Camp Antie Nonny; My 100th Post!

This week was camp Antie Nonny. After having 2 glorious child free days last week it was my turn to share that gift with my SIL by taking her children. Actually she wasn't child free since she has a nursing baby. I have my limitations. :)

I thought I would do a nature themed camp since it is summer and Jake was all about nature when he was little so I have plenty of books and experience with nature. I started out pretty well.

Before they arrived I had Jake set up an animal obstacle course in the backyard:

First hop like a kangaroo:

Then crawl like a bear (on blocks and paper Jake put down.):

Slide like a seal down the slide:

Walk like an elephant:

Hop like a rabbit: (I had to create a few obstacles like this since Jake was more into the animal part than the obstacle part)


Walk like a chimpanzee over to the tire swing:

And crawl like a mouse under the swing:

Throw a lawn dart at the target: (this was upsetting to Jake because there was no animal with it but I just made him add it because I felt we needed more activities with this course.)

Then run like a Cheetah back to the chair:

And give Antie your triuphant look at the end:


That was fun and entertained them for about 20 minutes but by the time John finished that final round with me photographing the girls were all in their swim suits and playing in the just filled fridgid pool. John quickly joined in.




After lunch we headed out for the big event of the day. Kayaking with Jake.







They each went out twice and I think really enjoyed it. Round 2 Sofie picked a flower from a lily pad and then they all needed one. John gave his to me. :)



They are all so cute:






To round out the nature fun we had a hot dog roast in the backyard for dinner:




After dinner we went over to a park where our church was holding VBS this week. Since we grew up going to church camps we know that camp always needs a bible lesson.

They spent the night "camping" on the floor in our basement. I had ideas of setting up the tent but by the time we got home from vbs I was just ready to be done for the night. I got the sleeping bags set up and let them watch a video in bed.

The next day I did not get the camera out once so you will just have to use your imagination.

The plan was to go over to a nature center the next morning and wander trails, discuss what we saw and draw pictures in little nature journals I had made up for them. We needed to do it in the morning so that Jake could come with and help me because he is taking a dance class 2 afternoons a week this summer. Well none of us was moving very quickly in the morning and I quickly realized I was not going to rally myself let along the rest of the campers for this project and so it was abandoned. I considered some of the books I had pulled out that I could read to them for a nature theme and did even copy a maze for John to do out of one of those books but otherwise the nature theme was abandoned on day 2 for the urban experience.

Since I hadn't run to the grocery store for a pre camp food run I was out of lunch foods. I had planned to spend no money (you know, Africa) but have no will power and so packed everyone up for McDonald's. Afterward we dropped Jake at dance class and headed over to the club to play in the pool. Sofie had requested grandma's pool but I told her at Camp Antie Nonny we have new fun adventures, we don't do the usual boring stuff. I suspect Sofie would rather do what she knows but she, along with the rest, had a great time at a new pool. They did so well that I even managed to flip through an entire magazine, something I don't usually get to do when it is just Isabelle. Afterward we were all tired from the sun, I put in a video and then relaxed for a few minutes. After the video was more playing, dinner and then their parents arrived.

I am happy to report that although Julia did not blog about it she had a lovely time while they were gone reading a whole book, making herself breakfast and eating it, shopping and having lunch out with my mom.

All in all I would say Camp Antie Nonny was a sucess. Do you think we should try a winter camp???