Camp WOW!

Last month, the kids and I went to church camp.It was so much fun! Camp Wow-which stands for Walk on Water-definitely lives up to its name. We all had a blast! The girls went to camp last year, but this was Landon's first time and my first experience with being an adult "sponsor". It was an amazing experience and I'm so thankful we had the opportunity to go. Here is just a little of the fun we had.

The kids were divided into six teams. On the first day, we met with our groups and came up with a team name and a cheer. My team was the Purple Champs. Landon was on the Orange Cheetahs (also affectionately known as the Orange Cheetohs). Sierra's team was the Green Angels. Cheyenne was on the Blue Thunder team.  We also had the Black Rolling Thunder team, and the Red Lightning. Each day, we met with our team for morning devotions, to work together on the low ropes course, and to compete against the other teams in rec games. 

 While we were having kids' camp on one side of the campground, the teens were having youth camp on the other side. It was basically two camps going on at the same time, although we did overlap with them a little during mealtime. Dakota was at youth camp while the rest of us were at kids' camp, so I didn't see her much. Their teams were named with letters from the Greek Alphabet. I believe she was on Zeta Phi. Next year, I'm going to have to make sure I go over there and get some pictures of her, too.

(Most of these pics aren't mine. Thanks so much to our pastor's awesome wife, Shinista, for letting me use her pictures!)

This was the spider web. The challenge was to get your entire team through to the other side only using each hole once. Harder than it sounds when you have first and second graders as the majority of your team-ha!

Here's Landon doing the trust fall. I remember doing it when I was in high school. It's an amazing feeling when they catch you.

Here's my team doing the trust fall. This one wasn't sure she wanted to do it after she got up there and saw how high it was. It took a little convincing but she did it!

This is Sierra and her friend on the trust vee. There are two wires in a vee shape. As it gets wider, you have to lean on one another more and more to keep your balance.

Here's Cheyenne's team (she's on the left in the black shirt) playing Giant Soccer. The staff member who was in charge of this game was so much fun! During the game, she would randomly yell out "mooing". The kids had to drop to their hands and knees and moo like cows. They could win their team spirit points for this. I'm proud to say that our team won the spirit points for our game.

Trying to balance this giant seesaw was tricky. The first day we tried, it didn't work very well because everyone wanted to be the person in middle and the kids on the ends kept moving around. The second time, though, they got the idea and we were able to balance it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Once rec games were over, we had a little bit of down time before the kids had their afternoon free time. During free time, they could play basketball, volleyball, go to the snack shack, or go to the rock wall/zip line.

Cheyenne hanging out in the cabin on the first day.

Sierra's favorite place to be during free time was the volleyball court, but not to play volleyball. This girls LOVES to play in the sand!

 

 

I didn't get a picture of the rock wall and zip line, but it was a favorite! All four of my kids did it at least once. When it's your turn for the rock wall, you can choose the easy wall, hard wall, ladder, or cargo net for going up. You also can choose to climb the power pole.

The first day, I was in the cabin when Cheyenne decided to climb the power pole. When she told me about it, I promised her that if she did it again the next day, I would come watch and take pictures. She did it and it was awesome! I was so proud of her!

That thing is so tall! I don't think I would ever have the nerve to do it.

Once you get to the top, you have to balance on the tip top of it.

She said it was really shaky at the top.

Just getting to the top was a huge accomplishment, but she didn't just climb it...

She jumped off! She missed the bar by just a few inches. If she had been a tiny bit taller, she would have had it. I still can't believe she did it! She's much braver than I am!

After rec games, it was time for the water front. The lake at Camp Wow is so much fun! The kids can swim, zip line into the water, go down the water slide, swim out to the platform and jump off the diving board, go on the "blob", or ride the tube behind the jet ski. I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy swimming! I didn't brave any of the other things, but it was fun to watch. I think my kids' favorite thing was definitely the tube.

I did get this one picture of Cheyenne ready to head down to the waterfront the first day for the swim test. Everyone has to take the swim test on the first day to see whether or not you have to wear a life jacket in the deep areas. I was pleasantly surprised when I actually passed the test. It's been a very long time since I have swam that far.

All the games and activities were super fun, but the real reason we were there was to help kids grow closer to God. Each day, we began the morning with a short worship service and each evening we had another service after dinner. I loved getting to worship with the kids at camp! It touched my heart every day.

Cheyenne and her friend waiting for service to begin.

Kids worshiping God together (that's me at the back on the left). Can you see Landon down front? He's the one with both hands in the air.

At the beginning of each service, there was a boys against girls ice breaker game. For this one, Landon had pertroleum jelly on his nose and had to use it to pick up cotton balls and move them to the other end of the stage. It was too funny!

The best part of every day.

I had such an amazing time at camp (have I mentioned that already?). I think I had more fun than the kids! I can't wait to go again next year!