Saturday, July 13, 2013

Sleep Away Camp...


 
My boy is headed off to YMCA camp 
 tomorrow for two whole weeks...
 
Last year was his maiden voyage 
to sleep away camp 
and when we picked him up seven days later, 
Jack's first declaration was that he wished 
he could have stayed for two weeks!  

Now, I don't take it personally 
that my son did not miss me...  

I understood his desire as a statement 
of how much fun he had in that short week...  

 

Time flies when you are having fun...  

Jack has always been more 
of an independent sort anyway...  

As a toddler, he was rarely one to cling to me
 as I left for work each day...  

That is, unless Tom and I were headed out for a date, 
then he would throw a doozy of a tantrum...  

God forbid we have a night out once in a while...  

At the age of ten, 
Jack still gives us grief 
if we book a sitter for the evening...  

Is that a firstborn thing, 
or what is it?  

It's nice to know that there are still many good, 
wholesome camps where kids go mud sliding, 
horseback riding, boating and hiking...
  

I love that the electronic-age tweensters slumber in sturdy tents 
and are encouraged to clean their plates 
at meal time...  

The "slop bucket" at each table is weighed 
at the end of the meal 
and the lightest bucket wins good stuff...

It's great to know today's campers still sing around the campfire 
and play the same games we played 
at camp many years ago...  

Times are a little different, too,
and the camp pamphlet strongly recommends 
those parents with "helicopter tendencies"
to not call the camp to check in on little Johnny 
as it just creates homesickness...  

Care packages must be nut-free 
and Epi Pens fill up the nurse's desk...  


It's just a sign of the times, 
but so much has remained old school, 
which I love...   

So, Jack is totally geeked to head to the hinterlands
for fourteen days 
and I must confess I am excited, too...  

For two weeks, we will not referee sibling squabbles, 
I will not have to count to ten 
while my son talks back to me...  

There will be less laundry, 
more food in the fridge 
and less Sponge Bob...  

Kate will be at home with us, 
but two parents to one kid is a breeze...  

Zone defense beats man to man every time...  

Yes, I will miss my boy
 and maybe for a millisecond he will miss me, 
but it will be a good break for us...  

We have been wearing on each other's nerves lately 
and a little absence may make the heart grow fonder...  

I hand made some postcards 
for Jack to send to family members
 if he gets the inclination
 to share his tales of camp glory...  
  
Yes, I realize my hand looks like a lamb shank...

 

Do you know it is a challenge 
to find non-tourist postcards?  

So, I just cut some card stock to 3 1/2 x 5 inches...

I already sent one "hello" card in the mail 
so he would get one on Monday or Tuesday...  

In a few days I will bake some goodies (nut free) 
and will send along some water balloons, 
playing cards, a disposable camera and other fun things 
in a care package for him and his tent mates to enjoy... 




Some of my best memories were at Girl Scout camp 
and I hope he will have great moments
 that he will remember, too...

 
 To keep in the camping theme,
here are some good camping recipes , courtesy of Six Sisters Stuff,
for you outdoorsy folks...


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