Skip to main content

Camp Graham

Summer is fantastic.  I love the freedom, and general lack of scheduling that comes with it for our family.  Though, it should be noted that (as educators) both Jessica and I always grab a little extra work to make ends meet a bit easier.  Towards that effort, this week Jessica is working an extra week at her school - and the kids and I are thus starting this summer on our own.

I learned last summer that long days of idle time was a recipe for disaster for us - so this week, I have aimed to correct this mistake.  My main aim is to make sure that the kids have time to play and explore, while also establishing a little daily routine. To be fair, most days will (hopefully) involve heading to the pool, and walking to the library.

But it also occurs to me that we live in a destination city -Asheville, full of amazing activities.  And it would be a shame to ignore the possibilities.  So, I put together a list of local adventures that I call Camp Graham.  Each week, we have a few adventures, interspersed with rest days, and movies.
We are not doing anything that requires lots of travel, or lots of money - but we have found adventures in our own backyard, ie: Mini golf, Cherokee, Montreat, Splashville, Biltmore, Swimming Pool, etc.

We hit Cherokee on Monday (where we took a tour through Oconaluftee historical village - which was the highlight), and played some Mini-Golf at Asheville's own Tropical Gardens yesterday.  We added in some pool time, Star Wars, and a cool down in Splashville - and things are off to a fine start.

I'll let you know how it goes.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Im 30....seriously.

I am turning 30 today. So in the spirit of reflecting on these first 30 years of living, I am starting this blog. So, to begin - I shall update my status in life (this sounds complicated, so I will just try this in "list form."): Noah = greatest thing that ever happened to me. having a child was like an act of god, immediatly enacting a revolution on my perspective. Everyone tells you that " it is going to change everything." But I think I internalized that in a way that seemed to say ... things outside of me would change ie: schedules, sleeping, finaces, etc. Those things do change. But I did not accept that it would be ME that would go through the most profound changes. What I mean is, that the world itself has not shifted, but my view of that world (like Picasso in his Cubist period) has been transformed. It has been a traumatic shift for me, but in a beautiful way. Stop everything. "Icky Thump" by the White Stripes just came on the ipod. Sweet Jesus t...
1 comment
Read more

What is Noah doing these days?

What is Noah is doing these days? 1. Noah is obsessed with water. (By "water" - I mean it's properties, temperature, drinkability, etc.) He has always loved to drink water - even more than milk, juice, or whiskey (just kidding!). Anyways, as the weather has warmed he is enjoying the garden hose, creeks, sprinkler, pool, and the sink. Basically, playing in the water is all that he wants to do. Thus, he starts swimming lessons in two weeks. 2. Noah LOVES to be outdoors. He refers to the outdoors as "Bubbles." Though we used to blow bubbles often outside, this is not a daily activity. But Noah insists that the outside is "Bubbles." He also enjoys going on hikes in Daddy's backpack - especially if there is a stream involved. (see above obsession.) 3. Noah now recognizes the following Star Wars characters, machines, droids, etc: Darth Vader, Yoda, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, X-Wing Fighter, Chewbacca, and a TIE Fighter. I am a little bit excited about t...
1 comment
Read more

Ben's May 24 Playlist

1. Grand Champeen (see the side photo - even it rocks) - "Dial T For This" Okay, Grand Champeen is my favorite band these days. Jessica, Jason B, and I saw them in Charlotte a few years ago and it still ranks as one of the the most amazing rock shows I have ever seen. This new album is the next level. They make albums like their life depends on it. 2. Portastatic - "Be Still Please" I will always have a soft spot for Merge records, and anything relating to Superchunk. 3. Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky" - This new Wilco album is an enjoyable listen. I am liking it much more than "A Ghost is Born." Even though I heard that a reviewer called it "the best album the Eagles never made..." What? Put down the Crack. 4. The Hives "Your New Favourite Band" - No one rocks harder than the Hives...no one. I think it is because they are Swedish. When your home country is known most for Volvo, ABBA, and losing the Great Northern Wa...
2 comments
Read more