Camp Day 2: Saturday

day 2

Today we had a ceremony this was to recognize some girls who were crowned. You have to be in the 5th grade to get crowned . These girls have to read the entire New Testement. Im in Acts chapter 14.

We had a scavenger hunt that sent us all over camp looking for clues. We even had to put our swim suits on and use paddle boats to find clues. We ate tacos for lunch.

After that a man named Ben who loves to juggle came in to give the message and,he juggled 3 knifes! I thought he would cut his hand off. After camp I told my mom that this was my favorite part.


Later a teacher asked if we wanted to go tubing, i said yes.We went at 4:oopm. It was fun even though I scraped and bruised my right leg a little bit, I cryed. There is a "Y" shaped bruise on me leg that is healing now. The lake water was kind of warm, it reminded me of Georgia water.

This night I also roasted a hot dog and a marshmallow over the fire. We stayed up just a little late tonight, because we didn't know what time it was. We had no clocks in our cabin.

CAMP DAY 1

Our Camp Theme: "Race of a lifetime"

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run , but only one will get the prize . Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games has gone through strict training . They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1Corinthians 9:24, 25

day1
Today we settled into our cabins. I share a bunkbed with my friend Maria, I'm on the top bunk.

We went swimming I passed the deep water test, if you pass you can go on the iceberg, watertrampoline, and rafts. What my favorite part of passing the test was that I can jump off the rafts into the deep water. My partner for that was Megan.

We had a parade and everyone dressed up like athletes. This raised money for missionaries, I have been saving my honey bear pennies and notions for this all school year. I dressed up as a runner, my number was 9011. Our church won first place for collecting honey bear pennies. We brought more than 7500 pennies to camp.

I roasted a marshmallow and made smores after dinner. We, [bunkmates] stayed up till midnight,we chatted, and played with glowsticks. Finally we went to sleep.

Alyssa is HOME from Camp!!!

Daddy and Emma stayed at church to help take down the picnic and wait for Alyssa to return home from camp. Rebekah and I met her in the driveway with a sign that the girls made for her. Her hair looks so light and sunbleached in this photo.


Telling us stories before we can get into the house!


Her Welcome Home Sign from the two little ones.


Showing us her bracelet that she got for passing the deep water swim test she told us that she needs to leave it on until next year when she goes back so that she can head straight for the lake and not have to wait in line to pass the test again. It sounds like she had a great time, I hope to post more of her stories later. She had a disposable camera with her, so I also want to see what kind of pictures she took. It should be interesting.

Freedom Festival Picnic at Church

Sunday was our annual all-church fourth of July picnic. A few local restaurants like Famous Dave's, El Meson, and Cousins Subs set up catering carts on the church grounds and everyone had a huge picnic. Unfortunately, I didn't take that many photos, but here's what I got.


Emma and Halle are in the big alligator right now, even though you can't see them.


Emma reaching for the top of the rock wall.


Halle on the rock wall. She usually doesn't love
doing things like this, but today she was an awesome climber!


Emma and Halle coming out of the mouth of the alligator.


Rebekah climbing into the toddler bounce house.


Going down the slide.

The Great American Backyard Campout

Saturday, June 27th was The Great American Backyard Campout, so we pitched a tent in the corner of our backyard to celebrate. It rained a tiny bit for about a half hour, but other than that the weather was nice.


After setting up the tent, we went to a practice area at a golf course near our house. Emma's favorite part was hitting out of the sand, and that is where she spent almost the entire time we were there. She hits out of the sand way better than I do.


Bekah preferred to treat the sand trap as a huge sandbox :-)


Emma strutting through the sand.


"I got your ball, Em!"


She decided it was easier to go barefoot (A Grandma's Girl, no doubt).


Dave's game improved significantly after their short lesson the other day as well. It was actually pretty surprising, my Uncle Ted has always told him that you can improve so much in just a few short lessons, and in just one hour, Dave saw how true that is.


Back at home, she put on her pjs and gathered a few stuffed animals for the tent.


When Daddy turned on these lights on the small tree in our yard she said "Wow, this is amazing!"


Relaxing in the tent. We read a little bit, played hide and seek (yes, being in a tent presents some challenges for this game), and played a game that Emma made up called "What's inside the mailbox?" (a guessing game). It was fun.


Playing baseball in the backyard.


Kamele looking in the grass with a magnifying glass.

Princess Protection and Pirate Ships

After a busy day of swimming and golfing, the girls relaxed by watching the premier of the disney channel movie, Princess Protection Program. It was a really cute movie, and we had been looking forward to it for some time now! For as sleepy as they look here, once the movie was over, it was back to play time. They filled up Emma's Barbie pool (which Halle gave her) and as they walked across the living room, each carrying a wobbly side of the pool, it looked like an accident waiting to happen. But, they safely made it to the beach towel area I set up for them and had a fun Barbie Beach Party.


Before leaving to go home today, Dave took Emma and Halle to Lowe's to build Pirate Ships. They worked so hard on them and they came out very cute!!


Showing their cool Pirate Ships.

Still 3 Girls

After bringing Alyssa to church for camp, we picked up Emma's friend, Halle for a sleepover. We went to play at the little wading pool again, and I'm disappointed that I didn't take this photo from a better angle so both girls could be seen better. They looked so cute lounging by the side of the water.


Halle was proud to show me that she taught herself how to swim underwater here in the little wading pool. The girls had a lot of fun splashing around.


Bekah does an arabesque.


Dancing and checking out her shadow at the same time.


She was in the dancing mood today!


Emma and Halle went to play on the playground while I stayed with Rebekah in the little pool.


Posing for pics in the sand.


Rebekah brought me this bucket filled with water and told me, "OK, you are a cow, and this is your milk."


After swimming, we picked Daddy up from work and took the girls to a driving range where they had golf instruction for children and their parents. Emma and Halle had only miniature golfed before today, and both improved a lot over the course of the lesson.


At first, Rebekah wanted to golf leftie, and here she is setting up her ball on the left side.


She quickly realized that she's a rightie and switched to the other side.


Smiling with club in hand.


I took some continous shots of the girls as they drove the ball, and other than missing the point of impact for both of them, I thought it came out kind of cool. Emma 1.


Emma 2.


Emma 3.


Emma 4.


Halle 1.


Halle 2.


Halle 3.


Halle 4.


Happy with her shot.


Relaxing.


Daddy, Bekah, and Emma on the driving range.

Alyssa Goes to MPact Girls Great Escape Camp

Some VERY BIG NEWS: ALYSSA went to CAMP.
She left this morning and will be back on Sunday. She was SO EXCITED. I was tempted to volunteer to go with, but the teachers at church who teach the 3rd-5th grade girls had more help than they needed, so I took a deep breath and told her she could go without me. I think it will be great for her sense of independence, and I'm thankful that there are so many great teachers going with.

Carrying her bag in the church parking lot. She could hardly lift it, and I felt like we were packing for weeks, not 2 days. I hope she comes back with at least half of her belongings :)


Sitting with a super stylish little Em as we wait for the bus. Alyssa has matching shades (but in blue/green) to the ones Emma is wearing that Grandma gave the girls in their Easter baskets, but she didn't want to risk losing them at camp so they are here at home. See, the whole idea of being responsible has kicked in before she's even left home :)


She left us notes on our cars. Here is "Love you Daddy."


And mine, "I love my mom." Wow, our cars need to be washed!!