Rondeau 2011

The time has come and gone for our annual camping trip with Mike and Jenn and family.  We had a wonderful time once again with a wonderful couple and our mostly wonderful kids:)  The weather really couldn't have been much better. Not a drip of rain, despite various forecasts!  We really liked Rondeau. The definite negative was the lack of privacy in the campsites, but everything else was fantastic.  Rondeau is situated so that you have Rondeau Bay on one side and Lake Erie on the other.  So we would walk out of our campsite, down a very short path and then we could turn left to the Lake or right to the Bay.  Lots of fun!!!

We acquired a canoe just before we left . . . as in Jonathan brought it home when he came home from work to hook up.  I hadn't thought to take it and didn't really think we should, but Jonathan's wisdom prevailed and I'm glad! (Did I just admit that Jonathan had better judgement than me?!!!)  Here we are all ready to go - just had to pick up some paddles . . . .

Kylie and Devin were a hoot together. They are at the age when they have such imagination. They played fabulously the entire time and were pretty much inseparable Kylie would wake up in the morning and immediately ask to play with Devin. I would tell her to wait a while, but she would sneak off and stand outside their campsite, until she was invited in.

 

 The canoe (on land) was a great source of entertainment for these two!

                                        

                                                          The three ladies of their clan.

 Near sunset.

                The boys were ALWAYS on the move.  Here, there, and everywhere!

 This is the pier out to the Bay.

  Not  quite sure what they were doing except that Kylie had something imaginative in her mind I'm sure. Devin just followed her lead - a little skeptically here though I must say.

 Campfires!

 Kylie and Jonathan were the first to test out the canoe.  Doesn't Kylie look thrilled to be there? She was not impressed and let us know rather loudly, but we prevailed, and she ended up liking it.

 Jordan's turn.

 Fishing was a highlight too. The boys went often off the pier in the Bay. There was almost always something to catch - just mostly sunfish - but its always fun to feel something tug on your hook no matter what it is.

 Ian and Kade's turn.

 Kylie fished too.

 Our campsite (#42)

 The beach!

 Canoeing Lake Erie this time. 

 Devin

 Ashley

 Sisters! Emily was such a big help throughout the weekend. 

 Kade and Jonathan

 You could also jump off the end of the pier into the Bay, so once they mustered the courage for the first jump, this was a hit too!

 And then came the waves. We woke up Sunday morning to the sound of crashing waves!

Kevin and Kade checking the Lake out before church.

 We went to the ARP in Chatham which is a wonderful little congregation.  What a warm welcome we received! One of the highlights for Jonathan and I was finding out after the first service from a parishioners that he thought Jon and I were Mike and Jenn's children too (he only saw us from the back) That gave Mike and Jenn a crew of 10 children all of the sudden. He had felt bad b/c he introduced himself to Mike and Jenn, but didn't bother with us (the kids:)).  It gave us a good chuckle:) 

 Lots of biking and bike paths too.

 Enjoying the waves.

 Mike and Jordan taking the canoe for a ride and it WAS quite the ride!

 One of Kevins sunfish.

 Think she was enjoying herself? or the more likely option - her dad was chasing her!!

 Over lunch, Kade showed us with his hands the size of a fish he had seen (dead).  We smiled and I told him that that was probably a slight exaggeration.  He insisted.  On Monday, when we went to the beach, off went Kade trotting way down the beach.  He slowly made his way back with this monster:)  You win Kade!

Thanks Mike and Jenn and family for another great year.  Lots of great memories have once again been created.  Thanks for your wonderful friendship.