Northwoods Trip
2-Apr-2007
Car Travels
For starters, it was a long trip. However, we didn’t have to do it in one long haul so that was nice. On the way to Indianapolis (where we manned a book fair booth) there Brian and I had the van all to ourselves . The extra space came in handy for sleeping…and scrapbooking!
After the book fair, we picked up Maj. Farr in Chicago and drove the rest of the way to Northwoods.
CADET CAMP
On our first day at Northwoods, Buck – the Northwoods manager – took us all over the property showing us natural springs, waterfalls and hiking trails.
Half the camp arrived on the second day and Brian started them to work right away packing down snow for the igloo.
For the next three days Brian taught a host of outdoor information. From shelters, to fire building, to hypothermia, he held their attention despite the distraction of cold weather. He thought up all kinds of fun activities like survival scattergories and burning through an ice block.
Teaching Shelter class Fire building demo
Amy played “support crew” by joining the cook force (me, Mrs. Jensen and helpful Cadets). She walked with Miriam (Bucks wife), helped feed the horses, dug snow tunnels, helped build a demo shelter and cleaned up after Brian.
Our warm shelter Clothes and shoes drying out in our room.
Conclusion
The trip was a success! Brian and I got to revisit our honeymoon spot and influence lives at the same time. Many of the dad’s expressed amazement that Brian worked with computers because he seemed so much at home out doors. Of course, they just recognized what I already knew – my man is one of many talents.
30-Mar-2007
Little squaw see snow – want to make-um snow wigwam.
Hire braves to help. Big Chief help too – him say ugg.
Little braves do wigwam dance on snow. Big Chief lead dance – ugg.
Wigwam appear out of snow. Big chief proud.
Big Chief show pretty squaw wigwam Squaw like.
Chief build strong – ugg.
Squaw keep house – make warm and smell good
Chief and squaw camp out.
House very cold. Chief and Squaw go back, warm Texas. Them sell.
Strong ‘ugg’ wigwam,
heap big yard, “personal” heating system; go for very cheap.
21-Mar-2007
Hey everyone!
An update to let you know that the poison ivy is all better! Just a few little spots left – boy, when it decided to go, it went fast!
Also, we’re leaving tomorrow and driving to Indiana where we’ll work a bookfair and get to see my brother!!!!!
Then this weekend we’ll head up to Michigan where Brian will teach a Cadet camp and I’ll be cooking 
It’s supposed to be a snow camp but right now the forecast says it’s going to be rainy and in the 50’s so if y’all want to pray for a 20 degree temperature drop that would be nice. Otherwise, we’ll move on to plan B.
Anyhow, excited to be going on a road trip with Brian! I’d better go pack…..
17-Mar-2007
They saying goes: April showers bring May flowers (months being
arbitrary) but the question remains, what do May flowers bring? I now
have the answer:
Poison Ivy!!!!
Having a rather bad case of it I scrounged up all the “treatment” we had in our apartment (and a surprisingly good amount of it too). Someone lent me itch cream and Brian had to go on a late night run for Benadryl, (my hero!) but otherwise we had what was needed.
Some may wonder, why the bandages? Well, when you get it this bad, extreme measures have to be taken (those who have ever experienced it will agree with me).
Of course, there are many sympathetic individuals who have felt the discomfort of their bodies being wracked with poison ivy and offer their home remdies – two of which I’ve tried:
Bleach worked fairly well and wasn’t bad on all the little spots on my stomach, but did it ever burn when I treated the big spot on my neck! After a day of bleach treatment (where I smelled like a swimming pool) a fellow sufferer recommended a new concoction: 1/4 itch relief (like benadryl gel) mixed with 3/4 liquid malox or pepto bismol. This is supposed to dry the rash up and keep it from spreading. The only drawback is that the pepto bismol mixture stains pink – skin, clothes, sheets ect. That, and now I smell minty – there could be worse problems though, so I’m not complaining. We merely made adequate adjustments like using our maroon sheet instead of the cream colored one, and I wear only dark colored, v-neck shirts.
I guess the best part of all is my explanation of how I managed to contract poison ivy; it was from…
…..Kissing in the flowers.
13-Mar-2007
Spring!!!
On Sunday afternoon a group of us went to a “forest garden”.
Joel and Laura Pierce
Bekah and…. Tara
We posed for pictures… some of which are edited for our younger viewer s.
He-man pushed down trees “Ugg…”
Amy pushed down out houses.
It was a fun trip!
