2023 - Scripture Memory Camp/Texas road trip

    2019 was when I first heard about Scripture Memory Camp, held at Southland Christian camp in Ringgold, Louisiana.  Scripture Memory Fellowship is the ministry that offers full scholarships to kids who memorize the camp verses ahead of time. I'll admit that my initial interest was because I had never been to Louisiana before! But alas, in 2019, I was due with Boy #4 that summer, so a long trip to Louisiana wouldn't be possible. So my oldest two memorized all the required verses in 2020. But alas, Covid. They did send a nice study Bible in the mail for each of them that they still use.  So 2021 was finally our first year. I took Carter and Calvin, and we still used precautions since Covid was still around.  Then in 2023, we went as a whole family -- all 7 of us!  The memory program this time was 14:6 - The Way. Carter memorized all three sections of each page, Calvin did two verses per page, and Cooper and Colson did one verse per page. I was particularly proud of Colson since he was only two years old when he memorized all the verses and recited them cumulatively. This technically starts when they turn three, but since Colson turned three right before camp, he had to learn them as a two-year-old.

    Whenever Lucas goes with us on a road trip, he drives the whole time.  There are lots of possible ways to get to Louisiana (we've gone and come back different ways every time). This time, since the boys hadn't been to Mississippi, we went that way and came back through Arkansas.  It was a wonderful week of camp. Chance was still a baby, and I was still pumping, so that was a bit stressful, but we snagged a nice, close cabin.  Lucas and I tag-teamed with the little three, and we let the oldest two come and go as they pleased. We loved mealtimes, both for the food and for the fellowship.  We sat with a dear family from Kansas that we connected well with. And there was always some kind of trivia game after the meal.

All piled in!

Mississippi!

Walking down to a pizza restaurant for dinner (perhaps our first dine-in restaurant since Covid began?)

We stayed at an awesome AirBNB in Como, Mississippi! There was a large, old house with a courtyard and hot tub out back. And then a guest house behind that! Plenty of space to explore and relax after a long drive!

 

Our awesome cabin!

All dressed up for the evening service

My little buddy

He spent a lot of time in this stroller!

Nighttime watermelon waiting for the fireworks!

Cooper holding up our table's answer

Hanging out in the cabin

Out on the water

Brothers!

This is where we first learned to play carpetball, back in 2021

Go, brothers, go!

Lucas coming in on the zipline

Carter and his pint of ice cream!

 

We love the carnival on the last night!

Our tablemates!

From there, we headed to Texas!

2025 Scripture Memory Camp

Back to camp!

This time, we drove through Alabama to stay with some family friends and to check off another state off the boys' list. And then a week of camp! Carter, Calvin, Cooper, and Colson all got to go for free after memorizing 14:6 The Life. On the way back, we went through Missouri to celebrate the 4th of July and eat at Lambert's! I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Chance running to check the timer.

Staying with the Sanders family!

Driving through Mississippi

Checking out our cabin (one of the original ones). Each boy got their own top and bottom bunk.

Carter playing with his baby brother in the game room

 

Colson and Cooper ziplining across the lake!

 

They love feeding the turtles!

 

Getting higher on the rock wall!

The brand new mini golf course!

They love cashing in their blue tickets at the snack shack!

It's hot in Louisiana in July!

We love the camp food!

Calvin taking a shot at Archery Attack

The boys took turns with me in the paddle boat

And the canoe!

Cooper being brave on the waterslide

Colson ready to make a splash!

Carter joined me for some (hot) putt putt

More snack shack treats

The one and only Stan Blair!

Chance trying it out!

Handsome boys

Carnival on the last night

Such fun!

Chance was in the middle of potty-training but partway through the week, he no longer wanted to use the "broten (broken) potties" (when the seat is U-shape instead of O-shape). After struggling more at home, we decided to pause potty training until he was ready.

At the final Morning Watch, I got to recite Hebrews 1 for everyone!

Bye for now, Southland! It was another great year!

We stopped at a Drury Inn in Poplar Bluff, Missouri

We watched the fireworks that night on top of the van

We went to Lambert's, the home of throwed rolls. 

When they have hot rolls, the workers bring them out and throw them across the room to anyone who wants one. Yum!

There are 3 Lambert's locations (two in MO, one in AL), and I've been to all 3!

Carter, of course, loved all the food