Madeline Island Camping 2013

A few weeks ago we were blessed with the opportunity to go to Madeline Island to go camping with some of our friends and neighbors.  As a child one of my best friends growing up had a cabin on Madeline Island and I had been there a handful of times.  It was great to go back and experience it with my own family. 

What an awesome time we all had.  It was such great weather, warm and sunny all day with some rain at night.  Jon loves the rain at night in the tent.  I tend to worry a bit about getting wet but this time I tried to relax and enjoy it.  The bugs were a little heavy this but we did not let that stop us from having a fantastic time. 

The highlight of the trip was cliff jumping.  There was both a high jump and a lower jump.  We all enjoyed jumping off.  The only hard part was that the water was VERY cold so it would take your breathe away when you landed in it but that did not stop us, well at least some of us in the group.  We could have spend all day jumping off that cliff and we already have plans for going back next year. 

The kids even made their own Kids Camp in our group camp site.  They hung out in their own camp and even had their meals in their camp. 

We all joked about our "mini van" line up.  Great time, Great Friends, Great Memories!

Enjoy the pictures!

Summer Camp Rules 2013

This past week the kids have enjoyed spending time at our local YMCA camp.  They participated in camp last year and they loved it so much that we signed them up again this year.

I cannot say enough positive things about this camp.  What a wonderful opportunity for our kids to be able to take party in such a unique experience.  The camp is run by young adults.  These kids are in college and have been through years of training to become camp councilors.  The girls have had some junior camp councilors in training with them this week and have enjoyed it.

The camp offers so many wonderful things.  There is a swimming pool, gaga court, volley ball, play ground, canoeing and kayaking on the lake, fishing, archery, arts and crafts, cook outs, tie dying, many fun camp songs to learn and the kid favorite Black Hole (a black tube slide). The kids are outside all day from 9 AM to 4 PM.  They are happy, dirty, and tired when its time for me to pick them up.

Last night was family night.  It was great to see the camp and all the activities that the kids did all week.  At the end of the night we all met in the amphitheater for counselor and camper introductions. All of the kids had to shout out their names and then each group sang one of the many camp songs.  At the end of the intro the counselors all got up and did one last camp song (the most favorite one) and they all went crazy. 

There was so much energy.  The camp director spoke to all of the parents at the end of the night and explained how important statics show it is for kids to have mentors that are older children as they grow up.  We are so blessed to live so close to this YMCA camp and to be able to send our kids there.  They had an absolute blast and I have been asked over and over and over again this week "Mom, can we go back next year?"  Awesome!

As we were walking out of camp last night all of the counselors were high fiving all of the parents.  When we got down to K's counselor, he asked if I was K's Mom.  When I said yes, he went on and on and on and on about how much they LOVE K.  Of course that is music to a mothers ears and made my night.  K did extreme adventure camp this week that included rock climbing, skate boarding at a very large skate park, a high ropes course through the trees at camp that leads to a zip line, kayaking, and hiking.  I was nervous for him as he is afraid of heights but he was determined to participate.  He has done a wonderful job and he truly LOVED every minute of it.  In true K fashion it will be hard for him to say good bye this afternoon.  He asked if he could go back to camp next week and the week after.   A true sign that he has enjoyed the week.

The girls counselor had equally nice things to say about A and E.  They did Arts and Crafts camp this week and I have enjoyed all of the projects that they have brought home.  They too asked to go back to camp next week!

Awesome!  Awesome! Awesome!