A Week at Girls' Camp!

 Somehow, my brain made a connection on Saturday evening, and I realized I could go to Girls' Camp instead of Sir Walter Scott as Ladybug's chaperone.  

48 hours later, I was on my way!

Before I left, though, we read about 50 more pages of Powerless, and the kids said they would probably die while they waited for me to come back to read.  

*shameless self-promotion start*

I told the kids that Dad could read, and they vetoed that immediately. :)  Ladybug said, "Mom, you are a very good reader, and it's just better when you read."

*shameless self-promotion over*

So we settled on finishing the book when I got home.

I'd planned only easy little meals for 6 people while Sir Walter Scott and the girls would be gone, so I just passed the menu over to him, showed him where a few key items were located in the kitchen, and asked him to take them to the park often.

He did.

They had a most excellent week.

at the swimming hole

at MLK park

at the spray park

They watched a basketball game and a baseball game, went to church activities, had a playdate with friends who were also home with Dad while Mom was at Girls' Camp, took long walks, stayed up late, watched Star Wars movies, ate caramel popcorn (Sir Walter Scott's specialty), and had slushies.

I thought they would tell me that I should go away more often because Dad is so fun, but they welcomed me happily, and they've been quietly vying for space near me since I got home.  Even as I write this, Baymax is curled up so close to me while he reads, that I'm being pushed sideways. :)

As for Girls' Camp . . . well, it was amazing!!

*photo dump*

Nature Angel gave the devotional on the closing night.  It was so good!!

 That's Little Princess helping to lead The Chicken Dance at the "Not a Talent Show."

And that's Ladybug and Nature Angel doing the mock Hula/Macarena/Run Away from Love dance

Ladybug--almost drowning in her life jacket--out on the lake with her friend C--

Little Princess and I stayed in the shade on shore cheering for the boaters.

We really did survive--we survived the 2 hours of walking/running all over camp in the June heat!

Walking with our flag

A spelling challenge . . . backward spelling!

Ladybug folded the team paper boat

Some of these pictures are out of order.  This is the first one I took--when the girls were still awkward around one another and hadn't let down their guard to be real.

On the 3rd day--when they were far more real than when they arrived

Classes my girls took included meditation, self-defense, yoga, origami, hiking, team-building, Follow the Yellow Brick Road (staying faithful), and one other that we can't remember because Little Princess is at Encampment right now.

Nature Angel was a YCL (Youth Camp Leader), and the YCLs actually ran the entire camp.  Nature Angel taught a swing dancing class and a team-building class (there was more than one).

We ate well, slept far too little, walked miles each day, got ticks in spite of bug repellent, laughed, danced, studied, and became real.

I learned that Ladybug doesn't need a chaperone to be successful at camp.  There are enough safety rules, and she has enough self-control now to be a regular camper next year.

I almost went home early, but Nature Angel and Little Princess asked me to stay.

I'm glad I did!

It was hard to leave on the last day.

But Ladybug, Little Princess, and I even had to leave early because Little Princess got 1.5 hours at home before heading out the door for Encampment.

She says that the staff look like bumblebees when they are all together and you can see all of the radio antennae. :)

We didn't quite finish Powerless last night.

But we will tonight.

And next week, the younger 6 kids and I will have regular school routines.

Nature Angel will be free to work on whatever independent study she wants to finish before August.

Today, though, we're celebrating a most excellent DAD!

Hee-hee!  They passed out mustaches to the kids at church today for an activity to honor dads.  Somehow Sir Walter Scott got one, and he seems to like it. :)