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...