back to camp

Just got back from Girls Camp last week. Here are a few pictures from my bad camera and some thoughts:

• The theme for our stake was PBS Kids Shows. PBS for Pray, Book of Mormon, and Smile- the challenge for the young women of the church this year. It was such a fun theme. Each ward picked a different kids show as their theme.

• We were Curious George. This was my first time sleeping in a cabin. Pretty cozy. And luckily the girls were so dead at the end of each day that they actually slept at night. I was pleasantly surprised.
• It was fun to go back to where I had spent a week every summer when I was younger.

• There were several phrases that our girls were really into. "Epic failure," "I hate my life," and "I know, right?" were among the most frequently used. I love teenage girls!
• I don't have cute camping hair. I need a flat iron and a round brush or I'm not okay. It was a hard week.
• People get very emotional very easily at camp. It's just all those female hormones in such close proximity.
• I tried banana boats for the first time ever and they sure were yummy. If you haven't had them let me tell you: You peel one side of the banana, scoop a little bit out, and then fill it with chocolate chips, marshmallows and reese's. Close the banana back up and then wrap it tightly with tin foil. Stick it on the hot coals and wait a few minutes. Then grab a spoon. I can't wait to try it again!
• I learned how to play big booty. I totally love it.
• I had major allergy issues in my left eye. My dumb left eye. It watered constantly for two days and my skin was swollen and red and raw. I was dying. It was one of those things that isn't really a big serious deal, but it was just so very annoying and painful at times. And I just kind of like to complain about it. I do.
• I love beehives! Ours were so cute. I loved watching them do all the camp things for the first time. So cute.
• All the songs they sing are new. The only one I recognized was the Noah one. They are much more annoying when you didn't learn them yourself at camp. But guess what? I've been stuck on them ever since I got home. "Now Tarzan has a tan. . ." Ahhhhh.
• On the second day we got up at 3:30am to go on a sunrise hike. That day was the longest day ever. But the sunrise was so beautiful.
• Another beautiful thing that I made sure to look at every night was the sky. So many stars. So many. The night sky was breathtaking.
  

• We went on a snipe hunt. This was so funny. Most of the girls had never been on one before and I almost peed my pants a little because I was laughing so hard. Our camp director outdid herself on this one and should get an Oscar. She even skinned the "snipe" that she caught and cooked it up in a frying pan. It looked and smelled a lot like a twinkie with salsa on it. Hehe.
  

• We cleaned the Biffy. Well, the girls did. I helped supervise.
  
  
  

• It was actually really fun to spend a week with these cute girls. . .although I'm really glad it's over. I loved going back to Shalom- it's so beautiful up there and it was so great seeing the girls have those fun camp experiences that I had when I was their age.
  

• The group of leaders. It was really fun getting to know these ladies better.
  
• I am having a lot of mixed feelings about leaving these girls. I am so ready to move to Oregon and start living our new life. It seems like we've been waiting forever. But I also feel like I didn't get to finish what I started here in this ward. It will be hard to leave.