To Not Decide . . . Is To Decide: Camp Iwannagothere

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Camp Iwannagothere

Camp.

I miss camp.

I wish I was young enough to go to kids' camp or youth camp again.

I'm not. Oh well. Such is life.

But thankfully, our son is in the prime time of his camp life. And thankfully, we have been able to send him to kids' camp with our church children's group for the past 2 or 3 years. He LOVES it!

The camp they go to is WONDERFUL! It's in Northeast Mississippi out in the country on a beautiful plot of land nestled in the deep woods with its own lake and all kinds of other goodies.

No, it's not called "Camp Iwannagothere"...that's my name for it. Because I wanna go there...and stay! ;) This year I (and my mom and Baby Girl) DID get to actually go there to drop him off and go back to pick him up. It was somewhere we truly enjoyed hanging out, if only for the brief time of drop-off and pick-up. By the way, it's called Lake Forest Ranch in Macon, Mississippi. I highly recommend you and your family try to go for one of their Labor Day Weekend Family Getaways if you are able. We haven't been for that yet, but I would LOVE to go.

Anyway, I took some pics there as well as along the way back after dropping him off and on our way back to pick him up again.

Here you go...starting with a little randomness before we get to the camp pics.

Okay, not a camp pic nor a travel pic. I just HAD to share my beautiful manicure my little niece gave me one day while I was staying with my sister's family. I think she did pretty well. Never thought hot pink was my color, but she picked it and I think it looked nice. ;) (I NEVER wear nail polish other than maybe clear. BIG step for me to wear that manicure for a few weeks...until it ultimately peeled off.)

Other hand. Love those little nieces of mine! I have lots of them!

Pool time with family. Just love how hats look on baby girls.

Seriously. Are you diggin' my nail polish?! Yes, it's all over my thumb, but this aunt doesn't care. lol!

Okay, first camp pic for you. This is my Little Man by his bunk (the bottom bunk) with his brand new camp t-shirt.

My Little Man on the right with some new camp friends. He didn't have any of our church buddies in his cabin, but he makes friends quickly, so it didn't bother him a bit.

My Little Man with his favorite counselor EVER...Justin! And their whole cabin crew.

Y'all. I know you can't see it well in this pic, but there is a lady by the van down there in the dark clothes.
She. Is. Ah. May. Zing!!!
Her name is Mrs. Lori. She is our wonderful pastor's wife.
She (at the time) was also the Children's Leader at our church and had been for years (someone recently allowed her to take a much-needed break from that role and accepted the position full-time, though she is still highly involved).
She is more precious than I can begin to explain.
We love her (and her husband) dearly!!!
She has helped us in our times of need more tangibly than many ever could or would.
She was especially supportive during the time of my husband's absence while we were still back in the States
(when I was pregnant, working full-time, son was in school, and sometimes didn't have any family in town to help).
Just had to stop for a second and publicly appreciate that highly-deserving, humble lady.

There's our boy in the green headed off with his friends to their first pow-wow at camp for this year.

Maw-Maw (a.k.a. Marmie, a.k.a. My Mom) and Baby Girl on the left on the steps of Big Brother's cabin.
His cabin was the upstairs left side one.

He was in Hickory Lodge.

Baby Girl hanging out with Mommy & Maw-Maw by the cafeteria before we left.

Hanging out with Baby Girl at camp.

Canoes by the lake

More lake

Swimming pool by the lake

More lake

Entrance and sign for Lake Forest Ranch

The road leading away from the camp

Beautiful sunset as we leave

Getting a bite to eat at DQ on our way home.
(We have a DQ here in Doha, too!)

Sweet baby talk!

Random, I know. But I was just TOO impressed with this AWESOME baby seat in the DQ bathroom!!!
What a treat for parents of young children!!! Take note! We need more of these.
(However, I saw one of these here in Doha, but instead of in the stall next to the parent it was up on the wall, ABOVE your head, at the end of the sink counter!
Yes, for real. Not cool. lol!)

Just sharing cuteness now.

If you've ever seen Dumb & Dumber, she's puttin' out the vibe! ;)
(If you haven't seen it, you're missing out.)

Some of her first times to pull up on things.

This was on the porch of the restaurant my mother and Baby Girl and I ate at which was part of our own "camp" we stayed at on our way back to pick up Big Brother. It was called Lake Tiak O' Khata in Louisville, Mississippi - very near Big Brother's camp.