More Pictures!

I'll have to add more later. It's too late right now. These of Lydia are from our Sunday school picnic at the park. Curtis took them while I was at work. He actually let her get nasty with icing on a cookie! I liked the grin on her face. ;)

Silly Summertime Girls

I believe this was a lunch while Bennett was at camp. Silly Cheeto faces!

Bennett's Summer Camp

Bennett went to camp! I have a few pictures. Most are on the Website ... but you have to log on to see them. They're worth it in my humble opinion. :)

Anyway, I had spent the past few weeks trying to convince Curtis that we should send Bennett to camp this year. He was finally old enough to go to Strong Rock and since we KNOW the owner/operators it was a little easier for me to decide. Curtis had a difficult time with the whole "He's 6!" thing. The Mother Owner even had conversation with him to try to convince him. FINALLY, the Thursday before camp started on Sunday we committed. Bennett was unsure about going... since he's never done a camp before he really had no idea what it was about. But he wanted to try. I tried to explain things ahead of time so he would be less scared but he acknowledged his nervousness. Sunday morning while we were at church one of his little buddies announced that he too, was going to camp! Yippee! Another 6 year old. Another familiar face. Now he's excited! We dropped him off Sunday afternoon and picked him up Friday morning. It wouldn't have been that simple had I not had inside spies! We got several emails and updates through the week to let us know he was having a good time. I checked the website for updated photos... more than several times a day, even though they only upload them once a day. We were excited to go get him Friday morning. They put on a special awards program and demonstration of the things they learned all week. Bennett received TWO awards... one in Arts & Crafts and one in Swimming. The Arts & Crafts instructors said they were impressed with his interest and understanding of the colors, shading and tints they were working with. I'm sure there was more to it but it's a camp thing! He is definitely an artist!

The Swimming instructor said he made the most progress during the week. From not even wanting to get in the water, to floating with a life jacket, to finally floating alone. He still doesn't swim, but he's making progress! He also took Horseback Riding, Riflery, and Archery. He brought home his target, free from holes. I asked if that's what he shot at and why it didn't have holes in it. "I tried to hit it but I never did, but I brought it so I could keep practicing". What a great attitude! Our senior inside spy told us of his desire to help in the dining room... that he could carry TWO water pitchers without spilling any. His cabin counselor, Hollywood, told of his cabin life. He had "adult" conversations with him, read his Bible without prompting, and kept up with all his things.

The played games and had competitions. They created tribes. He was a Waya Wolf. They had chants, cheers and songs. His buddy was an Awahili Eagle. Bennett was red. James was blue. Life will never be the same!

This photo is when he first arrived in his cabin!

Friday afternoon he continued to cry and say "I just want to go back to camp". That lasted throughout the weekend but I think he's over the withdrawal for now. We'll be able to go back and play with our friends but he'll have to wait a year before he can go alone again. Now, to convince our cousins that it's worth the money and time away from Mom!!!!!!!

This picture is down at the camp store. Back in my day... we called it the Canteen! :)

This is one of the girls from his Waya Tribe. She also goes to church with us and I work with her mother. She's very sweet and good with the younger kids. They were partners for the Spies and Smugglers game.

The next day he had to make his own t-shirt just like Buzz (a counselor). I set him up with a white shirt and a pile of Sharpies. He copied the picture off of something from camp and wrote his tribal name on it. Then I made him model it for me!