Arkansas Canoe Club Rendezvous

The last weekend in September, when Elena had her date to Homecoming, the Arkansas Canoe Club had its annual rendezvous.  I really wanted to go to practice my canoe skills. (My goal is to go sideways across a river while still pointing downstream.  I haven't made it yet.). But anyway, Leo had work, like usual, so I decided to take Isabel and Sebastian because I wanted them to learn too, but we needed another rower, so our good friends let me steal their son to bring along too.  Logan was actually thrilled to come and I hope he had fun with us.  It was good time.  And this might be one of my favorite photos of Isabel ever.

On the drive home we stopped for some Dairy Queen.

I traumatized all three of them with the book, Touching the Void, which we listened to on the way there and back.  

I brought our pie irons since it was only older kids along, which we haven't used in years, and our dinners were so good.  People kept asking me what they were and jealously looking at our delicious food (okay maybe not jealously, but there was definite interest.) Also, I stink at socializing.

The area was so beautiful!!!  It was at the Ouachita River near Malvern.  I wish we were able to drive there just a week or two later when the leaves would start to turn.  The Ozarks are beautiful. 

Early morning frog catching.

The class, later that afternoon, went really well except Isabel and Logan who were in a canoe together, were tired out and couldn't make it back to shore.  A couple random guys there had to go fetch them.  Sebas was my partner and we barely made it back.  It was tiring paddling for that long when you're not used to it. We also took a class, How Not to Die.  I was happy that most of the things I already had learned/self taught myself.  Although, I am still sorely lacking on hands on experience.  Someday.

I had my trailer to carry stuff, and the kids played cards in it for a while before heading to bed in our tents.  

Logan and Sebas got their tent set up. Anyway, it was super fun, I was glad I didn't have little kids with me, so I could actually practice and learn, but on the other hand, they all would have loved it.