Going to camp

So when we thought it would be a good idea to be gone for four out of five weekends in a row...

Kylie handled it all like a champ ~ Ian and I however are flat worn out! First we spent Mother's Day weekend in DC, then we spent Memorial Day weekend in Ohio, and most recently we spent the past two weekends at Carolina Cross Connection's summer staff training. CCC is an outreach ministry near and dear to our hearts, we've both gone as campers many years, served on summer staff there, and yes, we even met there!

This summer made the fifth that I've served as the cook for staff training, and Ian has assisted in the training sessions. We love staying involved with the ministry and we really didn't want to back out this year, so we talked my mom into going with us (to watch Kylie while I was in the kitchen) and took off.

I did wonder how Kylie would handle being around a group of 37 college age summer staff and an average of about 10 trainers for six days (followed by 1 1/2 days home) and then back again for three days. She is used to going to church with us each Sunday, but I knew this experience would be different for her. A part of me was a bit worried that she would not handle the noise and attention well...

I should have remembered how the update we got on Kylie the morning we met her said that she was, "VERY, VERY afraid of strangers." It didn't show to be true then, and it didn't show to be true this past week. Kylie LOVED the attention and I believe was rather spoiled by it all.

Her routine was something like this:
6:00 am ~ stir a bit as Mommy and Daddy sneak out of the cabin to go cook breakfast for 50 people
between 9:00 and 9:30 am ~ wake up and play with Grandma, get dressed and come down to the main lodge to see all her friends
morning hours ~ spend time in the kitchen with Mommy as she fixes lunch or go from group to group of training sessions with Aunt Traci and Uncle Adam
1:00 pm(ish) ~ head up to the cabin with Mommy for a power snuggle nap
3:30 pm ~ back to the main lodge to play with her 37 new best friends, repeat morning hours schedule except now Mommy is really busy getting dinner ready
9:00 pm ~ help Mommy serve evening dessert
9:30 pm ~ up to the cabin to go to bed (either Mommy or Daddy put her bed and then Grandma stays at the cabin so Mommy and Daddy can go back to help out with training or prep for meals the next day)

Honestly I think Kylie was looking for some of her new friends today. Life at home was just a bit boring when you compare it to being adored by so many!

Perhaps it is best summed up by some of the better pictures...

"Hey, check this out ~ my first sink bath!"

"Grandma bought me a new chair to sit in at camp!"

"The big kids said I can color on the Jesus van too!"

"Hey, everyone do this!" (And they did for about 5 minutes as Kylie laughed and laughed!)

Chillin' on the front porch of the main lodge, a popular spot for Grandma and Kylie (and whoever else was first to get there to play with the baby!)

She may not have been awake, but Kylie attended campfire!

Joining in Camp McCall's prayer circle as training ended.