Where to begin, where to begin???
I have been home from camp for 2 weeks now and I finally
have the urge to sit down and chronicle the most rewarding & challenging week of my life!
In a nutshell, camp was a success!
We had some obstacles thrown at us - RAIN! - but I was blessed
to be inspired quickly each time it did in order to change
our schedule smoothly & make sure the fun would still go on!
There were also some little miracles that we witnessed while there -
from girls' whose testimonies were strengthened to
a huge tree cracking & falling down a few hundred feet from leaders and girls.
(the 2nd yrs playing on the swing our stake YW pres
made and donated to the camp)
made and donated to the camp)
As camp director, I was pulled in several directions each day
and had to solve problems - from clogged toilets (yuck), to missing girls
(who weren't really missing, just in the wrong place).
And I was also able to connect with several girls, which
was a surprise to me because I wasn't planning on getting to have much time
with them this year.
We had AWESOME stake leaders who were such a support to me
throughout the week!
From running through the POURING rain to each cabin on Thursday night
to let everyone know that dinner would be in shifts because of the rain,
to staying up WAY TOO LATE in our leader cabin giggling about who know's what? -
they inspired & motivated me to get through the week with a smile on my face!
MONDAY was the first day and the YCL's and 4th years arrived at 8:30 am.
The 4th years spent their day on their 5-mile overnight hike, while
the YCL's stayed back at camp with us to set-up, decorate,
and prepare for the rest of the girls to arrive on Tuesday.
and prepare for the rest of the girls to arrive on Tuesday.
This was the ONLY picture that was taken of the 4th years from
our ward before they left on their hike
and it was BLURRY!!!
Curse my children who play with my phone and
take it out of "auto-focus" mode!!!
I spent a good chunk of Monday afternoon and evening
driving supplies to and from the 4th year's campsite -
water, dinner supplies, more water, tents, etc.
It was EXHAUSTING but I was blessed with energy I didn't know I had.
On TUESDAY, we woke up to rain and text messages from the 4th year
leaders that they were wet & hungry.
We quickly "rescued" them and brought all of them
(and their wet gear) back to camp.
The kitchen ladies made sure they were fed and we did all of this
while the rest of the campers were arriving, checking in, and getting settled in.
Tuesday's schedule had to quickly be revised because of the rain,
but it was changed without a hitch and the girls had fun anyway!
We had the girls rotate through stations indoors - group games, singing, crafts, manicures/pedicures.
Riley & Cindy Wright lead the singing time.
It was great to see Riley in a leadership role and watch
the other girls look up to her as she shared her talents.
Each of the girls got a Kazoo for the week and we had fun
teaching them different tunes on them!
Tuesday night was skit night -
I didn't take pictures, but Riley & Kathryn Saftsten dressed up as
Thing 1 and Thing 2 to MC the night.
It was so cute and they looked HILARIOUS!
(The Lorax Snack Shack!)
On WEDNESDAY, the weather was dry & sunny. Yay!
We were able to spend the afternoon down at the lake where
the girls swam, enjoyed the make-shift "water slide",
and learned how to create "Who-Ville Hair"...
WEDNESDAY was also our anniversary AND Bishop's Night...
how convenient!
Happy 22 yrs to us!
Jeff showed up with a dozen red roses and a huge card that the boys made -
in a Cat in the Hat costume, of course!!
Each ward ate dinner together and then
had an hour for a spiritual message & dessert -
compliments of their Bishop.
Then we played Bishop Hunt...
our ward came in 3rd!
After all of that craziness was the spiritual highlight of the week -
a vesper trail called "Holy Places Hike" where the YCL's
lead groups of about 15 through a trail with stops along the way -
STAND with friends, STAND with family, STAND with the saints,
STAND in the temple, STAND with the Savior.
At each station, the YCL's made a short presentation and
sang songs with the group.
I felt like we were blessed with weather that cooperated for this special night.
This was the night that I was most stressed about and when it was over
I was drained!
It was such a comfort to have Jeff there to see how all of our efforts
were playing out and to listen to me let off some steam mid-week.
I sure love him and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else on our anniversary!
THURSDAY morning all of the year groups went on a hike
on several of the trails that surrounded our camp.
I tagged along with the 1st/4th year hike...
It was a great way to start our last day at camp!
After lunch, several groups were able to work on our service project -
Little Dresses for Africa.
Each girl brought a pillowcase to camp that they made into a dress.
The sister who headed this up has a brother living in Ghana and she will
send them to him to be distributed.
It's a neat story how she got this assignment...
I had over looked her name when giving sisters responsibilities at camp
back in February.
She emailed me wondering if we needed her at camp and I mentioned that
we were doing this huge sewing project for our service project
and that someone was needed to run it at camp.
That is when she told me that she loves to sew AND
had a brother living in Ghana.
MIRACLE!!
Thursday was also the day that I helped drive the 4th years
to horseback ride. They had me giggling all afternoon because they LOVED their helmets.
When we got back from the stables, it started POURING RAIN.
Half of the girls/leaders were still at the lake under a pavilion,
while the other half were back at camp.
We had to quickly revise our dinner schedule because
it rained for a good 3 hours!
That night was testimony meeting which we needed to do inside
because of the rain.
I was disappointed about that but those feelings quickly disappeared as I saw that
a few leaders & girls decorated the entire chapel with the dresses that were made
and they strung little glow bugs that they made in crafts earlier that day across the room.
It was beautiful!!
There were so many times that little things like that
were done w/o being asked that made camp so special for me.
After testimony meeting,
our kitchen crew had an amazing display of Dr. Seuss-inspired desserts
for everyone to enjoy.
Amazing doesn't even describe what they prepared!!
FRIDAY was spent packing up & cleaning up -
a few leaders and I had stayed up WAY too late on Thursday night
with the 4th years as they participated in a stake tradition that goes way back -
"Keep the Fire Burning".
They basically stay up all night, taking shifts, to keep the fire burning all night long -
coupled with teenage antics & shenanigans. :)
Jeff and the boys arrived as all of the girls were leaving on Friday afternoon
to help load my trailer and drop off supplies at the stake center.
I was pooped and so relieved it was over!!
The whole experience was rewarding but hard and I loved it so much
I'm doing it again next year...
our ward before they left on their hike
and it was BLURRY!!!
Curse my children who play with my phone and
take it out of "auto-focus" mode!!!
I spent a good chunk of Monday afternoon and evening
driving supplies to and from the 4th year's campsite -
water, dinner supplies, more water, tents, etc.
It was EXHAUSTING but I was blessed with energy I didn't know I had.
On TUESDAY, we woke up to rain and text messages from the 4th year
leaders that they were wet & hungry.
We quickly "rescued" them and brought all of them
(and their wet gear) back to camp.
The kitchen ladies made sure they were fed and we did all of this
while the rest of the campers were arriving, checking in, and getting settled in.
Tuesday's schedule had to quickly be revised because of the rain,
but it was changed without a hitch and the girls had fun anyway!
We had the girls rotate through stations indoors - group games, singing, crafts, manicures/pedicures.
Riley & Cindy Wright lead the singing time.
It was great to see Riley in a leadership role and watch
the other girls look up to her as she shared her talents.
Each of the girls got a Kazoo for the week and we had fun
teaching them different tunes on them!
Tuesday night was skit night -
I didn't take pictures, but Riley & Kathryn Saftsten dressed up as
Thing 1 and Thing 2 to MC the night.
It was so cute and they looked HILARIOUS!
On WEDNESDAY, the weather was dry & sunny. Yay!
We were able to spend the afternoon down at the lake where
the girls swam, enjoyed the make-shift "water slide",
and learned how to create "Who-Ville Hair"...
WEDNESDAY was also our anniversary AND Bishop's Night...
how convenient!
Happy 22 yrs to us!
Jeff showed up with a dozen red roses and a huge card that the boys made -
in a Cat in the Hat costume, of course!!
Each ward ate dinner together and then
had an hour for a spiritual message & dessert -
compliments of their Bishop.
Then we played Bishop Hunt...
our ward came in 3rd!
After all of that craziness was the spiritual highlight of the week -
a vesper trail called "Holy Places Hike" where the YCL's
lead groups of about 15 through a trail with stops along the way -
STAND with friends, STAND with family, STAND with the saints,
STAND in the temple, STAND with the Savior.
At each station, the YCL's made a short presentation and
sang songs with the group.
I felt like we were blessed with weather that cooperated for this special night.
This was the night that I was most stressed about and when it was over
I was drained!
It was such a comfort to have Jeff there to see how all of our efforts
were playing out and to listen to me let off some steam mid-week.
I sure love him and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else on our anniversary!
THURSDAY morning all of the year groups went on a hike
on several of the trails that surrounded our camp.
I tagged along with the 1st/4th year hike...
It was a great way to start our last day at camp!
After lunch, several groups were able to work on our service project -
Little Dresses for Africa.
Each girl brought a pillowcase to camp that they made into a dress.
The sister who headed this up has a brother living in Ghana and she will
send them to him to be distributed.
It's a neat story how she got this assignment...
I had over looked her name when giving sisters responsibilities at camp
back in February.
She emailed me wondering if we needed her at camp and I mentioned that
we were doing this huge sewing project for our service project
and that someone was needed to run it at camp.
That is when she told me that she loves to sew AND
had a brother living in Ghana.
MIRACLE!!
Thursday was also the day that I helped drive the 4th years
to horseback ride. They had me giggling all afternoon because they LOVED their helmets.
When we got back from the stables, it started POURING RAIN.
Half of the girls/leaders were still at the lake under a pavilion,
while the other half were back at camp.
We had to quickly revise our dinner schedule because
it rained for a good 3 hours!
That night was testimony meeting which we needed to do inside
because of the rain.
I was disappointed about that but those feelings quickly disappeared as I saw that
a few leaders & girls decorated the entire chapel with the dresses that were made
and they strung little glow bugs that they made in crafts earlier that day across the room.
It was beautiful!!
There were so many times that little things like that
were done w/o being asked that made camp so special for me.
After testimony meeting,
our kitchen crew had an amazing display of Dr. Seuss-inspired desserts
for everyone to enjoy.
Amazing doesn't even describe what they prepared!!
FRIDAY was spent packing up & cleaning up -
a few leaders and I had stayed up WAY too late on Thursday night
with the 4th years as they participated in a stake tradition that goes way back -
"Keep the Fire Burning".
They basically stay up all night, taking shifts, to keep the fire burning all night long -
coupled with teenage antics & shenanigans. :)
Jeff and the boys arrived as all of the girls were leaving on Friday afternoon
to help load my trailer and drop off supplies at the stake center.
I was pooped and so relieved it was over!!
The whole experience was rewarding but hard and I loved it so much
I'm doing it again next year...
7 comments:
A.MAZ.ING!!!
Don't even know where to start, from the who-ville hair studio to awesome classes, and JEFF as THE CAT IN THE HAT?!!? What an amazing, wonderful week. I can't even imagine the sweat and tears that went into it, but man alive, I'd love for Hallie to come if you're in charge next year!!!!
Great job!
I have been waiting for this post!! Amazing is right!!! Wow! Such a reminder of our girls camp last week...same theme! But our bishop (shhhh) couldn't have pulled off a cat in the hat suit! How awesome is that?!
Well done Amy Ling!!! BRAVO!!! Seriously, all looks so, so great.
Were you serious about doing it again next year?! lol
Oh ! The "places you'll go" ... next you can become the camp Chef and serve "green eggs and ham", or "1 fish 2 fish red fish, "Bleu" fish", or maybe "hop on "pop - corn" ... who knows what is next.
Anyway, it looks awe-mazing !!!
Oh AWESOME! It's a good thing camp is only once a year. You did such a fantastic job how could they not have you back for next year?? Sorry about all the rain, but I bet the girls didn't even care because they were having the time of their lives!
You deserve a standing ovation!! That is incredible! So many of your pics showed all the special and unique "Amy Day" touches that I'm sure everyone appreciated! You rock!!
and I'm with Melanie, I'm sending Maryn next year too!! :)
What amazing talents you have. The best of which was your adaptability!! Rain, rain, go away!! I need to call you and see how you made those lanyards!! I want to do it for the Reunion.
P.S. They may never release you.
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