TWL 2

Greetings from TimberWolf Lake!
Check me out...

I'm ELEVEN months today!

We visited Jenny at the Blue Ox snack shop today and Logan got to share a little of my ice cream...a little treat for the nearly-one-year-old!
(ok, I am going to cry when I think about that!)

A new group of campers arrived today! The good news is that everything has been done once, so the second week should be easier for all of us! We're starting to get on a better routine and have even been coordinating naps with the little kids so we can switch off going to events while the babies are napping. John is working hard and doing a great job, as always! He always goes above and beyond to make sure kids have the best week of their lives here at camp. We are all enjoying our time meeting so many new, fast friends.

Logan has started walking while scooting a chair around on the floor with him, so I think his independent steps are soon to come! I think he watches all the big kids run around all day and has decided he wants to keep up! We are having some good lessons on "sharing" and being "gentle"...a few of our new words with Logan. He is doing great.

I decided this week that my task is to master the beach with Logan. The weather has turned for the better, with some very summery, hot, humid days. So, the beach is a "must"! Logan wasn't too crazy about the sand and cold water when John and I took him the first day. You can see in the pictures below, he is a little hesitant! But, the next day, I took our beach blanket and set it on the sand and we took all our beach toys and laid them out. Then I piled some sand on the blanket for Logan to play with and brought some water up in his pail to play with and pour on him. Slowly but surely he warmed up to the sand and the water. He loved playing with his shovel and bucket! It was so fun and I can't wait to do it again!

Logan didn't want his feet in the cold water, he preferred to stand on the rock!

Sorta having fun...

We call Day 1 of camp "Welcome Day" because all the new campers arrive. Here's a look at what "Welcome Day" looks like:

Here comes the bus...the campers have no idea what to expect because camp has been kept a fantastic secret!

The campers are greeted by the Work Crew (high school students who volunteer a month at a time to serve at camp) who are totally energetic and so fired up to see the new group of kids coming to experience YL.

Each bus is welcomed by the "Program Team" who are the faces of camp. They lead kids through activities and make kids laugh with crazy games and skits all week. Usually there is a theme that carries on throughout the week - all very carefully orchestrated to help teach kids about Jesus.

While the campers are entertained, their luggage is loaded off the bus and moved to their dorms for them!

The campers get a yummy snack and then get free time to explore camp and start having fun!

Welcome day can be pretty exhausting for most of the staff, but for Logan and I, it was all fun! Logan was so well entertained by the whole thing, he just sat in his stroller and watched the buses roll in!

Pictures from around camp:

The Bunkhouse (our housing); The Lumberyard entrance (dining hall)...

Tubes pulled by jetski; zip line, blob and rope swing in the distance...

This stream runs the length of camp by the camper dorms.

In other fun...John and I left Logan with the Summer Staffers last night so we could run the obstacle course! Let's just say...WHOA! A group of us went through and at the end...there is something called "THE SCHWAMPER". Need I say more?! It was totally nuts! I will try to get a picture sometime, since words could not do justice.

Thanks for the mail and the package (Nana!), and the prayers and support! We'll keep updating! Blessings!