Shuswap Family Camping

July 24-27: Shuswap Lake Provincial Park was established in 1956. It is located on the old delta of Scotch Creek, has 1 km of sandy beach and is 149 hectares in size. Three of our four campsites were right beside eachother, mine and Case's being just 4 sites farther away. Each morning our grandchildren would come biking to our site to make sure we were awake.

Day 1

We took the old highway from Merrit to Kamloops.

Checking out a job Case did in Kamloops several years ago.

Arrived at the campsite mid afternoon. Found the family on the beach.

What privilege do us Opas & Omas have? Spoiling our grandchildren!

They had only one flavour of icecream left: banana fudge. When it was our turn to order, and she asked,"How many cones do you want?" I said, "17; 9 plane + 8 with smarties on top". The girl looked stunned for a sec and I felt rather guilty for those standing in line behind me. I was grateful for there being only one flavour.

Little Case is not happy about getting help to lick the melting icecream off of the sides of his cone.

Happy campers.

Thea (Willem's mom), and her granddaughter, Fenne were visiting from Holland.

Cousins.

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Day 2

The kids were constantly on their bikes.

A morning romp in Opa & Oma's van. Maybe I shouldn't have shown them the button that turns the bed into a couch.

A morning bike ride to some historical sites in the neighbourhood.

Last year Case found fruit on these trees but this year we were a bit too early.

6-pic slider of museum which is only open Friday - Saturdays.

Us ladies got to leave the little ones with their daddies while we went for our annual visit to the most northern vineyard in BC: The Celista Estate Winery.

The owner himself, Jake Ootes served us the samples. He is originally from Holland.

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Day 3

Baby Hank is 2 1/2 months old. Julianne will eat anything she can find.

Best of buddies (both 4 years old).

Two of the 11 are missing: Penelope & baby Hank.

Left to right & back row: Roger (4), Scott (4), Amy (6), Kathleen (4), Gerrit (6)

Left to right & front row: Zoe (2), Case (2), Julianne (1 1/2)

9-pic slider of T-Shirt painting at the nature house.

A 20-minute walk starting at the nature house.

An old first-nations dwelling.

With temperatures rising to 38C, the beach was the place to be. But bug repellent was a must. The mosquitoes were relentless.

Corwin playing on the log.

Jon & Corwin help Amy try a log roll.

From 5-7:00 pm these ladies gave a presentation on fishing. At first the only ones there were Jeanette, Thea and the two boys. So I raced to the beach on my bike and got the rest of my grandchildren. By then one more child had joined. I'm surprised they all sat so still and listened.

I'm wondering what she was saying. Notice the repulsive look on Jeanette's face.

This was the best part, trying their hand at fishing.

Back at camp, the "dutchies" (Lars & Dennis) that had been living with us for 2 1/2 months and doing an internship with our company, paid us a visit with their families from Holland. It was also final good-byes for us. They promised to come back. They went on to do a trip through the Rockies.

Nick & Renee, Lars, me & Case, Dennis, Jordan & Chelsey

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Day 3

On our last day we all went to the Wednesday morning market in Celista. We met the Kingma clan there. Later our children went to visit them at their cabin while Case & I headed for home, having only four days to prep for our big Alaska / Yukon trip.

Three fine ladies pumping out a spunky beat in the heat.

His face says it all. So full of life.