www.AAcamp.com

I've never been to an AA camp before, and after this weekend I still haven't "really". However Nick and I headed to Ohio to camp out for the weekend with the Grismer family. We were in "the Clearing" of the deep woods in the Mohican Wilderness. The Clearing was host to the AA retreat for those who attend AA Meetings and their families! We being "family" got to just enjoy the camping weekend.

First off the Grismers are Nicks childhood best friends family (I had to add "childhood" because he keeps reminding me that I am his best friend now!) There are a lot of them and they are all very interesting people. Not all of them were in attendance but our of all of the kids only 1 was not represented. I'll try to get this right... Leah was the only one not there (she's the one who sang operatic Christmas carols and Ross and Clare's wedding). Then Andy and Kealie weren't there but they sent their 3 year old daughter Charlie with the next siblings: Kari (30ish) and Justin (we've hung out at their house for July 4ths before). Next is Buddy (27ish) and his wife Tiff and 2 kids Reuban (10ish and autistic) and Preston (2ish). Next is Jeff who is single and is just out of high school working at Wendys. Then there was Tim (17) and his new girlfriend Gail. After that is Katie who is just adorable and 14 years old. Ross and Clare fit in there between Buddy and Jeff I think.

Most of them smoke, but at least there was no alcohol! Anyhoo after a lot of bad choices on their parts, they are all improving their living and being responsible for their decisions. Len - Ross's dad was the host of the whole weekend, he also brought his brother Bill along for the weekend. His new girlfriend Paula came for Breakfast Saturday morning... ok that's all the people!
We had 3 sites booked side by side there were tents everywhere on the 3 sites. Clare's parents let us bring their pop-up tent trailer so that was very nice! Ross and Clare slept on one side and Nick and I on the other.
We're the 3rd couple.

As for what we did all weekend: The ride to Ohio was filled with Friends trivia - it was a geat challenge and a fun way to pass the time. We're getting ready for a dual against either the Eccles or the Thomas'. Nick and I arrived at his parents on Friday and we ordered BBQ Chicken pizza! I rode with DadE on the Harley down to Sam's Pizza to get the pizza!

It was fun. Even tho in the picture I'm not wearing a helmet - I did when we rode - the picture was taken after the ride because I had to put new batteries in the camera. Ross picked us up with the trailer in tow and then we went to pick up Clare after she got off work. The Mohican Wilderness is less than an hour from where they live so it wasn't too long of a drive up there. It is beautiful but there is absolutely NO cell phone reception out there in the Boondocks!

That night we ate burgers over the fire, s'mor's and played some "Battle of the Sexes" in which apparently the questions are not fair at all. It was a relaxing night where I was getting acquainted with all of those Grismers.

Saturday morning were were woken up at 9am to yummy breakfast by Len. He is famous for his camping breakfasts - potatoes, eggs and sausage. Euchre and relaxation were held Saturday morning and then at 2ish we headed into Loudenville, OH - the little town outside of the campground and met Nicks parents at the little ice cream shop.

Clare and I got blue slushi's.

It is a beautiful ride on the bikes down to that area which they do often. It was lovely to spend some time again with them. The were going to come into the campground but it was a lot of gravel roads which wasn't worth the risk on their pretty bikes. We walked around the little town in a few shops and then went back to the campground. We promptly got our bathers and headed to another campground where were snuck into their pool.

The first couple.

I should explain that these camp grounds are all along a long river which are great for tubing and canoeing but not for just plain swimming. There are several campgrounds along the river. It is also very hilly back there and very pretty. There was a really cool suspension bridge right by our site which I walked on several times with Nick or with Clare.

The second couple.

Anyhoo swimming at the State campground's pool was a blast! They had blocks of time that were adult swims only - where they kick the kids out for about 20 mins or so... we raced during that time and entertained the pool audience. We totally acted like a bunch of love-struck newlyweds.


Right when we got back to our campsites the little one Preston fell down the 6 foot cliff into the river. He wasn't watched very well by his parents the whole weekend - so I was surprised that it didn't happen sooner. He was OK just shaken up a bit, with a scratched eye and some bruises. We ate pulled chicken cream sandwiches made my Tiff for lunch, and shared our brats and hot dogs with everyone for dinner.

That night around the campfire we sang very random songs - it was entertaining. Nick and I went for a late night walk to look at the stars. We ended up sitting in the middle of the suspension bridge - looking up into the sky! It was beautiful and romantic. I was very tired after that and half fell asleep in his lap while sitting around the fire.

The fourth couple.

Sunday morning we packed up - enjoyed another of Len's breakfasts - this time ham and eggs. Nick drove Lens truck into Shreve where He was from - so that he could ride his Harley. We listened to some country music in a beater-pick up truck in the country. It was perfect.

Then we got back to Nicks town area and ate lunch at the Dari-ette!! I had a cheeseburger and from there we decided we were not done with the all the fun. So we went to Clay's Park - a homemade water park on - what I can only assume was a man-made lake. It was fun tho! We jumped off high diving boards, rode the zip line, played in the water, layed out under the sun when we had the "thunder break".We never got back over to the water slides though after we were kicked out of line because of the thunder. Anyhoo it was a fun weekend. We went back to his parents house to shower and pack up our car to head home, but not with out being fed first... we enjoyed yummy beef roast and brownies and baking chocolate for dessert. We arrived home just before midnight after more friends trivia until the sun went down.... and I am still tired. But now both Nick and I feel like we experienced summer finally!! It's mid-August! That is a crime. However it was a hot and perfect weekend for all the swimming. I enjoyed actually wearing shorts and tub tops and being HOT.... not cold like I usually am!

Pictures will be posted soon.....

Reflection on the weekend:

While we were driving home I said to him isn't it funny that we're married and yet still learning so much about each other....?? I know that that's the way it happens but its funny to me. That you say you'll marry this person but as time goes on and you learn stuff its really like you didn't even know said person before you got married. That comment was really just about the music we were listening too but it can be applied to life-things as well.

Nick and I learned how important parenting is - from the lack of parenting each of the kids got to how they parent or don't -their own children.

We had some learning moments and some growing moments on this trip - We spent a lot of time together in a different environment....