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Maddy
09-02-2014, 03:15 PM
My family and I got back from family bible camp last night! The weekend was SO fun! We shared a cabin with my friend Quinn, and her mom and brother, and my friends Chase and Brooke, and their mom and little sister.

We got there on Friday afternoon, and there weren't any activities that day. We only ate dinner, and went to chapel, and then we had the rest of the night to move in the cabin and mess around.

On Saturday, we woke up and ate breakfast, and then we went to Sabbeth school. I was supposed to go with the adult group, but my friend's little sister JoJo, who is 3, didn't want to be left alone in the age 0-4 group. So I stayed with her so that her mom could go with the adults. We had fun! We sang songs and did a craft, and it made me happy seeing JoJo happy. :) After that we went to church.

After church, we went to the little zoo. The zoo made me sad, because all of the animals were in cages that were too small. I took some pictures of the animals.

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On the inside part of the zoo, I was very surprised to find out that they had a cockatoo! They had an Umbrella Cockatoo named Angel, and she was 40 years old. I enjoyed talking to her, and was happy to see that she had a nice cage with some good toys in it! Although, it was stressing me out that they had a candle lit very close to her. I was going to say something, but my parents would have gotten mad at me.

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After the zoo, we went canoeing. I was very nervous to do it, because last time I tried my aunt almost tipped the canoe over. But I decided to go! I was in a canoe with my friends Quinn and Chase. We started made our trip up and down the spring, and Quinn and I were totally useless at paddling, so Chase ended up being the only one to paddle. We got stuck in logs so many times, and I would scream every time the canoe would rock, but it was fun. So we got back to the dock, and decided to go again. Except this time, we changed the people in the canoes. In one boat, is was Quinn, Brooke, my dad, and I, and in the other boat was Zac and Chase. So we were paddled up the spring, and then on the way back down, we were headed strait towards a branch with thorns and a spider web on it. My dad tried to steer us away from it, however, he didn't succeed. So Quinn and I freaked out, and both leaned to the side so that our heads wouldn't touch the branch and web, and guess what happened.....

WE TIPPED RIGHT OVER!

All four of us fell right in that cold spring! Quinn and I dodged away from the canoe so it wouldn't fall on us, however in landed on my elbow in the process (and now I have a nasty bruise). And my dad pulled himself and Brooke away from it so they wouldn't get hit. I was wearing a life jacket, but it wasn't tight enough for me so it was floating up, my dad and Brooke had life jackets, but Quinn hadn't put one on! My dad and Brooke were so calm, but Quinn and I were freaking out. There was a VERY heavy current, and my dad was trying to hold Quinn and I because we were going to float away. At some point, Chase and Zac heard us and came to held rescue us. They paddled out in their canoe, and then Chase jumped in the water him and my dad kinda shepherded Quinn and I over to a log. So we sat on the log and caught our breathe, and my dad helped me tighten my life jacket, and then took his off and put it on Quinn. As we were catching out breath, we realized that Quinn had dropped her Iphone, and my dad and I had both lost our glasses! So we (Quinn and I) were worried about that. After we sat for a minute, my we tried to swim on our back against the current, which was VERY hard! After about five minutes my muscles cramped up and it hurt to move. So we found another log to perch on, and my dad and Chase emptied the water out of the canoe so we could get back in it. After they did that, they helped Quinn and I back into the canoe, and my dad and Brooke got in the other one with Zac. Then, Chase helped us work against the current to get back to the dock, which took some time. We finally got to the dock, and I was so happy to get out of that canoe. We hadn't found my dad or I's glasses, but Chase did find Quinn's phone (although he didn't tell her he found it until later). The whole experience was actually pretty fun, and it was good bonding for the 6 of us.

So we walked back soaking wet to the cabin, and had to explain what had happened to the moms. After that, we didn't do anything else except for eat and hang out in our cabin.

On Sunday, the morning started out by finding out that Chase had broken a window in his sleep, so we had to get maintenance to fix it. Then we went to breakfast. The first activity we did was go to a tea party. It was very fun, and I love tea! After that we hung out at the little water park for awhile. They had this awesome rubber blue slide that we all went on over and over again. After that, Brooke and I left to go on a trail ride. I got to ride one of my favorite horses at the barn, Duchas, who is a Belgium draft horse. Although she wears a western saddle, she has a english bit and has to be steered in english, which is what I ride, so it was better for me.

After the trail ride, we hung out at the cabin with everyone, and (accidentally) Chase put a hole in the ceiling (which I will spare you the details of). Then we ate dinner, and after that is was time for the rodeo. The rodeo is really fun to watch, they have some awesome events. This year, I signed up to do the egg and spoon race. So when in was time for that, I went down, and mounted a horse named Whitney. During the race, you hold you spoon with the egg in one hand, and you hold the western horn with the other, while another person runs with your horse to the end of the arena, and then then back up. Let me tell you, trying to balance an egg on a spoon while doing a speed trot is not easier. However, Whitney and I won first place! I seriously can't believe that I didn't drop my egg. I was quite pleased with myself!

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Monday we got up and quickly ate breakfast, and then we went on a tubing trip down a spring. It was so pretty and fun, but the water was FREEZING! I really wanted to take pictures, but I didn't want to get my camera wet. After that, we came back, ate lunch, and it was time to pack up and leave. None of us wanted to leave, and I was really sad.

I have been to family camp a couple other times, and this was by far the most fun trip ever. (Even though I had to spend almost the whole time without glasses) I'm already counting down the days until next year!

Sorry for this crazy long post!

PlaxMacaws
09-02-2014, 06:25 PM
Wow, you've obviously had an eventful weekend, Maddy. All things considered, it sounds like a terrific time for you. I have to say, though, that your canoeing event seems to have been quite dangerous. I'm glad to know everyone came through it safely in the end!

I agree with you on the disturbing element concerning wild animals being confined to small enclosures. That always gets to me :(. But the pics you've snapped are sure great :)

Suggestion: Based upon your descriptions, it might be a good idea to keep Chase away from anything you don't want destroyed ;)

Thanks for posting!

2birds
09-02-2014, 06:44 PM
Wow, sounds like you guys had a lot of fun. What was the best part? My favorite part probably would have been the trail ride. What spring did you go to? MY friend and I used to go kayaking on the St. Johns all of the time. Many encounters with gators but they didn't want to have anything to do with people. Kind of a bummer about the little zoo and small quarters for the animals. I would have had to say something about the candle though. Maybe they just don't know. I agree, keep Chase away from anything you don't want broken.

Mare
09-02-2014, 06:52 PM
Haha! Yeah, I'm with Tony and Lori..keep Chase away from EVERYTHING! :). Wow! Sounds like such a great time, thanks for sharing your adventure! I've never been in a canoe. I've always imagined them so much safer than a kayak (which I have been in) and kayaks will flip just by LOOKING at them! I'm glad everyone came out good,,a little wet but good :).

Zoos kill me. I understand why they are but when you see animals living in sad conditions, too small of cage, not enough going on (inside the cage) to keep their mind engaged..it's too sad, for me :(

Anyways, on a high note!! Sounds like a perfect vacation! Are you still taking riding lessons?