CKC 2010

My husband just might hold the record for the most years at summer camp.  He says his parents made him go when he was 6.  To camp in New York (they live in Michigan).  "All by himself".  And he cried.  For his Mama.  In her defense, she was right next door.  But he still missed her.   31 years and nearly as many weeks of camp later, he might still have been crying at camp.  But he MUST love it, I mean, he keeps going, right??!!

We just finished up a week of Covenant Kids Camp, which is our church's camp for kids age 6-12.  I use the term "We" loosely as I didn't spend the night there this year:)  Smart Girl.  (there were no crafts in the middle of the night, and no one was allowed to get sick then, either, so I got to go home!!!) For all the hard work, late late nights, raiding, and dirt ~ we always have a great time and love being able to share this experience with our kids.  It's so fun to get to know the kids Ben and Carly hang out with.  And seriously?  They are REALLY great kids!  This was a REALLY fun group this year!

My personal favorite night of camp is "Parent Night", when the parents get to come over and see what we are doing, and visit their kids.  I just love that they get to experience a little of the craziness and it is so refreshing to see Non-Camp People when you are Quaranteened at camp!  This year, MY parents came to visit.  SHOUT OUT to Papoo for participating in the Burping Contest!  You are a trooper, DAD!

Another Camp favorite is Chip Calculus.  He's been coming to camp for many years now, and couldn't be any funnier.  He keeps track of the points the teams are earning, and I am completely in love with him!  This year he started "Chip's Challenge" which included a different kid each night trying to answer his crazy questions.  Such as asking really fast, "Let's say you are the bus driver and there are many stops to pick up kids.   At the first one 2 kids get picked up, then at the next stop 5 kids get picked up.  The next stop 3 kids get off, then 6 kids get picked up.  At the next stop 2 kids get on, the next stop 7 kids get off.  At the next stop 4 kids get on, then the at the next one, 2 get off.  At the next stop 5 kids get on, and 1 gets off at the last one.  What's the bus driver's name?" (answer that WITHOUT reading back over it!)  No one got his questions right, but they still got prizes, you know, like doggie treats, a spatula, or hair mayonaise. 

First year for Future Boy, you know, since we had a Space Theme.  He told everyone what the future was, since he'd been there.  (Yes, Ryan-the-Back-to-the-Future's  DREAM PERSONA) The Camp Nurse had to ask Future Boy to stop saying "Three people will get hurt tomorrow!" since when ONE person got hurt, the kids all said, "ALL RIGHT!!  only 2 more people need to get hurt now!"  She was fine with him saying what they'd eat for dinner, or that someone would spill their drink, etc... the kids went crazy when the stuff really happened.  Pretty funny.  We mostly enjoyed the oven mitts on his hands.  See?  Ryan LOVES camp!

On Parent Night, our Pastor comes up and talks with the kids...  Ben helping out with a demonstration...

And cutie Eli in the Power Point!  Awwww, we miss him!

So, not the best pictures overall, but you get the idea!  Carly took a FOUR hour nap when we got home and had to get her hair stripped of all the product she doused it with all week!  Ben just kept saying over and over what a great week he had, so all in all?  EXCELLENT FUN FOR ALL! 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what

God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2