Camp 2010

It's that time of year again!

CAMP SUNSHINE!!!

First of all, my anticipatory bawl fests made for an easy transition to the car when I had to leave my Lily Bug that fateful Saturday afternoon. However, things went downhill on Monday as I'm sitting in yoga for first period and look through pictures on my camera while listening to some calmin Josh Groban music in the background.
Note to self: Not a good mix.

Once I got my you-know-what together, things were fine. That's until I called home and heard her sweet voice say, "Hi, Mama!" Now I understand why we don't let the campers call home. It can be pretty darn upsetting. By Friday I was ready to get home to my perfect little girl.

BUT!!! The days in between were as magical and fun and exciting as they always are.
I think it was the first or second day at lunch when I witnessed a group of senior boys (either 18 years old or high school graduates) invade a table of younger boys (probably 13-15 year olds) who were slouching in their chairs with their too-cool-for-school heads on the table. The seniors went over to them, pepped them up, got them to stand on their feet and SING & DANCE!!! Nobody asked them to do it. They did this completely on their own because they know what Camp is all about and they want to make sure all the other campers get the same experience they've had.

There were somewhere around 230 TEENAGERS at Camp this year ages 13-18.

230!

Every year on Sunday night is the opening ceremony. This year it was held at a gorgeous new location on the grounds called Turtle Cove where everyone gathered to "pass the flame." How many places have you been where 230 TEENAGERS sit so quietly you can hear a pin drop? It gives me goosebumps every year. They understand the significance of the week and it amazes me to no end.

Sometimes you see kids who might not have such a great homelife and this is literally the best place on earth for them to be. It breaks your heart to know what they have to return to but it definitely helps you focus on making the week the best it can possibly be.

And, of course, you have some funny moments like out at the archery range where a young man was retrieving his arrows and people were already lining up to shoot their respective targets (not necessarily him). The okay had not yet been given, but he blurted out, "DON'T SHOOT! I'm too young to die! I've already had a brain tumor." Classic.

This is why I do it every year.
Moments like this that touch your heart and stay with you through the years.

Dawn & I looking fresh (and rested) early in the week

So there's this thing called Prom on Friday night. The campers really get into it and dress amazingly. Counselors, on the other hand, typically get into the theme of Camp for that year or we'll wear old, gawdy prom dresses of our own. (For example, one year they had a circus theme. I dressed up like a clown and put my 1993 prom dress on over the clown outfit. I was hot.)

This year's theme was Decades.
My sweet Dawn went Madonna Mode:

And my darling Deb really went retro....back to the Austin Powers days of the 60s! It was freaking me out that she was taller than me but doesn't she look amazing???

One of the Camp songs is called Love Is. I don't know who wrote it or who originally brought it to Camp, but the words are below.

Like someone said on our last day of Camp, "Wouldn't the world be such an incredible place if it were like Camp Sunshine?"

Yes, it would.

There's nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

Everything is crystal clear.

No phony disguise, no faces to wear.

There is nothing we cannot share.

'Cause I am at ease when I am with you.

I know love is gonna see us through.

Love is higher than the mountains.

Love is deeper than the oceans.

Love is wider than the miles between you and me.

Love is stronger than a freight train.

Love is faster than a jet plane.

Love is bigger than the troubles that we'll ever see.

Long is the day and dark is the night.

I know love is gonna be our light.

The valley is low, the desert is dry.
But love will never die.

(repeat chorus)

Frat Parties Everywhere!

If only I could be this creative and on-the-spot hilarious....
My BFF (holla, Sa) sent me this link that she thought I would enjoy and it's just too good not to pass on to whomever might read this little bloggy blog. The link is at the bottom if you're interested in reading some of the funny comments, too.

Enjoy!

WHY HAVING A TODDLER IS LIKE BEING AT A FRAT PARTY

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

One of my favorite comments added by a reader says something along the lines of "you try all night to get someone into bed and then when you're successful all you want to do is sleep."
Check out this great blog at www.suburbansnapshots.com. I might have to add this one to my list on the left!

Beach Baby

Memorial Day Weekend - 2010!!!

What a blast it was!

Nana flew into Atlanta on Wednesday and we packed up the car and headed to Charleston on Thursday afternoon. Lily's first trip the beach, mom's first trip to Charleston and my first......I'm sure there was something......

My dear, sweet friend Erin and her hubby and baby boy are living in Folly Beach for the next three years and allowed us to come take advantage of the situation. We are so incredibly grateful for the wonderful opportunity and the excellent southern hospitality that Erin is famous for.

However, I need to make some notes for our next beach adventure:
1. Take more than one swim diaper. And if I only have one and it's been used but we decide to go back to the beach, perhaps I should consider taking it off when we actually get to the beach. Just in case so we can avoid the possibility of peeing on the bathroom rug because she thinks she's taking a bath. And so we can maybe not slip and slide on a pee puddle in the middle of our hosts' hardwood floors. I might also want to think about the chance of her peeing in the wagon on our way to the beach. (And I thought she was dehydrated! Phewy!)

2. Don't be pregnant so I can wear a suitable bathing suit, drink lavender martinis and take a shooter at Pearlz restaurant.

3. Go into the first night with low expectations on the sleeping situation for Lily. I'm not sure who was screaming louder....Charlie or Lily. Needless to say, we ended up bringing Lily into our room and she finally got the hang of the routine on our final night there.

4. Take John with us. "Mama." "Mama." "Mama!!!" "No, Nana." "Mama." "Mama." It was a little exhausting. (Guess I should be careful what I wish for.)

Lots of pictures to share! Enjoy!

Nana's first photo op in Charleston at the market

Festival downtown with lots of fun things to do.

Met up with Bobby and Emily for breakfast one morning.

John used to babysit Bobby when he was Lily's age!

(Mainly to pick up chicks, I think.)

Tractor Charlie

Could she be any sweeter?!?!

Yes, Lily's first bath with a boy. They did well together!

My sweet Erin




Erin getting her work-out

The Awesome Arnold Clan

She really couldn't get enough of the water or the waves.

LOVED IT!!!

Enjoying the waves together for the first time thanks to Erin allowing me to stretch out her bathing suit

Lily and Brett enjoying the waves

Thank you for such a fun weekend, Erin, Brett and Charlie!

We love you all and can't wait to visit again!

Catch up

Just some shots of what Lily's been up to since the summer weather has arrived. Playdates and pool time. Well....one of each, but still....they count!

Not exactly sure what her fixation is with water bottles.

I think she learned it from Bear.

Leaving home already

Lily: "Sidewalk chalk is cool!"
Mom: "Target's $1 section rocks!"

Free pool time in our neighborhood. (Too bad it's not free all summer.)

Yes, those are matching shoes.

I have matching hair things, too, but I've told you how that goes.