The (not so fancy) Camp Life of Inger Luff

 Well, it's been a VERY long time since I have even logged in to this blog.  I have decided it is time for me to start documenting life again for the sake of memory since mine is failing me daily.  I want my daughters to be able to go back and remember things that happened in their lives.  I ran across an old picture of our very first apartment after we were married and it prompted me to take pictures of where we live, how we live, and what we do.  So, here is the first installment of my Life at Lassen Pines! 

Our rooms are on the top floor of The Lodge.  This building houses the kitchen, dining room, staff dining room, prayer room and staff meeting room (all downstairs) with offices and some bedrooms upstairs.   The hallway to our room is long, dark and creepy....even during the day. 

 This is the view looking into our   my  room.

 There is a dresser with the most difficult to open drawers,  a TV and a window that has the most glorious view of the apple trees out front.  The door to the right in the picture is the door we added when our girls were little, so we could get to them easily.

 This is the view from the window.  The lovely hunter green carpeting matches the white with hunter green grout tile that was added when I got an upgrade in 1999 when the third Luff daughter joined our family.  It was in style back in the 90's.

I realize that the picture above the bed is off-center.  Scott moves the bed during the winter so he can use the heater during winter retreats (Lindsay and I usually stay home).

 This is my bed.  It is PRECIOUS! I bought the iron frame at an auction in Minnesota one summer when my parents still lived there. It will make it's way back to my house when Shae moves out and takes her bedroom furniture with her.   It has been in each of our girls' bedrooms at home at one time or another.  They have all been upgraded to queen sized beds now.  

Scott and I used to have a queen size bed  room until we had to use it for the "guest rooms" down the hall.  Scott slept on a roll out mat on this floor FOR YEARS until Anna moved into the dorm.  He then got a real bed.  In Lindsay's room.  They are "roommates" and she LOVESSSSSS that!    

 That greenish chair used to belong to Scott's Granny and there is a twin of it somewhere around here. I want to get them recovered because it is the most comfy chair in the history of the world.  And it has held up!

 Here is the door into the roommates' room. 

 Linds LOVES her bed up against the wall.  I have moved it around quite a bit but always end up putting it back against the wall.  She is THE WORST when it comes to keeping the covers on her bed, so it works to have the blankets be against the wall anyway.  In the IKEA rolling cart stores her summer necessities- bedtime reading books, markers, coloring paper, her beloved Magna Doodle, and some extra "babies" for sleeping with.

 Scott's bed is in the opposite corner of the room.  Let's remember that he has a bed now and not feel sorry for him.   The railing is still attached to one side of the bed from when they were bunked and we were afraid Anna would fall out.  The railing is complete with Hello Kitty stickers.

 This is the door into Lindsay and Scott's room from the hall, but I never used it since it usually had a dresser butting up to it.  It was easier to keep track of the girls if I only had one doorway to guard. On occasion there have been nude escapees running down the hall.

 This is the bathroom in Lindsay's room.......we have had a MAJOR upgrade since the days of bathing Shae in a huge lettuce tub in the shower and I am so grateful.

 Scott got this jacuzzi tub at a scratch and dent place for the same price as a regular tub.  It has provided lots of fun, very bubbly, bubble baths over the years but the jets are no longer working now that we have grown old and could benefit from such a luxury.

 This year I finally got towel racks and a switch plate cover!  Now for the door moulding....

 The little pedestal sink is a perfect fit in this awkward little space.  And, again, I am GRATEFUL to have TWO working bathrooms! Such a luxury!

 My favorite works of art are in this space.  Painted by a little known four year old artist, Anna Luff.  She matched the colors in the room beautifully!

(out of order picture) Here is the small bathroom in my room.  It is dated and not very functional, but it works and is convenient 

When you live at camp for the whole summer, you are thankful to have any of the luxuries you have at home.   One thing I do miss during the really hot days (and nights) is air conditioning.  The window fans work great to bring in the air when it is cool outside, but when it is over 100 up here in the mountains, there is no cooling off at night.

There are so many possibilities with our living space here at camp, so many great ideas I have written down in a notebook or pinned on Pinterest.  But the summers are so crazy and so busy with hundreds of campers to care for, that my little "idea book" gets put on the back burner.  And I am okay with that.  What matters is that we have spent every.single. summer together as a family.

I can live with outdated decor.

I am so very blessed to be able to be with my husband and our daughters all summer and extra blessed to be able to be with my parents AND Scott's parents at Lassen Pines.

so I guess it really is a fancy life after all.

Twenty-One Years of FUN!

 Shae Marrin...today you are twenty-one years old.  Weird. Weren't you just my ONLY child just yesterday?  Where have these years gone, why did they fly by so quickly?  What I wouldn't give for just one.more.day with you as that PRECIOUS four year old.

I know we can't turn back time.  And, I'm not sure I would REALLY want to do that because as you have grown up, you have grown into the most incredible young woman.

 What an amazing sister you are.  I LOVE the relationships you have with each of your sisters.  It truly warms my heart to see you and Anna bonding.  You will need each other as the years go by.  You have a bond that not many sisters are fortunate enough to have experienced...you both have endured a life of sacrificing so that the needs of Lindsay could always be met.  Thank you for never complaining or feeling like you were "ripped off" even though, truth be told, you were.

 Lindsay loves you with a deep, soul clenching love.  She yelps when she knows the phone ringing means YOU are on the other end, and stops to admire your beautiful picture in the hallway on her way to bed at night.  The glass has many fingerprints and kisses leaving evidence of that love.

 You have chosen wonderful friends!  Each time I have been around your friends, my heart feels like it will burst because I can see that you have made your lifelong friends, and that they are such good mutsies girls!

 I have confidence that you can take care of yourself!  You even have some great shooting skills!  YES, we all heard the 'pings' as you actually hit the targets you were aiming for!

 You are a good and loyal friend~how fun that you and Hope are second generation Liberty friends:)

 You are one tough cookie! (well, at least you WERE until you saw the vein pumping the blood right out of this owie....and I still regret listening to Dad when he said you did NOT need stitches).

 You are a loyal Cowboy's fan.  Enough said.

 You are the first one I want to call when I have news, and my favorite voice to hear when I answer my phone.

 You are funny,,,, like really, really funny.  I like that!  And I need that!!

 You are a fashionista. I appreciate every #ootd picture that you finally give in and take for me!  What a cute little teacher you will be!

(okay, this picture proves that ALL fashionistas have an off day from time to time...)

 

Every day for the past 21 years has been a JOY to be your Mama.  Thank you for being such an easy kid to raise.  You are a JOY and I am looking so forward to what your future will hold!

Keep making good choices and listening to advice.  Keep working hard to reach your goals.  Keep building your friendships and serving others, but most of ALL....keep your eyes on Jesus!

 

Happy Happy Birthday, sweet girl.

 

 

Huntington Beach Weekend

 Before our busy summer began, Scott and I were able to get away for a weekend in one of our most favorite cities EVER...Huntington Beach!  It just happens to be the city where two of our very best friends live too!  We flew JetBlue into Long Beach and what a pleasant experience.   Easy Peasy.  We walked a few feet to our rental car and headed to Thom and Jane's house!

 The first night there, we ate at Duke's on the water and made our traditional trek to the end of the pier.  Really, HB HAS TO BE one of the coolest cities on the planet.

 The weather was PERFECT. Duh.

 These two were little BFF twinnies one day!  They were headed to the Angels game while Jane and I hit the mall!

 We ate at the coolest restaurant! Nieuport 17 has the most elegant "old country club" look inside.  It was covered in old aeronautical pics, which made my pilot hubby love it too!

 Jane and I did some shopping damage in Seal Beach one day too.  Precious.

 The four of us went to Fashion Island to look around before having dinner and I was SO EXCITED to get to look in Vineyard Vines! (the weather had taken a turn for the HUMID, so my hair was literally puffing out by the minute!!)

 That night we celebrated Jane's upcoming birthday at Flemings Restaurant... we had never been there before, but I believe it is even better than my old fave, Ruth's Chris!

 They brought Jane the yummiest dessert platter, a coupon for a dinner on her next visit AND a box of Godiva chocolates! Sheesh!  Step it UP, Ruth's Chris, step it uppppp!

Jane is one of the sweetest, smartest, most precious people I have EVER known.

Scott and Thom have been friends since they were babies!  Their parents attended Bob Jones University together.  Thom and Scott spent one year at BJU together before Scott transferred to Liberty (and I am so glad he did, or I would have never found him!!)

 We were able to change our tickets to stay one extra night, so Scott and I said goodbye to the Doney's and Huntington Beach and drove up to Hermosa Beach to spend the night. We had a great day just sitting at the beach.  It was drizzly and windy but still so beautiful.

What a darling beach town! I can't wait to go back.

  GUESS WHAT?  On our way to the airport we drove right past the ERIN CONDREN office!  I can't wait to go back during business hours to see it in action! Oh the thought of meeting Erin Condren in PERSON! If you don't know who I am talking about go here!

 The Target there had the most AWESOME bags!  Look at those handles!!! Not the flat paper handles- the rolled, extra sturdy ones. Ahhhh.  I still have my bag almost two months later. No lie.  I empty it and reuse it.  Why ohhhh whyyyyyy didn't I get some more??

 Sadly we had to pack up and head home.....

 But not before we stopped by the sinful Sweet Jill's for one last cinnamon roll.  Seriously a good thing we do NOT have any of these bakeries in Redding. Seriously. Like, seriously.

Jet Blue is  my new favorite airline...can you say TV on the back of each seat...HGTV & Food Network kept me plenty entertained!  All airlines would benefit from the investment of in-flight entertainment.  Less grouchy travellers, no crying kids.  For reals.

We had a great little getaway and got some much needed rest and down time.  But, I was ready to get home because my college girl was on her way home just 3 days after we got home!!!

Afternoon Cruises With Lindsay

 You would think there are too many things to do at a camp to fit into a day.  You really would.  But, if you are Lindsay Luff, you need someone to 'help' you do ALL of those things. Well, guess WHO that person is for Lindsay....yep, it's me.

We have our little routine, the same one we have had for many years. 

When Lindsay wakes up, she makes a beeline to MY bed where we lay and talk for close to an hour, usually.  She has many important things to discuss, of course.

When she finally thinks she is ready, we get dressed and head over to my Mom and Dad's little apartment where Lindsay eats breakfast ( since we NEVER make it in time to eat in the dining room)and watches a little PBS while Grandma waits on her hand and foot, and picks up all the scraps of paper that Lindsay has been cutting...with scissors...you know, 'cause Grandma is cool like that and lets her use them!

 After lunch ,( if it is warm enough) we head to the lake and Lindsay plays FOR-E-VER in the sand (and usually talks a few staff kids into helping her build a sand castle) She even swims in the frigid water!

 After a warm bath and some nice clean clothes, we head out to find the golf cart, load up, and take our daily tour around the 45 acres of camp.  It's a great time killer before dinner.  My mom will sometimes join us on our rides and Lindsay LOVES that!

 We visit the tractor,

 Go out near the sign to check for deer,

 and just drive wherever we think we want to go!

 I love to check the water  at Bailey Creek, but Lindsay does NOT like it when we drive up too close!

 WE check the tent, and peek inside to see if the group had a cute decorative theme that week.  Some of our groups really out-do themselves!

 We love to drive up next to the upper (fishing) lake to look at the ginormous toads...YUCK! We ALWAYS scream when they hop unexpectedly as I am trying to point them out to Lindsay.  Then we laugh hysterically at our "jumpiness".

All these things are fun, but the thing she loves the BEST is going "Trash Pickin' with her grandpa! They get their gloves on and collect all the empty soda cans that the campers have thrown away!

(I tried doing it one summer...it's gross. I was POSITIVE I could earn enough money to buy a Louis Vuitton bag....I happily drove "down the hill" with a truckload of hard work...and when the guy at the recycling center gave me $47.25 I promptly retired.)

It has not been warm enough at camp for too many swimming days, and right now we are having stormy weather at camp..so Lindsay and I are spending a few days at home.  We hit the mall, bought flip flops and even got a few school clothes! She is good company and last night as I was praying for all my girls, I thanked God that he saw fit to give me this very "special" blessing.

Life would not be the same without this girl.