A Day in the Life of a Camper

Summer has arrived!!!!!! 

High ho, high ho, it's off to camp we go... 

I recently got to experience Island Lake camp for a couple of days with my family. What a great way to start summer. Life can’t be better when it is structured by meals cooked by someone else, fun-loving energetic college students playing with the kids, and amazing free-time activities like waterslides and skate parks. Now, that is a taste of pure happiness. At camp kids are able to completely enter a new world. Cell phones are left home. Video games are off. (And much to the kids’ surprise, they still live!) Relationships are put on “pause.” Kids explore the great outdoors and try new things and make new friends.

At camp, kids wake up to a hot breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausage, and pancakes waiting for them in the dining hall. They are raring to go! After breakfast, they go outside with their cabins and play games. These are not your normal playground games. Rather, they are goof-off, be silly, and get wet in gross, slippery, fun games. They are games that get them running through fields and over bridges. The kids play team games that build up their cabins and create instant camaraderie.

After game times, the campers hear an inspirational message and sing “the-bear-in-tennis-shoes-song.” Then back to the dining hall where they get another hot yummy meal. (Have I mentioned that I loved the meals!) It is good for kids to eat away from home around a big circle table with their counselors. Their conversation consists of what they just did or are doing and small talk (no long-range planning here). It’s great relationship building, and conversational skill building, too.

After lunch, the cabins have adventure time! 

#Cowabunga! 

In case you are interested, the campers stretch their abilities and learn some new stuff on ropes courses, motorcycles, rock climbing, skate boarding, and the infamous camp skill - "archery" - very very useful life skill:) 

The kids get challenged, stretched, and learn to push their boundaries – all in a safe environment as the camp staff support and teach the kids skills. (They really picked the kids up when they fell and cheered them on to victory.) 

Riding motorcycles at camp will likely be one of the biggest highlights of my summer. 

Adventure time leads to free-time where kids will go bouldering, swimming, get blobbed (see above water picture) or paddling in a canoe. Then the dinner bell rings and they walk to the dining hall for another delicious meal prepared for them by someone other than their parents. You might not want every detail - but I thought that it might be fun for you to get the over-all layout.

On a side note, I find it hard to believe that all of this activity takes place without getting in the car, without mom’s arranging play dates, gear, calendars, and snacks. The campers have a perfect kid-filled day on auto-pilot, thanks to the camp staff. 

After dinner the kids play more group games and sit down for another positive message. Chatting about the message afterwards in their cabins is fun. You would think that that would be the end, right. Time for bed? Not today. The campers return to the mess hall for ice cream and a goofy dance time. Now, finally, everyone is off to bed.

Maybe that is too many details but the truth of the matter is: The life of a camper is so good. A perfect combination of nature, inspiration, laughter, friendship, and adventure brings out the kid and builds confidence. Sure, campers miss mom, dad, and their Xbox but not all that much, because life at camp is great!

The Day I had a Turtle in My Car

I was driving down a four-lane city road the other day. I was stunned at what I saw in front of me. A turtle was trying to cross the busy 4 lane road, one slow and quiet step at a time. 

I have been a huge fan of the turtles in this area for some time and did not want to see this one get squished!

In a panic, I knew I had to do something.

I put my emergency blinkers on and got out of my car and stopped traffic. I picked up the turtle with two hands and put it in my car on the passenger seat. Immediately, the little head, legs, and tail of the turtle went inside its shell.

I drove the turtle to the nearby turtle habitat and let it go into the fresh water lake. Initially, it went into the water and flipped upside down. So we lifted it out of the water and tried again, making sure it didn't flip over. The second time worked, and out popped the head, tail and legs! With heart-felt intensity the turtle swam away. An onlooker there was a naturalist and she joined the cause. Her friends took pictures (they texted me the above picture). 

Clearly, we never know when nature is going to collide with our daily lives. I can now say that truly my passenger seat is ready for the next turtle that wants a ride.

For the #loveofturtles.