I have had a very interesting and diverse summer. Since mid June, I have flown to Seattle for my daughter’s convocation and then flew directly to Minnesota to help Kari, my niece, care for her 4 children and her newborn while Jeremy, my nephew, was doing his two weeks active duty. Kari, the five kiddos and I drove to Kansas to meet up with Jeremy and spent time with Jeremy’s folks and more family. I flew home and five days later I directed Kids/Tween Camp. I had the “dream team” of staff, counselors and CIT’s. Directing camp is always a great week but it is also a difficult week. I was home from camp twelve days and went to Japan for twelve days. I plan on writing about Japan soon but first I want to share a couple of random quotes that even weeks later make me smile.

“Jumping in the shower is dangerous. You might fall.” said by one of my great nieces after I had commented “I am going to go jump in the shower”.

“You will not throw up!!!” said by me in my Miss Ann voice to my niece after a huge insect flew into the windshield while traveling to Kansas. Kari was driving, a bug went splat on windshield, blood was dripping down the windshield and she started to heave. Did I mention one of the grand nieces had already thrown up and she had done a super job of throwing up in a plastic bag but we had no more plastic bags and this was hours later. 🙂

“He didn’t follow us” said by the three boys I found walking by themselves on the first morning of camp. I was driving to the dining hall when I saw three boys walking with no counselor. The following conversation ensued: Me “gentlemen, where are you going?”. Boys – blank stare. Me “where’s your counselor?” boys – “He is in the cabin. We left and he didn’t follow us.” Me – blank stare and then “Your counselor doesn’t ever follow you. You follow him.” There is some food for thought.

One day at camp during lunch I suddenly heard banging on tables. I turned around expecting to see kids doing the cup game and instead saw 6 seven-year old boys banging their forks and knives on the table ala something you would see in a prison movie. I walked over and asked the participants what they were doing? They looked a little shocked to see me and were still holding their knives and forks in an upward fist clenched position. I promptly collected their knives and told them to put their forks on the table. Me -“would you do that in a restaurant?” boys – “no”, Me – “would you do that at home or school?” boys – “noooo”, Me – “so why do it at camp?” The usual finger-pointing started and I informed them they were each responsible for their own actions. This was obviously a teachable moment. I commented that they needed to apologize to the dining room manager for disrespecting his dining room. I walked over to the dining room manager and asked him to join me at the table. I told him I had some campers who wanted to apologize to him for disrespecting his dining room. He looked at me and said “I have been waiting all summer for this.” I introduced him to the boys and the boys to him and they apologized for “disrespecting his dining room.” He accepted their apology and then I said “Does anyone have anything else to say?”. A small hand went up and a little voice said “Can we still eat here?” I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry. 🙁