Reliving My Camp Counselor Days

I have spent the last two days working at Camp Sunrise, a camp for kids with cancer that is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. This year's theme is Down On The Farm and everything is farm-related. The really cool thing about this camp is that once you have been diagnosed with cancer, you can always come back. They have kids who had cancer when they were young and are now 15 and cancer free! Most camps don't allow you to come after you have been in remission for 3 years.

Anyway, the first day, I took a bunch of photos and the kids made barn picture frames. This is one of my favorite groups of boys!
My activity was housed in the dining hall. Another activity in there was apple pie making. Don't they look great? Apparently last night there was an apple pie eating contest among the counselors. Gretchen won after eating 13 pies! You Go Girl!

During rest time, I helped make caramel apples for the campers. We had to wash, dry and put a stick in all of the apples.

Then they were rolled in caramel...yum! ( however, if I never see another apple, it will be too soon!)

And the best thing is that I got to spend the day taking pictures of stinking cute kids like this one! I could just eat her up!

I spent today (and will spend tomorrow) running the t-shirt activity where the kids designed t-shirts using their pictures. I am exhausted, but am loving being with the kids--there is nothing better than seeing a child with cancer get to act like a child for a week. Their lives are filled with doctors, nurses, chemo and numerous other yucky procedures, but while they are at Camp Sunrise they get to swim, make crafts, sleep in cabins, hang around a campfire, get makeovers (for the girls), play dodge ball, dress up and go to a dance and make new friends.

It's truly a wonderful place!

He Should Have Been A Caveman

Yesterday I was called outside for this lovely surprise from Kellen.

Tony was giving him a buzz cut out in the backyard (we've moved outside after the last time) and he was gathering all of the hair as it fell so that he could have a patch...
of chest hair.
GROSS! I don't know how he could stand it....just looking at him made me itch.

An Afternoon In Pictures

Scott and Michelle: They want to come home. They are not having ANY fun!

The Poor Cousins

Poor Hannah and Gabrielle had to endure the Saturday morning family bike ride today! We rented a couple of extra bikes and we hit the trails. We went to the NCR trail and rode from Monkton towards Pennsylvania.
Gabrielle getting the hang of things. The trail goes through the woods and along the Gunpowder River.
It's sunny in some spots, shady in others.
A group shot by the waterfall.
The actual waterfall that all of the people above are blocking.
They all hate when I catch them riding by...Hannah
and Gabrielle.
Kellen sitting on some rocks, not that you can see them in this picture.
Tristan and Ammy hanging out. We're in big trouble when he goes away to college. He is a great big brother.
Ammy taking a break along a field of flowers.
Flowers with lots of bees...
Love these bright pink flowers.
More bee pics.


There are always strange things to see along the trail. Like this guy with a dog in his backpack.
And these gnomes in a garden along the trail.
We rode 15 miles and then we rewarded ourselves with these yummies...

fried pickles
fried green beans
and a crab pretzel.
Now we're going to have to ride another 15 to burn off all of the calories we consumed.