Camp Graddad

Camp Graddad has come to a close. It was a solid week of my father treating my two nephews and their two oldest cousins to archery, golf, bowling, and kayaking. Pretty awesome.
Yesterday we wrapped everything up with family bowling - that's 6 boys (ages 5, 7, 10, 12, 13, and 14) and my 6 year old niece. Poor girl would rather have been playing babies, but she gamely rolled the ball down the alley when it was her turn.
The 10 year old, having been forbidden to put his hands up to his face for his mole impersonation, and subsequently from snarling while holding them up like velociraptor claws was reduced to impersonating a hyper dog-paddling zombie when he make a strike. His little arms stretched out as far as they could go while he flapped his hands up and down, hitting everyone within range, accidentally of course.
The 13 year old decided that he was in charge of the three youngest and they had a lane to themselves.  Squirmy little bodies rolled over him and under chairs in between turns. And little faces popped up with wide, bright eyes to exclaim about hitting a pin. It was like watching a box of puppies, or fresh spaghetti in a bowl. Maybe that would make them spaghetti that's made out of puppies, which would be wrong. Or, maybe puppies made out of spaghetti, which brings to mind those macaroni art projects from preschool, but I digress.
The 14 year old and 12 year old had a blast, a much better time than you'd think two boys that age would have with the little ones. They were patient and encouraging. Good kids, the lot of them. I think they're all looking forward to next year's camp granddad. I know I am.