Second Week of Camp

On Sunday, I started my second week of camp with the campers here. The session I'm doing is an arts and crafts theme and works with campers entering 4th and 5th grade. I'm staying in the Treehouses unit this week, meaning that the girls stay in treehouses and the counselors stay in the fan-cooled unit house with electricity (the only downside is that there's no bathroom in the unit house, so we have to walk about 30 yards to the bathroom.) The weather has been absolutely horrible because of Debby (who I didn't even know about until Monday, which shows you how out of touch with technology I am while at camp.) On Sunday night, we had to do the traditional opening campfire inside the dining hall at the fireplace. Afterward, we went to the unit house, where everybody, both campers and staff, have been staying because of the weather. We had a tornado warning literally all night, which is scary enough when you're at home with a roommate, but is twenty times scarier when you're responsible for the safety of 15 kids who aren't your own. Aside from a downpour of rain, we didn't have anything of note happen weather-wise. It's been raining or sprinkling pretty much non-stop, with maybe a 10 minute lull here or there.

On Monday, we weren't able to let the girls take their swimming tests, so we made and painted flowers made out of water bottles. The girls drew, had me time and made friendship bracelets and lanyards. Our all camp activity last night was a dance party, which was a ton of fun for the staff and the girls (much more fun than the one on Friday, probably because we're not as tired by Monday).

The weather was a tiny bit better Tuesday, so during a super long break in the rain (about 45 minutes) the girls were able to do archery before lunch, after they made their paper beads craft and went to the camp store. After lunch, the girls looked out of the windows of the unit house and drew pictures of trees and the treehouses. I went on my time off right before the girls were scheduled to go on their nature hike to collect leaves/branches/etc for a nature themed art project. The wifi and cell phone service at camp has, unfortunately, been particularly unreliable today but thank goodness I was able to get all of my homework that's due today done and submitted yesterday!

I have to tell the backstory for everyone to understand this next paragraph: at camp, we have different caamp sororities, one is for sassy counselors (Sigma Lambda Kappa), one is for people who eat a lot (Phi Phi Alpha), an a capella sorority (KA) and one for people who cry all the time (SAPS). When I checked my mailbox Tuesday, aside from presents from my secret buddy (which I need to go to my car to get the stuff for my secret buddy!!! OOPS!!!), was a bid for Sigma Lambda Kappa! Hollaaaa! Yesterday when my UL checked my mailbox for me, I had a bid for Phi Phi Alpha! Scoreee.

On Wednesday, the girls had their swim tests and had their swim time cut short because, unfortunately there was a gator chilling about 20 feet away from the swim area. We also made pasta necklaces with Happy, a program assistant. These were the most legit pasta necklaces ever--the noodles we used looked like little pony beads and got dyed pink and blue, then decorated with paint. I made a super cute bracelet that's a hair too small for my wrist that will probably be given to my sister. While I was on my time off, the girls made clay sculptures that they'll paint (hopefully) at some point today.

Since yesterday was Wednesday, we had a pack-out dinner around the campfire in our unit. We made three minute pita pizzas. I didn't end up eating because on my time off right before, I went with a couple of coworkers to Moe's in the next real town over. It was a delicious break from camp food!

This morning the girls worked some more on drawing, this time drawing their dream tree house while incorporating shading. After that, they went to the lake for swim time, and I went on my time off. A couple of coworkers and I went to this adorable (and cheap!) ice cream shop right down the road. It was delicious and super convenient! That's about all for now, I'm about to do some homework with Bronx before lunch...thrilling!