This is how I started my week at Girl's Camp. Now if you saw a woman at 6:30 in the morning walking down the street holding a light saber while texting on her phone would you think that was odd? Maybe add that she had cornrows in her hair and wasn't paying attention enough to walk down the correct street home?
One of our older girls who went up happens to live around the corner from me and forgot her precious light saber for camp. I mean, who doesn't travel with a light saber, right? So I went down to her house and picked it up to bring it when I came up later that day. I think all the early morning dog walkers thought I was nuts.
So warning this post is super picture heavy. I can't really fully express how much this week meant to me. It was an amazing experience and I did a lot off things I never thought I could do.
All of us ready to leave. I made the our t-shirts with bleach pen. They are a number five that make the shape of the sun. We are Lincoln 5th ward and our assigned symbol of light was the sun:) The theme was Got Light?
Jennifer Hall, Jessica Wooden, Me and Annette Gilbert
I couldn't have made it without these wonderful ladies! We had the greatest time together.
Our main camp decorations. Ben built these from pallets we found on the side of the road. The Tanlged suns in the middle, my friend Monica painted. My lovely cricut helped me do the stencils on the other two.
My own personal artwork...lovely I know:)
The girls loved this one.
I had all of them sign when they got there.
Hannah, Mackayla, Katelyn and Taylor
Jessica, Vanessa, Shannon and Willow
Jennifer, Sarah, Maddie, Becky and Jessica
Meals are out of this world at camp. The cooks make everything from scratch (even lots of the bread). Let me just say that I am lucky I still lost a pound during Fit Club at my gym. the last week of the challenge coincided with Girls Camp and it was SO hard to not get seconds or thirds of everything.
Our first night we had Kitchen capers (chores) The girls were so good about cleaning every day (well except our yurt, but that is another story...)
Scrubbing tables
6: 30 a.m. freexing Truckee area water. Yup., that's me swimming in it. You get a charm for your necklace when you do it every morning. When I mentioned I would do it, Ben said there was no way I would...so of course then I had to!
You can't see my face but it is in shock
A few of the girls did it with me every morning. Day two was harder, three was as well. But by the fourth day I think I got it down.
Every day the girls had a schedule of areas to go. I got to do everything with them and earn charms for my necklace.
Getting ready to shoot arrows
Jessica was pretty good at it.
Alyssa, Alexah and Mandy were a few of the 17 year old girls who were camp leaders. They ran the schedule at camp and taught the girls songs.
I think some of the camp songs will never get out of my head.
Once it got warmer, a lot of the girls were able to go swimming at Waterfront.
Little Hannah was wanting me to come in. She's pouting "Sister Oram!" But once a day was enough for me.
Sarah forgot her suit but swam anyway!
Sarah going off the zip line.
Since we were up there during the 4th of July you have to have a good celebration outfit, right? thanks to Alexah and her mom prior to camp I got some good outfits at DI.
BB Guns
I didn't get a picture of me doing it, but I actually did good. I looked awesome in my camo/4th of July outfit racking my BB gun and hitting balloons like crazy.
More capers- we had to clean one of the Port-o-Potties. The girls were troopers...notice though how far away I am from the thing just taking pics!
My friend Kristine was the waterfront lifeguard. Their light source was jellyfish so she made this cute hat.
Kayla
Alexah. She's high on life:)
Kristine and I again posing. There is never a better time for an adult to act like a 15 year old girl and have it be normal.
My friend's birthday fell during the week of camp. I made her these cupcakes with celebrities. I included her husband's picture (he's the one in pink:))
We surprised her the night before her actual birthday
I also brought a birthday crown for her to wear on her actual birthday. She taped the beefcakes to her crown and wore them around all day.
Getting ready to go on the Level 2 hike with the girls.
5 miles round trip. 2.5 straight up, 2.5 straight back down. A 1000 foot elevation change.
I had one of our special needs girls on this hike. I was so proud of her when she made it the whole way. I was also grateful to be strong enough when I had to carry both of our packs the whole way.
Deer Lake.
It was gorgeous there. So worth the hike.
My friend Becky (the birthday girl) wanted to do something to remind me how scared I am of wildlife. After my husband convinced her that any prank involving animals coming to get me at night would be the worst idea of the year, she opted for a little squirrel poop and some tracks (chocolate covered raisins and some stickers)
This pillow is actually hers. Because when you are so concerned with getting 12 girls up to camp, you kind of forget your own stuff---like extra blankets, chapstick and your PILLOW!
Getting ready to take a large camp picture to celebrate 100 years of Girl's Camp
Skit night: The girls did a spoof of Tangled. It was awesome and they were so hilarious.
The last day of the Polar Bear I was challenged by the leader below to drop into the water via the zipline and then swim the long way across. So of course I had to do it...
My awesome DI find, a Talladega nights Shake n' Bake t shirt. And what tops off an outfit better than argyle socks turned into sleeves.
So this picture comes from a trip I made to the bathroom. I see some tall brown figures popping out of the shower as I walk up there. They were jumping in and out, looking around and then jumping back in. Apparently they had rolled around in mud after swimming from head to toe and wanted a picture. I had my camera and took it for them. They later delivered their email address with a note: To the leader with the braids, Love, the Muddy Girls.
One of my crazy partners in crime...We had way too much fun dancing.
My neighbor across the street did these braids for me Sunday night before I left. I kept them in all week and didn't wash my hair. Who knows what was in there at the end of the week.
The girls wanted to watch me take them out, so we had a photo session once we were packed up for camp.
They all took pictures
Voila! Greasy fro head.
Passed out on the way home
Our after camp picture back at drop off
Do we look exhausted? We were. But it was all worth it:)
