was begging her grandma, Jeanne to let them stay another day! 

We missed Janet as this was the first time she wasn't with us. Evie did this to make sure we all were reminded that Janet was still with us. 

It wasn't quite the same without her, but everyone was happy to be together. 

The kids still get a kick out of "Bingo with Uncle Butch" and our poker games. They laid in wait for Butch to go in to the bedroom to "scare" him. It didn't work, but they had fun trying. Later, they snuck up on me while Jeanne and I were watching a show. They scared the living daylights out of me!! 

The "kids" are already planning to come next year--and even later when they can drive themselves!! I don't know about that. Surely they are going to have jobs and social lives--then Camp Aunt Barb will be a thing of the past. Even when that happens, they will have memories that they'll carry forever. At the very least, they will remember their Aunt Barb!!

But for now, I'll just enjoy it!!