Happy Campers!

I've mentioned a time or two that Will and Sarah were headed to summer camp this week. It was their first experience and we could not have asked for a better one. They L-O-V-E-D it. They got home yesterday afternoon and I don't think they stopped talking until bedtime.

I snapped this picture before they left on Monday. I wish I had more pics from their week but (sigh) neither of them packed a camera. 

Sarah and Will have been a part of Wyldlife this year. Wyldlife is the middle-school name for YoungLife--a phenomenal youth ministry. They've been on the waiting list for the junior high week at our church camp since January and when space still hadn't opened up in early May, we signed 'em up for this Wyldlife one. 

Can I just tell you how much it makes my heart smile to be able to see my kids get excited about this kind of stuff? And how thankful I am for a husband who works hard to be able to give our kids an experience like camp? My heart was so full yesterday afternoon listening to their excited chatter. 

Now we've started a savings fund for Winter Camp! 

Abbey thoroughly enjoyed her week as our only child. She loved having mom and dad to herself and milked the week for all it was worth.

She made a list before they left of some things she wanted to do. 

1. Shop 
She had a big day at Park Meadows Mall in Denver on Tuesday.

2. American Girl Store
She'd been two weeks before with John's parents, but this was my first time to go. It's a small store (9,000 square feet as opposed to the 60,000 square foot flagship store in Chicago) but we had FUN! That store is a little girl's dream! There is much to ooh and ahh over.

3. Sleepover
This didn't happen (for a couple of reasons) but we compromised and went to see Marmaduke instead. It was a surprisingly cute movie.

4. Noodles
Abbey's favorite place to eat is Noodles & Company. Some friends took me out for my birthday one evening, so John and Abbey had a daddy-daughter date at Noodles. After dinner they went to REI to find her some summer sandals. They had a fun night and I got to hear all about it when I got home.

5. Get toys
She was pretty happy with the $2 clearance toy and the craft stuff we bought at Target, and with the toy watch from her Happy Meal. Thank goodness for that!

6. Get movie: Alice in Wonderland
All three of us watched Tim Burtons' version of this movie in bed one night. I fell asleep about 5 minutes into the movie, but John really liked it, and Abbey said it was strange. Everyone (excluding me) watched it again last night, and John liked it even more. I guess I'm going to have to spend part of this cold, rainy day seeing what all the fuss is about.

7. Lazy
Abbey loves to be lazy at home. Loves it. Wednesday was our designated "lazy day" and I couldn't even persuade her to go to Blockbuster and get a movie. We watched one we had at home (the original Parent Trap) and we just did a bunch of nothing. It was great!

She also got to go swimming with some friends and had ice cream EVERY night. She was really in only-child heaven until it came to bedtime each evening. She's never had to fall asleep by herself since she shares a room with Sarah. That was the only hard thing.


The rest of the time we were ALL happy campers.