Cousins Camp Archives - There Goes Connie

COOK MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE and Supper Heroes — 2 Cousins Camp Winners

08/12/2019 By: CCPearsoncomment

Two places were new to us during our recent Pearson Cousins Camp. One is a fabulous new attraction in Decatur, AL. and the other is a fun eatery in Huntsville. Both received rave reviews from our grandchildren and are highly recommended by me.

COOK MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE

Cook Museum of Natural Science opened to the public on June 7, 2019, after a long, but well-worth-it period of planning and construction. Cook Pest Control and its owners provided the major impetus and inspiration for the museum with other corporations and organizations making significant contributions, as well.

The facility and grounds are stunning, and the exhibits are done with excellence and careful instruction in mind. I was especially impressed with the well-trained, friendly staff. Steve and I hope to return soon to study each exhibit in more depth, to browse through the gift shop and to sample some goodies in the cafe. Cook Museum opens Monday through Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and at noon on Sunday. Here are some photos from our visit:

SUPPER HEROES

I was looking for a kid-friendly place to have lunch after our time at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center on Monday morning, and voila! A real hit popped up.

Supper Heroes, on Winchester Road, is about a 15-minute drive from the Space Center, and their kids’ menu has a grandparent-friendly price. Woohoo! The walls are covered in paintings and comic book covers with Super Heroes as the theme.

Burgers are the specialty, and I can attest that they are wonderful. Steve opted for the chicken salad and liked it, too. At the end of the week, when we were talking about our favorite meals of Cousins Camp, Supper Heroes was mentioned by everyone.

It is open Monday – Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:30 to 2:30.

Whether you’re a grandparent or just a “kid at heart,” I believe you’ll like both of these places — one for amazement and education, the other for good food at a great price.

9 Takeaways from Cousins Camp 2019

08/02/2019 By: CCPearson2 Comments

The 12th Annual Pearson Cousins Camp is now in the books, and, as always, Steve and I reflect, laugh, analyze and start making our list of things to keep or do differently next time.

This year we had 11 in the house for the week, ranging from first-timer Silas, age 4, to teenager/veterans Luke and Nathan, ages 14 and 13. Nathan has now attended every one of the 12 Cousins Camps, and Luke is the oldest of the bunch. Allie, age 18 and about to be a college freshman, was only able to join us for a few hours on Friday when we were in Franklin, TN. She’s a busy girl.

Our theme for the week was “Small Things Can Make a Big Difference,” and the “small things” part included simple acts as well as young people.

One of the campers pointed out this appropriate quote on the wall at the Decatur mall.

Many of our week’s activities revolved around the theme — 1) Space and Rocket Center just 2 days after the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and famous quote “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” 2) Cook Museum of Natural Science where we saw (among MANY other things) an insect that can eat a snake!!!!, 3) painting rocks with happy colors to scatter around a nearby park, etc. And, 4) each night we had a Bible story emphasizing the contributions of young people and what an impact they made. Our characters included Moses, Samuel, David, Esther, the lad with 5 loaves and 2 fish who gave his lunch which Jesus used to feed 5000, and, we ended with Jesus Himself who came into the world as a baby and made the biggest difference of all. We have some natural leaders in the group who LOVE organizing shows/plays/dramas, so we gave them full rein to write, cast and direct the skits until the last night when Granddaddy Steve wanted to really talk about Jesus.

Seth and Maggie dramatizing one of our nightly Bible stories.

First takeaway? Our grandchildren know a LOT about the stories and people in the Bible. We were amazed at the insights they had and the imagination they used to bring the stories to life. Kudos to the parents, pastors, youth ministers and Sunday School teachers who have instilled so much truth into their minds and hearts.
Teenagers create unique challenges. When the kids are little, it’s physically demanding to have a lot of them for a week because so many things have to be done for them — tying shoelaces, putting on floaties, helping with showers, finding their lost items, cleaning up spills, etc. etc. But, with teenagers, the challenges are more mental and emotional. They bring their adolescent swagger with them and sometimes some attitudes have to be “nipped in the bud.” Get my drift? Reminders to show gratitude, to be good role models, to be kind FIRST, etc. came into play. I found myself saying so many things I had said to their parents when THEY were teenagers.
Youngers constantly watch the olders. They know they’re not “the big kids” yet, but they watch every move the older ones make, and they have great instincts about the older ones. For instance, I watched on several occasions when Silas (4) grabbed Seth’s (12) hand when we told them to get a partner or watch crossing the street, etc. Silas and Seth, before this week, have spent very little time together. Yet, Silas intuitively trusted his cousin Seth.
I didn’t hear any whining. Yes, “No WHINING” is one of our big rules every year, but it’s still amazing when you realize they aren’t doing it. Maybe they sense that we just won’t put up with it or maybe they realize that the whole group simply must adopt an “all for one and one for all” kind of mentality to successfully navigate the week. It’s impossible for every person to be happy with the activity or food for every minute or meal of the day, but they’ve come to understand that eventually we’ll get around to what they really enjoy. We did implement a few things recognizing the wide range of food preferences, however. What we called a Sandwich Extravaganza is actually a way to provide a variety of options, for example, so that everyone finds something to eat without complaining. But, you can’t do that for every meal. That’s where “eat what you get and don’t pitch a fit” comes into play. 🙂
Steve and I are 12 years older than when we started having Cousins Camp. Mercy! It’s tougher than it used to be to make every step they make, to sleep less than normal, to stay mentally alert and constantly vigilant about everyone’s safety and whereabouts. We love the week so much I’m sure we’ll continue as long as possible, but we realize each year is a gift.
These cousins have truly become BEST FRIENDS. They love each other and have such fun together. We refer to Rosie, Penny, Megan and Birti as “the quadruplets.” They create games of all kinds and are within a year and a half in ages. Maggie and Luke have amazingly similar likes and interests. They jive. Seth and Nathan are sports gurus and friendly competitors. They’re fun to watch. Samuel, Bethany and Silas are siblings, but they are also great friends. In other words, all of the cousins genuinely look forward to being together — something that would never have happened if they’d only been in each other’s presence for a few hours on Thanksgiving Day and at Christmas.
TV and technology were successfully put aside for the week. I’ll confess that a couple of times it was tempting to turn on the TV to help everyone key down a bit and just “be,” but we were determined to let things play out without it. Also, 5 of the cousins are frequently connected to cellphones and iPads. Those were banned for the week, too. As a result, there were more in-person conversations, much more creativity and probably more sleep at night. Plus, the parents were spared constant texts and interruptions, too. I took photos, made daily Facebook posts and sent short nightly texts to the parents to keep them informed. My own computer remained closed all week, though. Whoa. It made a difference, a good difference.
The most frequent adjective we heard during the week was “amazing.” As in, “That tasted amazing!” “That place was amazing!” “That looks amazing!” Those are some mighty gratifying words for grandparents who try so hard to create a wonderful week for these grandchildren we love so much.
One of the biggest lifesavers was scheduling a cleaning crew for the Monday after camp ended. Somehow, that kept me from stressing so much over the inevitable messes. I knew it would get addressed . . . later. That will now become a camp tradition. 🙂

Seth and Silas holding hands. Penelope offering a piggyback ride to Bethany.

We anticipate 11 campers again next year, because Enoch is not quite 2 and Baby Beatrix is only 3 weeks old. By Christmas, we’ll have the date firmed up and the van rented. Then, a theme will begin to take shape.

For now, though, we are so grateful to God for granting us another year without accidents or serious illnesses. We are happy that another layer of memories has been added and that the bonds between cousins and between us and our grandchildren have strengthened. It WAS “amazing.”

If you’re a grandparent or a grandparent-to-be, especially if your grands live some distance apart, let me urge you to think about your own version of getting the grands together in a deliberate way for the purpose of deepening relationships.

Psalm 103:17 – But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.

Proverbs 17:6 – Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

P.S. If you want to know more details about our daily activities, feel free to take a look at my Facebook posts from July 20-27.

Cousins Camp 2018: Let’s Be Honest about the Challenges

08/10/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Cousins Camp is mine and Steve’s favorite week of the year. We eagerly anticipate the day it begins. We laugh constantly throughout the days together. And we miss the kids like crazy when they’re gone. Many of you are starting to have your own versions of Cousins Camp, so you understand completely what I’m talking about. You will ALSO recognize and appreciate some of the challenges I’m about to describe.

It’s a challenge to plan a week that has enough variety of activities to hold the interest, meet the needs, and be appropriate for children from youngest to oldest. Next year we anticipate incorporating another 4-year-old as a first-timer. And, if we’re lucky, Allie (who will graduate from high school next May) will still be able to participate. That means we’ll have 12 kids from 4 to 18 years old. The older ones keep getting older, and we’re still adding young ones. It’s quite a balancing act.

Obviously there has to be some level of understanding and compromise in order to make it work. Not every activity (or restaurant or meal or craft or theme or sleeping arrangement, etc. etc.) will appeal to every child. We will do our best to lead the older campers to help the little ones adjust and to be patient until their favorite excursions come up. We’ve thought about having 2 separate camps, but to this point, that would totally defeat the purpose of merging the children of all three families.

Luke gives Bethany some attention.

Penelope gives her little sister a lift.

3 families. 1 table full of fun.

2. It’s a challenge to eat healthy throughout the course of the week. A variety of fruits are offered at least twice a day, and a few veggies are consumed by those who order them in restaurants (plus, in the past I’ve had carrot sticks and other raw veggies that go with Ranch dressing on hand). Just as in every other family I can think of, our crew has its share of picky eaters. One doesn’t want sauce on his pasta. One picks out the beans in her Hungry Jack casserole. Another doesn’t like chocolate. None of them wants to touch a nut — with the possible exception of peanuts. Some drink milk. Some don’t. One will only eat apples as a fruit. Another will happily eat watermelon but won’t touch a banana. You get the idea. My edict of “Take what you get and don’t pitch a fit” has become a Cousins Camp mantra. They often quote it to each other. We also have a rule forbidding whining, so there’s that. We can pretty much satisfy everyone at breakfast, and I offer at least a little variety in the other meal prepared at home. They may order whatever they want in a restaurant (within reason), so I’m not afraid anyone will starve. Still, I struggle because I want the meals to be more balanced, but I don’t want to buy a lot of food that will merely go to waste.

Cutting out pie crusts before adding favorite fillings to homemade Pop Tarts.

Some girl cousins at a table in the Ethiopian restaurant.

3. It’s a challenge to stay reasonable from a financial standpoint. Oh yes. I know plenty of grandparents who have spent FAR MORE than we do when they’ve taken their grands to Disney World. That just isn’t feasible in our case — financially or logistically. Mercy! This is important enough to Steve and me to be a line item in our budget. We save for it deliberately from one year to the next, but I still look for bargain activities and meals (99-cent Taco Tuesdays and appealing parks and attractions that are offered for free or for a small fee, etc.). The 15-passenger van we rent for the week is almost $700, and the grocery bill is hefty. It’s worth every penny, but it is a consideration.

4. It’s a challenge to have one-on-one opportunities with each child. Sometimes conversations happen as we’re riding down the road or when one is helping in the kitchen or when one gets up before the rest or when others are playing and one just wants to cuddle for a few minutes. Every now and then, one will get out of the pool and just come over to sit for a little bit. We learn a lot about them — and they learn a lot about us — around the table at mealtimes and during our Family Meetings right before bedtime, but still . . . it would be good to have uninterrupted time alone with each child during the week. Maybe I’ll ponder that a little more before next summer.

Bethany having fun with the hairnet she got at the Golden Flake Factory tour.

Sam demonstrating the proper way to make a paper airplane.

Rosie shared a reading before bedtime.

5. It’s a challenge to keep it fresh and come up with a new theme each year. For our group, the theme is a big deal. It has become a much-anticipated and oft-debated topic from one year to the next. It usually dictates the look of the t-shirts and quite a few of the activities. I’m constantly on the prowl for good ideas, so please don’t be afraid to share. I’m all ears. So far, we’ve had Zoo Animals, Undersea Creatures, Hawaii, Sports, Around the World, Music and most recently New Things, so I’m not ready to repeat any of those just yet.

Everyone busy with crafts on the back porch.

6. It’s a challenge to stay physically fit enough and to have the stamina for such an undertaking. I won’t lie to you. We get VERY tired. I remember one year when all the kids drove off with their parents, and Steve and I sat in the family room and just stared silently into space for an hour or more. We couldn’t move or speak. We had taken it all “to the playing field and left nothing in the locker room,” as they say. Each summer the kids are another year older, but SO ARE WE. Gulp! We truly pray that our health will allow us to continue doing this for years to come. It takes a lot of work to get ready for the week, and then it takes a lot of work to put the house back in order after it’s over.

Let me add here that we hope to stay interesting to our grandchildren. At one of the mealtimes, a grandchild asked, “Grandmomma and Granddaddy, how did the two of you meet?” That gave us a chance to share our love story and to get them laughing about (and trying to imagine) our old boyfriends and girlfriends. At another meal, they said, “Tell us some stories about our parents.” They absolutely LOVE hearing how their parents were when they were children or still living at home, and we love to tell the stories.

7. It’s going to become a greater challenge to find a week on the calendar that works for everyone. For the past 7 or 8 years, the last full week in July has suited everyone. Since all but 4 are homeschooled, we mostly had to try to avoid Vacation Bible School weeks, vacation weeks, children’s church camps, swimming lessons and sports camps then fit Cousins Camp in before the public school kids started back. Piece of cake, right? We don’t have to worry about the parents being motivated to work together, because they look forward to a kid-free week every year to invest in their marriages. This year we had 2 teenagers. Next year we’ll have 3 teenagers and a whole passel of pre-teens. They are a busy group with a wide range of interests. They are all in very active churches. etc. etc. etc. So, I’m just saying that finding a time when the grands CAN come to our house for a week is likely to prove more and more difficult and formidable. Steve and I are the flexible ones in this scenario. We’ve had camp in the summer every year except for when my Dad died in July. That year we had it the week leading up to Thanksgiving. It was a day and a half shorter, and we couldn’t include any swimming, but we made it work. “Where there’s a will . . . .”

Allie’s music system accompanied our times in the pool. After all, teenagers and music are synonymous.

So there you have some of the realities of hosting a Cousins Camp and the challenges likely to be encountered. It’s worth it, though, friends. For those of you who truly cannot manage a whole week with multiple children, don’t despair. Your Cousins Camp can be shorter — a few days or even just one day. Your Cousins Camp can require the parents to send already-prepared meals for the kids. You can even include the parents — although that creates a totally different dynamic. You can go more low-key with activities. You might even decide to break it down into smaller groups. Whatever works will be fine. I believe that ANY amount of investment we put into relationships with our grandchildren will reap positive benefits. The important element is love.

Maybe you don’t have any grandchildren yet. I urge you to start thinking about how you can personalize such an event to suit your own family dynamics. Steve and I have been enriched immeasurably by doing so.

And, don’t forget. As Christians, we are instructed to do our best in whatever pursuit we’re undertaking. The results are up to God.

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

Commit your work to the Lord,and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

Proverbs 17:6 – “Children’s children are a crown to the aged . . . “

Cousins Camp 2018’s Theme: NEW THINGS

08/06/2018 By: CCPearson4 Comments

It has become a Cousins Camp tradition that the grandchildren don’t learn the theme of the year’s camp until they arrive on the first day. From the day they leave each year until the time they arrive the next year, we are constantly asked to give hints about the theme. We rarely comply. Past themes have included: exotic animals, underwater creatures, around the world, Hawaii, sports and music. This year the theme was very logical to Steve and me — although the grands had not quite put it together. After all, we had just moved into a new house (exactly 2 weeks before camp began!!!!!), we built a new pool, and everyone would be sleeping in a different place than they ever had before. The trick was to figure out NEW THINGS in the way of foods and activities — something of a challenge since we’d already gone through ten previous camps. Here are many of the things we did that were new:

FOODS

Thank you, Pinterest and fellow grandmommas, for helping me with these suggestions. Make-Your-Own Texas Toast Pizzas were a big hit, as were S’Mores using candles, Homemade Pop Tarts (pie crusts filled with jam, Nutella or cinnamon and sugar) and Homemade Donuts (using biscuit dough). Another recipe we tried was Ice Cream in a Bag. The taste was delicious, but cleaning up the mess made me think that store-bought ice cream would be the saner choice for the future.

CRAFTS

Once again, Pinterest came to the rescue. The grands loved painting canvases and wooden initials during one session and decorating with buttons and sequins in the next session. When my brother’s two grandchildren joined us for most of a day, we had boards (cut from lumber left in building the new house), short nails, hammers and 14 different colors of yarn. Each child chose a design, drew it on the board, hammered nails to make an outline, then strung yarn to fill in the design. I wish we’d had a hammer for each child (we only had 6 for 13 children), and I wish I’d taken some Tylenol before the hammering began, but, oh well, you live and learn. The results of both craft projects were satisfactory and are probably hanging on various bedroom walls in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.

Button crafts.

RESTAURANTS

Our general way of handling meals for so many people for a week is to have breakfast at home — with Granddaddy as Top Chef. We have either lunch or dinner at home, but the other meal is at a restaurant. Group favorites include Cracker Barrel, McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, and pretty much any Mexican or Chinese restaurant. This year we allowed them to sample a completely different cuisine — Ethiopian. The Ghion Cultural Hall is in the Pizitz Food Hall in downtown Birmingham. Our sweet Birti, who was born in Ethiopia, was THRILLED at our choice. She particularly loves the bread-type food called injeera, but she was clearly pleased with everything offered on the buffet the day we visited. Happily, the rest of the grands were good sports and found things they could enjoy also. It turned out to be our most expensive meal of the week, so we might not go again with so many, but I’m still very glad we let the cousins give it a try.

One more thing — 99-cent Taco Nights at 2 of the Mexican restaurants in Hartselle were life- and budget-savers. Woohoo! Thank you, Las Vias and Don Alejo. I predict this will become a Cousins Camp tradition. Please don’t stop.

Granddaddy supervising breakfast.

Ghion Cultural Hall – Ethiopian Restaurant in Birmingham

ACTIVITIES

For about 5 years now, we have taken the kids bowling at River City Lanes in Decatur, and we’ve played some rounds at Funland Putt-Putt, also in Decatur. We’ve honed our skills at several different art studios and created paintings, generally related to our theme for the week. In past years, we’ve visited Cathedral Caverns, Harmony Park Safari, Birmingham Zoo, Nashville Shores, Jesse Owens Museum, EarlyWorks Museum, Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Space and Rocket Center — among other places. But, what could we do this year that was NEW??

Golden Flake Potato Chip Factory in Birmingham — This is actually a very popular place for tours, and we were lucky to find a time in their schedule. The rules are pretty strict — close-toed shoes, no photos, must wear a hairnet, etc — but the tour is free, and it only lasts about 30-40 minutes. At the end of the tour, you walk away with 3 bags of chips in your hairnet. Win-win!

Golden Flake Factory in Birmingham

Kelly Ingram Park across from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — The Institute has an entry fee, but you can walk through the park and see the outside of 16th Avenue Baptist Church for free. The park has many explanatory signs and sculptures scattered throughout. It makes a deep impression. Metered parking spaces surround the park.

Kelly Ingram Park across from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Vulcan Park and Museum in Birmingham — Any time 13 people can get in an attraction for less than $50, I consider that to be reasonably-priced. At the Vulcan, you can walk around the grounds, tour the museum and gift shop, ride the elevator to the top for amazing views of the city, and have a picnic or snack at the shaded tables. I took bottled waters and snacks that hit the spot after checking out the surroundings. It was fun to tell the kids about how the Vulcan used to have a torch that was either green or red based on traffic fatalities and to explain about the iron/steel connection leading to naming “The Game” the Iron Bowl.

Vulcan Park and Museum

Top Golf in Huntsville — This was one of our splurges for our week — about $150 for an hour for 12 players — but the place is SO NICE. I told Steve I hope he’ll take me back for a date sometime. Before noon is the cheapest time to go, and it’s great that the computers handle all the scoring. All you have to do is manage to get that ball off the tee and out onto one of the target areas. Not as easy as you might think. Clubs are provided, even clubs for kids. This was a hit with almost all of the kids.

UpSurge in Decatur — Another splurge on our itinerary, UpSurge is an indoor trampoline park in Decatur behind Wiley Sporting Goods. The cost was $167 for an hour for 11 kids, but that included about $40 worth of special socks that are required — something we won’t have to purchase the next time. It was clean, well-supervised, and surprisingly uncrowded. The kids got a lot of exercise and NO ONE GOT HURT. Hallelujah! Waivers are required, so I had the Mommas fill those out on-line and submit them ahead of time (without spilling the beans to the kids).

Ivy Green, Helen Keller Birthplace, in Tuscumbia — Ivy Green, like the Vulcan Park, was less than $50 for 13 people. The tour was very well-done, and the displays, grounds, furnishings are well-preserved. It is a place and a story that makes you proud that Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan are associated with Alabama. It takes about an hour to take advantage of this historic facility. I recommend it.

Ivy Green at the famous water pump.

This year’s group of grands ranged in age from 5 to 17. All of them appeared to enjoy at least some aspects of each of these attractions. Now, what in the WORLD will we find next year?

P.S. If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty details of hosting your own Cousins Camp, look for the book Steve and I are in the process of writing to be published in the coming year.

Cousins Camp 2018: Blessings We Can’t Take for Granted

08/03/2018 By: CCPearson4 Comments

The 11th Annual Pearson Cousins Camp ended last Saturday, July 28th, and once again, the prayers of our children and friends, coupled with our own fervent prayers, were answered for a successful week together. Here are some special blessings that I want to praise God for in particular:

WE STAYED SAFE AND HEALTHY. Believe me when I say that this first one is not to be taken lightly. After all, we were in the pool everyday, we cooked everyday, and we were on the highways everyday. One afternoon, we (meaning THEY) were even jumping on trampolines! At the end of the week, I had only applied ONE Bandaid (for a tiny scrape on an arm that was only detectable by the child requesting the Bandaid), and I had not administered a single dose of medicine. Since the memories are still fresh of 1) the 2nd Cousins Camp when Nathan tumbled head first down a flight of metal stairs less than 30 minutes after his arrival and spent the rest of the week with a black and blue face, 2) the 3rd Cousins Camp when Seth ran a high fever and his parents were in ZAMBIA, and 3) the 10th Cousins Camp when Luke barfed all over the kitchen floor right in front of Allie who is absolutely paranoid about throwing up — just trust me, Steve and I will never fail to be extra grateful when we go through an entire week without injury or illness. Thank you, God.
WE MADE MORE MEMORIES AND FORMED YET ANOTHER LAYER OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. At the end of our time together, we always have new “sayings,” new buzz words, new inside jokes, new songs that last us for months and become part of our Cousins Camp lore. If you see one of the children in the coming months, ask them to name a few. I have no doubt you’ll be entertained.
WE HAD AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF ALABAMA TO A LADY FROM BOSTON. While visiting Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham on our first full day together, we were all wearing our Hartselle Tigers t-shirts, and I was explaining about what life was like in Birmingham in the 1950’s and 60’s, when Granddaddy and I were their ages. We were standing near the 16th Avenue Baptist Church where 4 young girls were killed by a bomb in 1963, and I was trying to help them understand about the sculptures depicting attack dogs, policemen and children in jail. They had a hard time understanding a period in history when such things took place. Instinctively, they knew it was wrong to treat fellow humans in such a way. A lady standing nearby came over and wanted to know what kind of group we were. When we explained that we were a family and these were our grandchildren, she was completely intrigued. Those few minutes of watching and listening appeared to change her perception of people in Alabama and how they felt about those events. She was so glad to know that we were ashamed and sorry that such things had taken place. She went on to explain that she was from Boston, but her daughter was in school at UAB. I believe God put us in her path to give her some reassurances. You just never know when someone is watching and listening. A great lesson for the kids . . . and a good reminder for me.
WE LEARNED VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS THROUGH FREE PLAY TIME AND THROUGH OUR FIELD TRIPS (which we like to call “Mystery Trips”). In short order, the grands themselves saw that the new pool table would need some kind of “system” to make playing time fair. Luke, the cousin organizer, quickly asked for paper and pen and drew up a kind of tournament-type schedule. Steve and I didn’t have to intervene. Everyone was satisfied. At the end of the week, we visited Ivy Green, the childhood home of Helen Keller and learned her story. The visit made an impression that led to some very meaningful discussions later. While bowling, we saw Nathan and Rosemary emerge as high scorers, but at Top Golf, Seth was clearly more skilled. Doing crafts revealed others with particular acumen with their hands. The lesson was that everyone is good at SOMETHING, but no one is good at EVERYTHING. You get the idea. Learning occurred in practically everything we did. When you’re a teacher at heart, that makes for a feeling of success and accomplishment.
WE DELIGHTED IN EACH CHILD’S PERSONALITY AND TALENTS.
Allie after climbing all the steps both up and down at the Vulcan. She will graduate from high school next May. Her maturity is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Luke at the top of the Vulcan. We enjoy Luke’s ventriloquism and very busy brain. He’s now the tallest cousin.

Nathan good-naturedly posing with his artwork.
Nathan loves sports of all kinds. This week he excelled in swimming and bowling.

Seth cheesing it up for the camera. Seth jumped for joy when he heard we were going to Top Golf.

Margaret with her carefully-planned button craft. She played the piano for us on several occasions.

Birti so excited that we were in an Ethiopian restaurant. We discovered she’s very skilled at doing hairstyles for her girl cousins.

Megan sporting her braided hair. Megan is learning to speak up more and express her opinions.

Penelope about to enjoy a game of pool. She’s an avid reader. Her mischievous ways seem to be becoming more fun-filled.

Rosemary with an extra-toothy grin. She has an unique ability to get along with everyone and is very resilient.

Sam looking out on Birmingham. He does a great job of keeping up with the older guys and is quite a natural athlete.

Bethany with her button craft. She is becoming increasingly independent. Her self-confidence and spiritual awareness are both growing rapidly.
THE GRANDCHILDREN EXPRESSED THEIR GRATITUDE. The smiles, laughter and hugs are reward enough, but when you go back in the bedrooms after they’ve left and find handwritten thank-you notes, it is an unbelievable blessing. When your teenage grandson calls you “TheBomb.com,” it is taken as the highest possible praise.

Monday’s post will outline some of the week’s activities, and next Friday we’ll take a look at Cousins Camp Challenges. Also, a book is in the works with philosophy, suggestions, and recipes for present and future grandparents who are thinking of hosting their own version of Cousins Camp. But, for today, let me continue to thank God for His provision and protection while we were together last week.

Psalm 75:1 – “We give thanks to Thee, O God, we give thanks, for Thy name is near, Men declare Thy wondrous works.”

Psalm 89:1 – “I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth.”

3 New Suggestions for Grandparents and Grandchildren

08/07/2017 By: CCPearson2 Comments

The 10th Annual Pearson Cousins Camp ended last week, and once again, memories were made, lots of food was consumed, and more inside jokes were created. It gets a little bit challenging to come up with activities that add a hint of surprise AND are appropriate for ages 4-16. Fortunately, our youngest campers and our oldest are very flexible and willing to participate with the group in whatever adventure we undertake.

You can read about past suggestions here. But while the week is still fresh on my mind, allow me to mention three that were new to us this year and turned out to be big hits.

1. Eating German food. Our theme for the week was “Around the World,” and besides having a world map on display and talking about the language and religions in various countries, we also sampled Mexican, Italian, Chinese and Japanese cuisines in area restaurants. The wild card was Ol’ Heidelberg Cafe in Huntsville. Steve and I really wanted to expose them to some new foods, but we half expected to pay for a lot of wasted food. Happily, that did NOT happen. The kids LOVED it! And, Ol’ Heidelberg allowed us to share entrees and even divided up the portions onto separate plates before they served the food. Hurray! The warm German bread appeared first on the table and was gobbled up quickly. Several ordered chicken schnitzel, some chose a ham and cheese sandwich which was piled high with cold cuts, and yet another had German sausage and kraut. All had a chance to sample the amazing potatoes and slaw. Before we even left the restaurant, they were saying, “Let’s come back here next year.” Sounds like a “win” to me.

Oh, that warm German bread!!

Chicken schnitzel, anyone?

2. Cathedral Caverns. Like the German food, this was another gamble on our part. How would they react to the cold, dark, damp cave with lots of rather strenuous walking? Again, they were super troopers! Several had never been inside a cave. None had ever been to this particular cave. They listened respectfully to our tour guide and learned lots of new vocabulary words. The 4- and 6-year-olds didn’t even flinch when we got to the deepest part of the caverns and the guide turned off the lights. A true God-thing happened. One of our oldest campers WAS very apprehensive about the dark, but in God’s divine providence, her t-shirt actually glowed when the lights went out, so she wasn’t completely in the dark after all. It became a great example of how God cares about all of the concerns of our lives.

By the way, it worked well to combine Ol’ Heidelberg with Cathedral Caverns, because the Caverns were about 45 minutes southeast of Huntsville.

Right before we started our tour at Cathedral Caverns.

3. Jesse Owens Memorial Park and Museum. Every year, we try to find a place, a person or an event that inspires our grandchildren to think about great things that others have achieved and start imagining their own great accomplishments. Last year we visited Tom’s Wall near Florence. Tom Hendrix spent over 30 years constructing a stone wall in memory of his great-great-grandmother who was forced from her home during the Trail of Tears and then spent FIVE YEARS walking back to Alabama.

A portion of Tom’s Wall near Florence, AL.

This year we drove to the Jesse Owens Memorial near Danville. The guided tour was excellent, as was the 40-minute film narrated by Jesse himself showing film clips from the 1936 Olympics in Germany. On the grounds is a replica of the house he grew up in with his sharecropper parents and his 9 siblings, and a sandy long jump pit where youngsters can see how close they can come to Jesse’s winning jump. It rained before we got there, so we chose to look but not jump to keep from tracking in a ton of sand, but they were still impressed with the distance. The visit prompted lots of questions about Hitler and about the hardships that Jesse Owens endured.

Ready to be inspired.

Listening to our guide at the Jesse Owens Memorial.

Wow! How in the world did Jesse Owens jump that far?

If you go, let me also recommend Caddo Cafeteria, which is about 15 minutes away. All 13 of us had a great lunch (meat and vegetables) for less than $60, and that price included unlimited refills on drinks and ice cream. What a deal!!

A great lunch place near the Jesse Owens Memorial.

Be sure to check on the websites I’ve linked for hours of operation, prices and directions. And, please share your own North Alabama multi-generational discoveries by commenting on this post.

Some 2016 Cousins Camp “Wins”

12/12/2016 By: CCPearson1 Comment

We just concluded our 9th Annual Pearson Cousins Camp, and by now, several must-do’s have been added to the Camp Clipboard of Fun. Among them are a bowling trip, eating at Cracker Barrel, making crafts (this year we made candy turkeys for the Thanksgiving tables), free play time and grandchildren-created “shows.” One of the special shows for this year was presented on Steve’s birthday and was based on a poem written about him by granddaughter Maggie.

Since the swimming pool was already closed up for the winter, we spent more time making music this year and presented a short program for the parents before our Thanksgiving Day lunch. I was amazed at how quickly they mastered songs on recorders and Boomwhackers!! I must confess that it felt good to kick into music teacher mode for a few days.

One day that was a huge winner for ALL of us happened in the Shoals. We started in the morning at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia. The exhibits are all so very well done. The grands loved seeing the fancy performance outfits of the stars and walking through a tour bus used by the group Alabama. But, their absolute favorite activity was making a CD in the real-live recording studio. Rosie, Megan and Penelope recorded “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Seth and Nathan chose “Deck the Halls,” and Allie, Luke and Maggie sang “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.” They all joined in for “Jingle Bells.” We had copies made for each family, so I’m sure the parents have heard it dozens of times by now.

Allie, Luke and Margaret singing “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.”

Penelope, Rosemary and Megan with “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer”

Seth and Nathan belting out “Deck the Halls”

The whole gang singing “Jingle Bells.” Poor Sam was really stretching his neck.

For lunch, we made our way to Umi Japanese Steakhouse in Florence for a little cultural exposure. We were very pleased at how willing they were to “try new foods” — something that is a yearly challenge. As we were leaving, they all said, “Let’s do that again next year!”

For our final stop before heading home, we visited Tom’s Wall near the Natchez Trace in Florence. Tom Hendrix spent over 30 years building a wall in memory of his great great grandmother who was forced from her home during the Trail of Tears and then spent 5 years walking back. He wanted to place a stone to represent every one of her steps, and in the process hauled 8.5 million pounds of stones from the Tennessee River to his home. The result is the longest unmortared wall in the United States and the largest memorial to a Native American woman in the world. A very impressive work by Mr. Hendrix.

At one section of the wall created by Tom Hendrix.

The next day we drove to Huntsville and spent several hours at EarlyWorks Children’s Museum. I would say that the hands-on displays are designed primarily for children ages 2 to about 8. Even though we had some that were older than 8, they all managed to find activities of interest. The pioneer town, complete with costumes for pretending, was probably the favorite area. They acted out all kinds of situations and cooked numerous meals using the period-appropriate props.

In the front hall of Earlyworks.

Dressing up in pioneer costumes.

Umi Japanese Steakhouse, waiting for the lunch preparation to begin.

So, if you’re thinking of hosting your own Cousins Camp in the future, you might want to add one or more of these Pearson-tested attractions to your own Clipboard of Fun.

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