The Luau Finale

Why haven't I finished writing about our Hawaiian Cousin Camp? ...because I've been much to busy enjoying our trip to the actual state of Hawaii. 

Still, I'm determined to squeeze out one final post about camp:

On the last evening of cousin camp, Grandma and Grandpa had planned a big luau, to which all of the parents....

...., great grandparents (Grandma Cozy).....

(Little Cozy really wanted to tease Grandma Cozette and play with her hat. Naughty.)

....., and local cousins (Allicia and her kids - we were so lucky they were there visiting, with all of their moving craziness!)....

...were invited.

The Mom/cooks tried to make sure everyone had a brush run through their hair. All of the camp shirts had been washed and the campsite tidied and decorated.

My Mom's friend Paulette (along with her sister and niece) cooked us an authentic Hawaiian feast, with laulau, poi, haupia (the best I've ever had), fried rice, and all sorts of other dishes! Yum!

The campers provided the entertainment for the evening. They sang songs, danced, performed very silly skits, and Grandpa even did the Hawaiian war chant (which sounded very pretty and not at all threatening. It must have been performed differently back in the day.)

I still catch myself humming "pupu, hinu hinu". (Guess I'd better learn the lyrics. Then I could at least sing it as a sweet lullaby instead of having a phrase of a song just stuck in my brain!)

My parents have been working their master plan all year, to get the luau together. Beyond finding hula lessons, they made sure each family got a ukulele for Christmas.

Grandpa worked on learning to play enough chords and songs on his ukulele, while a few of his grandkids were doing the same.

The result was adorable.

All week, there were kids sitting around, strumming their ukuleles (which has to be the perfect camping instrument - so portable.) 

I often think that part of enjoying your family is developing enough common interests that you like hanging out together. 

And isn't it darling seeing Chloe sharing sheet music with her Grandpa!

Sofia, of course, cranked out her version of Imagine Dragons' Apocalypse. Just wrong. 

I told her it wasn't a happy enough song to play on that instrument. 

No one is going to be playing the ukulele during an apocalypse. No one. 

One Direction songs were a little more compatible.

And all of the work that went into this week...

...you could see it working...building and strengthening relationships between relatives who are usually far apart. They don't get to swim and camp and play together as often as we would like, so I hope they remember these fun times.

I know Cozy was loathe to give up her "buddy", who she never, ever wanted to share with anyone.

(Autumn may just become the sweetest Mom ever...someday.) 

Those sweet cousins were definitely all worth the drive. :)

I'm pushing for a "Camping on the High Seas" theme for the year after next. Then we can feed the kids hard tack and teach them sea shanties and knot-tying.

The Entertainment

Grandma arranged for some professional entertainment on one of the evenings.

Sofia and Anthony, preparing for a special night at cousin camp.

Annika and Chloe, squeezing in some last-minute crafting before the festivities began.

A couple of Hawaiian expatriates, who do entertainment on cruises and such, came and performed for all of the rowdy cousins.

Ok, they weren't that rowdy....in fact, they look quite sedate.

Don't let them fool you. They had plenty of energy for hula lessons. The Moms were even peer-pressured into learning the "Hukilau".

...but we adults were at a disadvantage. The local cousin have been doing hulu lessons all year!  Cheaters. (I could have used a few private lessons to get me ready.)

I'm sure our rag tag camp wasn't their dream venue, but they were fun and gracious and we all enjoyed it very much!

If you happen to be having a Hawaiian wedding reception or sweet 16 or 25th anniversary....

....my Mom can give you their number! :)

Cousin Camp

Cousin Camp Kickoff 2013

My Mom said she worried the older kids wouldn't be as excited about cousin camp.

I had concerns myself. I thought that, after attending two girls camps, my girls might be all camped out! Nope. They were all thrilled to be there. Yea!

Sofia and Anthony, rocking their craft visors...with little John there in the corner.

3-year-old John and 4-year-old Cozette were super lucky to hang out at camp (with their Mommies), since cousins have to be 5 to attend. 

The campsite was up the hill from the waterfront.

Grandpa: helping the little duckies cross the street.

....and everyone filtering down to the beach.

This was the first night of camp, and the kids were just going down for a little beach combing. 

No swimming.

(Besides, my Dad was sure it would be much too cold for them.)

Nope.

They liked that water just fine.

The little girls, collecting shells and rocks.

The big girls, putting the prettiest of their rocks in a shoe.

Jonny, having found something not so pretty.

Sofi, out-doing him.

Anthony managed to find a clear, purple agate.

Washington. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

It was all I could do to pull Cozy away from camp at night.

Kayak Cottage

For this year's cousin camp, my parents chose to go back to a tried and true location, where they held the very first cousin camp - with a mere eight? participants, Kayak Point.

 

The last time they camped there, they all fit into one yurt.

This time, with twenty-one grandkids in attendance, they had 2 yurts, two tents, and Kayak Cottage (circa 1920).

 

 

My Mom and Dad have found that they enjoy cousin camp more when they sleep inside, in a bed, at night. Duh. Sleeping on the ground is for suckers....I mean...for kids.

So, Grandparents got the cottage's master bedroom and Moms (who were invited to camp as cooks and general reinforcement, if necessary) slept in the bunks upstairs. The area upstairs was parceled out into bedrooms with built-in beds, desks and bookshelves. Would've been even cuter filled with books and knickknacks.

 

My sister, Rachel, on the porch.





 

Oh, pretty chimney.

 

We had a cozy living room that cousins kept trying to invade. (Who really wants to stay outside for a week, anyhow? Clearly not everyone at camp.)

 

...and a kitchen, where Beth orchestrated all of the meals. 

 

I've always wanted a vacation home in the country (near a lake or beach or river....I'm not too picky), since we've never really been able to live in the country.

I think this one would do.

Our Country Cousins

 My girls got to go to Girls Camp twice this year: once on the east coast and once on the west coast, with their cousins. My sister Sarah was nice enough to invite them. 

We drove down to Portland.

And, what do you know, the Kangs have been holding back on us.

I didn't know they had a ginormous garden and cows! (Not in their backyard. They share with friends whose home is in a more rural setting.) 

Apparently, they don't own two cows. They own two half-cows. (1/2 share of each)

When we bought 1/2 a cow, it was already wrapped and ready to go in the freezer, not grazing in a meadow. No fair.

Sofia in her daisy chain.

My nieces, checking up on their beehives. They're 13 and 11. That's homeschooling done right. :)

My kids liked the chickens best.

My Dad always says that chickens are magical. They can turn bugs, bread crusts and watermelon rinds into delicious, nutritious eggs.

Plus, they're fun to chase.

Elise finally gave Cozy a few tips on catching them.

They needed to be put away for the night anyhow, so we weren't just needlessly harassing the poultry.

 All of the kids joined in.

Even Anthony, doing his best "villain stroking his pet chicken during his evil monologue" impersonation.

 So, Aunt Sarah and the older girls departed for camp and I got to hang out with the kids who were left. They're a fun bunch. We had a lovely time jumping on the trampoline, watching Studio C, honing our Super Mario Bros skillz, and visiting Sonics happy hour. :)

My only source of sadness was that Sarah took all of the sewing machines to camp.

The 4th with Cousins

The Veatch family came over for the 4th of July, and, while the parents were trying to digest all of the good food Grandma had made for us, the kids were cooking up entertainment. 

They regaled us with many a skit in the front yard.

 

 All of the skits were very well-rehearsed and convincing.

 Oh, the joy of having people to be silly with!

 

Once it finally got dark (darned long summer days!), Tony set off fireworks. (Thank you!)

The kids were all patient and willing to be impressed. We oooed and ahhhed.

We saved sparklers for the finale. 

Lovely evening.