Getting Ready

It is that time of year again, getting ready for Brant Lake.............
The one time during the year that all of the "Marino" girls are together, spending a week at the lake where we spent all of our childhood summers.  With any luck it will stop raining before we go.
The preparations have begun: phone calls, numerous emails, planning, shopping, packing, more emails,  baking, and so on.... It takes a lot of coordination to entertain and feed 11 adults and 16 "kids."
The kids range in age from 5 to 22; it is wonderful to see them all together, enjoying the lake and each other.  It is a balancing act to figure out which of the older kids will be able to come and when. Unfortunately summer jobs tend to get in the way of summer fun!!!  Sarah and Jacob will only be able to spend the first weekend with us, Greg will be joining us during the week, and sadly I don't think Jessie will be able to come at all :(    Zen will be there for his usual 2 days, and then back home to see our "camper" off to work every day.  I am hoping to stay the week this year and catch up with my mom and sisters, and hopefully some much needed sleep.  I just can't sleep through the night lately, maybe some clean mountain air will help!
 Last year was disastrous, with Sarah having so many restrictions as she recuperated from her stem-cell transplant, I hope she enjoys this year, even if it is only for a weekend.  As far as her job goes, she is tired but loving it; her 8 year old campers all love her.  Everyday she comes home with notes and pictures made by the girls.

Time to go check for more lake emails,  make some lists for the lake, and do laundry.......the one constant in my life.