"Grand Camp" - Sleepaway Camp

Tonight is our 10th night in a row without the kids...I know, how am I managing it?! I'm beyond excited to kiss their little faces tomorrow when we pick them up from my parent's house.

We decided this year to send BOTH kids off to "grand camp" up in Missouri. Grand Camp has become somewhat of a tradition for our family. Each year, we send our kid(s) up to their grandparents houses for about the two weeks between summer camp and the first day of school. Brennan's parents get one week, my parents get one week. This was Silas's third year and obviously Clementine's first year. Since our parents don't live near us, this is a way we plan for them to get uninterrupted time with the kids each year. Brennan and I both had/have very close relationships with our grandparents and value it highly.

It's incredibly difficult to be without them for so long, but they truly have the best time. Their grandparents spoil them rotten with any meals they want, dessert (probably every night), swimming, fishing, visiting other family members and just tons of true one on one time with the kids, without us getting in the way. We are so fortunate that our parents are young enough they can wrangle a 4-year-old and an 11-month-old for a whole week. I know the memories they are making will stay with our parents for the rest of their lives. When you think about it, there really is only a short period of time your parents can be young enough to be active with your kids, until they really start aging. We want to take advantage of it as much as we possibly can/as much as they want to.

I'm also so proud of both of the kids. There were a couple instances of tears on FaceTime throughout the 10 days but honestly not much. Clementine is a little too young to know what's happening but Silas is also used to this as it's his third year. He tells us he misses us, but he's not devasted being away from us. And as tough as it is for us, it makes my heart happy that he can be happy away from us. That's a real lesson in love and trust that he has embraced.

With Brennan's parents, Silas just wanted to swim in their pool ALL DAY and I think grandad let him most days. They got to spend time with Aunt Ximena and Uncle Tarren.

They visited great grandparents and played with second cousins:

They were read countless books, went to indoor playgrounds and Silas went fishing with grandad in the canoe:

At my parents house, Silas got to be a big helper on the farm - feeding the cows and doing chores.

He helped pappy with a woodworking project and got pretty good with a hammer!

One morning when we were FaceTiming, he informed me that pappy shot a coyote that morning in the head, and he got in the Honda with pappy to get the coyote, put it in a box and throw it on the burn pile because "coyotes are predators and it was going to eat the baby calf". I was a little concerned he was around a gun, a dead animal that was shot in the head and then unbothered about burning said animal...but I guess that's life on the farm. My dad even gave up his weekly Tuesday golf game to spend it with the kids...and if you know my dad, you know that was QUITE a sacrifice...he must really love those kiddos.

They spent time with their uncles and aunts:

Went swimming at a friends house TWICE and I'm sure ate more than their fill of "pappycakes".

They are heading to the donut shop tomorrow as the last treat before they get picked up.

They are living. the. life.

And not only that, this time they are spending with their grandparents is truly invaluable - backed by actual research:

• Grandparent involvement is associated with resilience in young children.
• Across a large body of research, grandparent involvement has been linked with children's socioemotional and behavioral health.
• Grandparent investment has been associated with better cognitive and socioemotional outcomes.
• Grandparents can provide a different relationship from parents.

Brennan and I sometimes go on a trip during these two weeks, but this year we went home and organized areas of the house that have been neglected since we moved in two years ago. I organized the spice cabinet, pantry and my closet. Brennan spent time organizing the garage, outdoor patio and working on the yard.

We also went on a couple dates! And let me tell you how weird it feels to be untethered. We didn't have to worry about a sitter back home or going to bed "early" since we weren't going to be woken up early. We're in somewhat of a transition phase for work and were able to really talk about our life, our dreams and next steps on how we achieve them. These types of nights/conversations are just much tougher to make time for in the thick of raising young kids, so we are incredibly grateful for the time alone together.

We are heading up to Missouri tomorrow to get them and Silas starts school next week. It's been a fun summer, but it's time to get back into our routine.

✓Our kids get uninterrupted time to build their own relationships with their grandparents.

✓ Their grandparents get memories with them during this very short season when everyone is still young enough to really do life together.

✓ Brennan and I get a rare chance to reconnect, reset the house and remember what it feels like to be a couple, not just Mom and Dad.

✓ And the kids get to learn something I really want for them: they can miss us, love us deeply and still be completely happy and secure without us right beside them.

Magic, M A N A G E D.