Camp Nanapawpaw 2014

Camp director here reporting on “CAMP NANAPAWPAW” for summer 2014, all campers report having a blast and the“old director” here was asked to recap. 

~Campers: 

The first campers arrived the afternoon of June 19.  Camp was completely full this year and it was said fun was had by all.  Four of the deFoors flew to Nashville and was picked up by a newcomer to camp this year.  Ms. Marie (a dear family friend) lives in Nashville and rounded up car seats and picked up the crew.  She even fed and watered them before they hit the road south to CAMP. 

 Since all the bunks at camp were full Ms. Marie got a room at the Marriott.  Lucky for us, we got to SWIM there.  So with five of our campers here this made for a fun evening and next few days.

With our campers fully engaged in camp we spent time at the splash pad near the Mariott, went to a wildlife presentation at the public library and we took a cool road trip to the Dismals Canyon.  The neatest place just about 45 minutes from here.  The boys loved the nucks and crannies of the canyon.  We packed out Jamie's new van as Aunt Janie joined us on this camp field trip.  We had a wonderful evening.  

We always have science experiments at Camp Nannapawpaw.  No exceptions this year.  The campers  enjoyed excavating dinosaur bones we buried in plaster, the good old mentos in diet soda, BIG bubbles was a BIG hit, food coloring in milk, gak made from corn startch and water and the ever popular bottle over the birthday candle.  Science is doing and we did!

New campers arrived on Monday, June 23.  Tracie and Allie Gray arrived!  They were so happy to see each other.  

Over the next few days we enjoyed Spring Park, Chuck E. Cheese's and the splash pad in Muscle Shoals.  Ms. Marie had to leave :( and Jamie and Lillian took a side trip to Nashville.  Camp continued.  The fun never stops at CAMP!

Day camper Ella Wall joined us one day.  The tent just added to our camp atmosphere.  Ella mostly held her mouth open in disbelief of all our craziness.  

Jackson got to do a side activity from Camp this year.  He attended Keller Kids held each year the Thur before the Helen Keller festival starts.  It is a program for 3-6 grades where they learn about disabilities and end their day at the Helen Keller birthplace.  They even got to ride on a special float in the parade.  He was thrilled to get to do the Keller Kid program and wasted no time in making 2 friends.  His friends ended up on the front of the newspaper and he was thrilled to see his new buddies in the paper.  

No festival can begin without a parade.  So we loaded that van again and camp heads to downtown Tuscumbia for the opening of the Helen Keller festival.  A very HOT parade.  Thank goodness water was being handed out on every corner and the cotton candy was novel!  No rain on our parade.  Only sweat.  

As the second weekend of camp approaches we end our week with a fun Friday at the library for Mr. Magical Balloons.  More science "spiraments" and trip to the river with Aunt Janie and family.  Camp director and Lillian skipped the river trip to get some much need beauty sleep.  

The campers keep coming.  Wyatt gets here and the annual family chicken stew is on!  What a fun day.  This is how the 4th of July should be celebrated.  The day included young and old.  Old fun things and new technology.  Will brought a drone.  Life is like a box of chocolates when camp is on.  You never know what you will get!

No hot Saturday is complete without the ice cream man.  They loved chasing the ice cream man around our neighborhood.  The treat was worth the chase.  

Allie Gray sent her parents home and wanted to stay at camp like a big girl.  She loved the boys and Lillian.  Allie is happy she is big enough to attend camp without mom and dad.  On Sunday we went to our annual church picnic and celebration of Independence Day.  Hot as most early July evenings but such a fun time.  Carriage rides and fireworks.  What a nice evening.  

What a joy to have the campers here for nearly 2 weeks.  This nana/camp director is so blessed.  

Yes we allow thuglets at our camp!

Swimming with friends(THANKS LINDSEY FAMILY), slip and sliding in the back yard and even a blow up jumpy in our own back yard.  Camp was full of action in 2014!

No trip to Camp Nanapawpaw is complete without mandatory photo shoots.  Little Lillain turned 4 months at camp.  Her photos were a group effort.  Precious little.  

The deFoor family shoot was more like a marathon but even with losing light and having to literally drag Jason out of the river we got some good shots.

Allie Gray made us sweat for her photos.  She will do most anything for her Aunt Jamie and candy.  

We were sad to see the deFoor campers leave.  Allie Gray stayed on to keep us company.  We had some fun times with my dad and Allie's other grandparents.  Memories never to be forgotten.  More library fun and swimming at the Marriott.  

And with any camp the dreaded good byes.  But we await next camp and the fun times in between.  Honored to be camp director.  And the slowest blog writer around.