aaaand, we're back!

I've just returned from Girl's Camp! What a neat experience to have again- only this time in a totally different position! The last time I was at camp was when I was the "dirty duties lady" and c'mon, thats not a "FUN!" position. So, this time, I went as a ward camp leader. We do our girls camp very differently here in SLC. The ward leaders are in charge of EVERYTHING- one ward leader gets to plan all the crafts for the week; another one the service activity; another one the certification yada yada yada... Well, I was in charge of FOOD and I must say, that was an enormous job. It really made me appreciate the sacrifices made on my behalf so I could enjoy healthy, plentiful meals when I was a girl. Thank you to the pervious camp cookies who have served at girls camp year after year. Now I understand what you  have gone through. I'm sorry. the whole camp experience this year gave me a new-found appreciation for the camp leaders I've had in the past. Please allow me to reminisce. I'm grateful to Monica Kibble, Stacy Frost, Aikele, March, Hunt, My dad, my mom, Helen Thompson, Kerri Satterfield, Carol Gould, Barb Leal, Brother Leal, Capsons, Robin Riggs, Blanca Fetokai, the Sables, Pat, Lanette Hopkins, Bonnie and Jim Mattson and all the wonderful people who I can see in my head but not remember their names. YOU made my experience wonderful, magical, spiritual. I have attempted to do this year for my girls what you attempted to do for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

We utilized some Liahona traditions for camp this year! The girls began their certification/camp necklaces! They were always concerned with earning more beads- because I still have mine and everyone wanted to get farther and farther along to look like mine. Made me glad that I kept it after all this time.

We also pirated freely from my marching band experience. Whenever a girl left something in the eating/gathering pavilion that should not have been left, we (the leaders) collected it and would only give it back to the girls if they "squirreled" for it singing this song:

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, shake your bushy tail

grey squirrel, grey squirrel, shake your bushy tail

Turn around and touch your toes

stick a nut up your nose

grey squirrel, grey squirrel shake your bushy tail.

This produces mainly 2 responses: 

1- mortification. These girls never left anything out again

2- encouragement. These girls left things over and over again! Pretty soon, we have a few girls leaving things out so often, we thought they did it because they liked singing the squirrel song. So, we changed their song. Instead of singing Grey Squirrel, they were obliged to do "the pencil". This consisted of them turning their backsides to the audience and writing the alphabet with their bums. Or their names in cursive. Think leading the music in seminary- now transfer that random hand wave to a posterior and it was EXTREMELY funny- and made me red in the face to demonstrate once.

When the girls were late to anything, they had to sing "I'm a little tea-pot" complete with actions. Again, I think some girls just liked to perform- and others never showed up late again.

All in all, it was a terrific week. We did a lot of good things, had a lot of fun and were really grateful to be back.

I'll post photos as soon as I have some!