from here on out things at camp will be different. because we have at least 2 camps every week now!! this week is Camp Breathe Easy and Camp To Belong. AND the CeeTLes will be playing twice a day every day!
CBE is for kids with asthma! My cabin is 10 and 11 year olds in CBE. they are pretty wild and their counselors definitely have their hands full!! these kids are awesome so far! Last night when we were playing I had a group of CBE boys crowded around the drum set just watching. one of the youngest pretty much directed where i was going to play. he would say "play that one" so I would. and then he would laugh. i always asked him if i was doing it right.
the other camp this week is Camp To Belong. This camp is for kids in foster care who have been separated from at least one of their siblings. we reunite them for a week! what's also different about this camp is that even though they sleep in cabins, they go to activities in their family groups. i haven't led an activity with them before and i am super pumped!!
today marks the first full day!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
kids are the best fans
over halfway through the week of sunshine junior!! it's absolutely great. these kids are awesome in every way!
i am cabin buddies with the girls i had last year! woo! they are 12 now and it's their last year at junior week. some highlights from so far:
monday i had a radio session with just one camper, this boy named B that i remembered from last summer. we just hung out with his LIT and listened to music and talked. he's such a cool kid! at radio we figured out how to play songs from youtube through the radio, that way we can play whatever songs the kids request.
one of our staff members is sick, so i took her climbing session yesterday. i went up to the top of the wall to cheer the girls who were climbing on. this one girl got over halfway up and wanted to come down because she was scared, but i got her to see how close she was to the top so she kept going. when she was almost there she started to cry and said "i'm almost there! i'm reaching my goal!" it was pretty awesome to be a part of that! now every time she sees me she says hey!
at ceramics i met this one girl, C, who has one of my old counselors! anyways she is on treatment and in a wheelchair and has this spray fan that she used outside. she got her whole hat signed by the UGA football players! i was helping her with her ceramics stuff. later that night at wacky olympics i saw her again spraying that fan! i said man it's hot! and it was. and HUMID. she shooed me away but then turned the fan up to my face and sprayed the water on me. such a sweetheart!
last night after dinner the CeeTLes played again! we are preparing for next week and also for The Sunflower Festival in Rutledge which we will be playing at! all the little ones crowded around the stage and a TON of them crowd around the drums. it's so much fun playing with them all looking at you wide-eyed and singing! if you haven't played in front of kids before, you are missing out! this one little girl stopped the cymbals for me when i needed it. after the first song, i don't know if they expected me to be bad or something, but some of the boys were like, that was awesome, cool, etc, AND i got thumbs up! after we played all our songs, i turned around and B was standing behind me. he said, "that was awesome!!" and gave me a high five. it was so sweet! and last night when we played, i played everything on the drum set at LEAST once! this is a big accomplishment!
these kids and their smiles are why i work here. a lot of people think that kids with cancer are sad, depressed little kids but they are wrong. these kids are awesome, having a blast, making jokes, and having fun! some of them may be weaker than others, but they are ALL having the time of their life!
i am cabin buddies with the girls i had last year! woo! they are 12 now and it's their last year at junior week. some highlights from so far:
monday i had a radio session with just one camper, this boy named B that i remembered from last summer. we just hung out with his LIT and listened to music and talked. he's such a cool kid! at radio we figured out how to play songs from youtube through the radio, that way we can play whatever songs the kids request.
one of our staff members is sick, so i took her climbing session yesterday. i went up to the top of the wall to cheer the girls who were climbing on. this one girl got over halfway up and wanted to come down because she was scared, but i got her to see how close she was to the top so she kept going. when she was almost there she started to cry and said "i'm almost there! i'm reaching my goal!" it was pretty awesome to be a part of that! now every time she sees me she says hey!
at ceramics i met this one girl, C, who has one of my old counselors! anyways she is on treatment and in a wheelchair and has this spray fan that she used outside. she got her whole hat signed by the UGA football players! i was helping her with her ceramics stuff. later that night at wacky olympics i saw her again spraying that fan! i said man it's hot! and it was. and HUMID. she shooed me away but then turned the fan up to my face and sprayed the water on me. such a sweetheart!
last night after dinner the CeeTLes played again! we are preparing for next week and also for The Sunflower Festival in Rutledge which we will be playing at! all the little ones crowded around the stage and a TON of them crowd around the drums. it's so much fun playing with them all looking at you wide-eyed and singing! if you haven't played in front of kids before, you are missing out! this one little girl stopped the cymbals for me when i needed it. after the first song, i don't know if they expected me to be bad or something, but some of the boys were like, that was awesome, cool, etc, AND i got thumbs up! after we played all our songs, i turned around and B was standing behind me. he said, "that was awesome!!" and gave me a high five. it was so sweet! and last night when we played, i played everything on the drum set at LEAST once! this is a big accomplishment!
these kids and their smiles are why i work here. a lot of people think that kids with cancer are sad, depressed little kids but they are wrong. these kids are awesome, having a blast, making jokes, and having fun! some of them may be weaker than others, but they are ALL having the time of their life!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Georgia Gold
this song is for Camp Sunshine written by a good friend of camp, Jon Allmett. it pretty much embodies camp:
Georgia Gold
v. Oh sunshine makes me happy
There is no place quite like you
All the picture perfect mornings covered in dew
I'm a fiend for you affection
You're a country coated smile
With your doors wide open, I'm happy to stay a while
But before I move on give me
c. One more moment
Give me just one more day
There is no place else on earth I feel this way
It covers the gray
You're and endless sunrise
And you just won't let go
You're a piece of heaven
Wrapped up in Georgia gold
v. I've seen the Rio de Janeiro
And the southern coast of Spain
But they could never hold a candle to your flame
And even as those buses round that corner
Comin for to carry us back home
I keep you deep inside my heart so I never feel alone
But before I am gone give me
c. One more moment
Give me just one more day
There is no place else on earth I feel this way
It covers the gray
You're and endless sunrise
And you just won't let go
You're a piece of heaven
Wrapped up in Georgia gold
Give me that Sunday afternoon
I wanna stay all year
Give me that fishing rod and reel
Don't let the sunshine disappear
Forever let the sun shine on...
Georgia Gold
v. Oh sunshine makes me happy
There is no place quite like you
All the picture perfect mornings covered in dew
I'm a fiend for you affection
You're a country coated smile
With your doors wide open, I'm happy to stay a while
But before I move on give me
c. One more moment
Give me just one more day
There is no place else on earth I feel this way
It covers the gray
You're and endless sunrise
And you just won't let go
You're a piece of heaven
Wrapped up in Georgia gold
v. I've seen the Rio de Janeiro
And the southern coast of Spain
But they could never hold a candle to your flame
And even as those buses round that corner
Comin for to carry us back home
I keep you deep inside my heart so I never feel alone
But before I am gone give me
c. One more moment
Give me just one more day
There is no place else on earth I feel this way
It covers the gray
You're and endless sunrise
And you just won't let go
You're a piece of heaven
Wrapped up in Georgia gold
Give me that Sunday afternoon
I wanna stay all year
Give me that fishing rod and reel
Don't let the sunshine disappear
Forever let the sun shine on...
good day sunshine
this week was great. crazy busy!! but absolutely great. my cabin was AWESOME. i got a pack of princess silly bands (from my mommy!) and i gave all my girls one, so the last day they made me a huge pink crown as a thank you! the counselors i had were great, too! yay sunshine teen!
let's talk about the weather last week. i don't think i have ever been to camp where it has rained 4 of the 5 days!! it was ridiculous! it rained, no POURED, the first three nights and then thursday afternoon. we could feel it coming and put all the ropes course stuff up, and as soon as we were done the heavens opened up! trees down, power out, radio malfunction.... here's hoping the weather is better this week!
i met some awesome kids this week! those two guys who wrote that rap the first day got to perform it at the prom!! it was great and i absolutely love them. and the prom....... it was technically disco themed but all ctl staff dress 80s! it was great fun.
so saturday saw the teens leave us for the summer. there is no goodbye worse than the CS teen goodbye! goodness everyone was crying, young and senior alike. it's good practice for when i am a professional! but when one camp leaves it's only so another can come!!
SUNSHINE JUNIOR!!!!
Silly Band Diary
let's talk about the weather last week. i don't think i have ever been to camp where it has rained 4 of the 5 days!! it was ridiculous! it rained, no POURED, the first three nights and then thursday afternoon. we could feel it coming and put all the ropes course stuff up, and as soon as we were done the heavens opened up! trees down, power out, radio malfunction.... here's hoping the weather is better this week!
i met some awesome kids this week! those two guys who wrote that rap the first day got to perform it at the prom!! it was great and i absolutely love them. and the prom....... it was technically disco themed but all ctl staff dress 80s! it was great fun.
so saturday saw the teens leave us for the summer. there is no goodbye worse than the CS teen goodbye! goodness everyone was crying, young and senior alike. it's good practice for when i am a professional! but when one camp leaves it's only so another can come!!
SUNSHINE JUNIOR!!!!
Silly Band Diary
- I bought a Disney princess pack (best decision ever) and my mom sent me a TON of silly bands in the mail. yay mommy! those packs included: love shapes, the best of which are two halves of a heart that fit together (one pink and one blue), rock star shapes (of which i took a DRUM SET!), religious, princess, and music!
- My Belle didn't last long as I gave her to one of my campers!
- one girl in Grace's cabin asked if she could have a cross sill band (of course!) so i gave her that one AND an angel
- there are two senior campers at sunshine teen who are awesome musicians. one plays the guitar (and is incredible) and one plays drums (also awesome!). they have played a song together with scott for as long as they have been at teen week, so commemorate that i gave m the drum set and b this awesome silly band where a guy is rocking out!
- i also gave the other two drum set silly bands to scott and dave (the guy filling in for scott on drums while scott sang and played guitar). it was the best way to thank all those who have helped me on the drums!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Remembrance
Two posts in one day? Ridiculous! But really. I decided that the remembrance ceremony needed its own post.
Today during rest hour was the remembrance ceremony. We had it in the tree house. This is where anyone who wants to can go and remember people in the Camp Sunshine family who died this past year. It starts off with a reading of the names of all those who are no longer with us. After that, campers and staff alike are invited to share memories that they have of the people we are remembering.
Is it sad? Yes. There is a time to be professional, and for me it is NOT during the remembrance ceremony. I wish I could be one of those people who didn't cry during something like this but, alas, I am not. I am that person who starts to cry when other people start to cry, and once I start I can't stop. What really gets to me though, is the kid who you would never expect to cry barely being able to get through their memory because they are so choked up. These campers are remembering friends, the staff are remembering campers, friends, patients, etc. And even though it is sad, this ceremony is such a release. Not only do I cry because I am sad, but also because I am happy I got to know these people. I miss my friends, but I am also glad they don't have to deal with all the cancer and hospitals and doctors that they were.
While people are telling their stories about their friends who have passed, we pass around a treasure chest full of stone hearts with a hole in them. Some kids put them on their bracelets, some just hold them, some like me put them all on a necklace. They are just another way to represent how you are feeling.
Every ceremony ends with the pueblo blessing:
Today during rest hour was the remembrance ceremony. We had it in the tree house. This is where anyone who wants to can go and remember people in the Camp Sunshine family who died this past year. It starts off with a reading of the names of all those who are no longer with us. After that, campers and staff alike are invited to share memories that they have of the people we are remembering.
Is it sad? Yes. There is a time to be professional, and for me it is NOT during the remembrance ceremony. I wish I could be one of those people who didn't cry during something like this but, alas, I am not. I am that person who starts to cry when other people start to cry, and once I start I can't stop. What really gets to me though, is the kid who you would never expect to cry barely being able to get through their memory because they are so choked up. These campers are remembering friends, the staff are remembering campers, friends, patients, etc. And even though it is sad, this ceremony is such a release. Not only do I cry because I am sad, but also because I am happy I got to know these people. I miss my friends, but I am also glad they don't have to deal with all the cancer and hospitals and doctors that they were.
While people are telling their stories about their friends who have passed, we pass around a treasure chest full of stone hearts with a hole in them. Some kids put them on their bracelets, some just hold them, some like me put them all on a necklace. They are just another way to represent how you are feeling.
Every ceremony ends with the pueblo blessing:
Hold on to what is good...
Even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe...
Even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do...
Even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to your faith...
Even when it may seem easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand...
Even when I have gone away from you.
Even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe...
Even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do...
Even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to your faith...
Even when it may seem easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand...
Even when I have gone away from you.
Oh sunshine makes me happy
this week is... (drum roll please) CAMP SUNSHINE!!!!! teen week. in the words of two boys I had at songwriting, 'this right here is my camp'.
so at teen week, the campers are all 13-18 year olds who have or had cancer. It's a good mix of those who are still on treatment, just declared cancer free, and those who had been off for ten years! this camp definitely has the biggest span of ability levels. there are kids who have fake legs, in wheel chairs, no hair, and those able to run and jump. it is definitely a wide variety. my cabin this week is a cabin of 16-year-old girls. i just love them. some of them have been together since they started camp, some are new to the cabin but not camp, and one girl is brand new to sunshine. of course both the counselors in that cabin are awesome, too!
this week i am not only on arts and music, but also outdoor adventure! let me tell you that belaying is just like riding a bike. you never forget how once that rope is in your hands again! today especially has been an OA day for me. I had an awesome climbing session where everyone climbed at least once, and two boys made it to the top of the agro crag! The agro crag has a side of the wall that juts out at an angle. pretty awesome. i decided that we need to make CTL shirts that say 'I climbed the agro crag' and sell them at the end of camp. because that it QUITE an accomplishment. I have only done the flat side of the agro crag (still hard!!)
in addition to climbing, I had Group Initiatives with the senior girls cabin. It was probably one of the best GI sessions ever. They took everything I threw at them, handled it beautifully, and then requested to do the trust fall! not all GI sessions go so smoothly. All of the activities in the woods require everyone to really work together as a team to accomplish the goal.
yesterday was equally awesome, but my best session was definitely songwriting. the radio broke (probably the best way to put it) last week so we didn't have any equipment to record so the activity yesterday turned into songwriting! no worries it works again! but anyways, I had two 16-year-olds from the same cabin come in and write a rap together about camp. what really made it the best session is not that their rap was so good. it was that one of the boys was brand new to camp. he and the other guy just met the day before, AND they were so proud of their rap that they requested to perform it in the dining hall in front of everyone! it was all about how much they love camp, the friends they make, etc. Them performing it was one of those moments where you tear up because it's just so awesome that they're doing it and because of the looks on their faces. those 2 boys are definitely ones that i will remember for a LONG time.
the great thing about camp twin lakes is that every week is different. last summer their slogan was 'the best week of your life'. Well we try to make it that for every kid who comes in: the best week of your life, no matter how long your life is. some of these kids won't be back next summer, and some of them are about to head back into the hospital for more treatment, so that's why this is so important. for a week all these kids and teens just get to be themselves and not worry about their illness or disability because everyone else here has it, too! that's why i got my camp sunshine tat. because it reminds me of the best weeks of my life!!
so at teen week, the campers are all 13-18 year olds who have or had cancer. It's a good mix of those who are still on treatment, just declared cancer free, and those who had been off for ten years! this camp definitely has the biggest span of ability levels. there are kids who have fake legs, in wheel chairs, no hair, and those able to run and jump. it is definitely a wide variety. my cabin this week is a cabin of 16-year-old girls. i just love them. some of them have been together since they started camp, some are new to the cabin but not camp, and one girl is brand new to sunshine. of course both the counselors in that cabin are awesome, too!
this week i am not only on arts and music, but also outdoor adventure! let me tell you that belaying is just like riding a bike. you never forget how once that rope is in your hands again! today especially has been an OA day for me. I had an awesome climbing session where everyone climbed at least once, and two boys made it to the top of the agro crag! The agro crag has a side of the wall that juts out at an angle. pretty awesome. i decided that we need to make CTL shirts that say 'I climbed the agro crag' and sell them at the end of camp. because that it QUITE an accomplishment. I have only done the flat side of the agro crag (still hard!!)
in addition to climbing, I had Group Initiatives with the senior girls cabin. It was probably one of the best GI sessions ever. They took everything I threw at them, handled it beautifully, and then requested to do the trust fall! not all GI sessions go so smoothly. All of the activities in the woods require everyone to really work together as a team to accomplish the goal.
yesterday was equally awesome, but my best session was definitely songwriting. the radio broke (probably the best way to put it) last week so we didn't have any equipment to record so the activity yesterday turned into songwriting! no worries it works again! but anyways, I had two 16-year-olds from the same cabin come in and write a rap together about camp. what really made it the best session is not that their rap was so good. it was that one of the boys was brand new to camp. he and the other guy just met the day before, AND they were so proud of their rap that they requested to perform it in the dining hall in front of everyone! it was all about how much they love camp, the friends they make, etc. Them performing it was one of those moments where you tear up because it's just so awesome that they're doing it and because of the looks on their faces. those 2 boys are definitely ones that i will remember for a LONG time.
the great thing about camp twin lakes is that every week is different. last summer their slogan was 'the best week of your life'. Well we try to make it that for every kid who comes in: the best week of your life, no matter how long your life is. some of these kids won't be back next summer, and some of them are about to head back into the hospital for more treatment, so that's why this is so important. for a week all these kids and teens just get to be themselves and not worry about their illness or disability because everyone else here has it, too! that's why i got my camp sunshine tat. because it reminds me of the best weeks of my life!!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
everyone's a drummer.... kudzu week 2 highlights!
this week was a big one. i debuted on drum set thursday night with the CeeTLes. aah it was so crazy! of course we sounded awesome and all, but i was really nervous. not only was it the first time i played drum set in front of people, but these people are also used to scott playing, and he is awesome! afterwards, one of my favorite campers (a 11 yr old boy, call him B) came up to me and said, "Leelee, you rock!" That pretty much made my week right there.
i would have to say that this week my favorite activity was improv. i was scheduled there a lot, and i got some really awesome cabins to hang out with! it's so great to see kids to come out of their shell and just have fun. one of the cabins i had was B's cabin. they were an interesting group of boys, but every time they saw me they said hey! another group i had the last day. also boys, they were the group who wrote a song to my cabin. meliss had a girls cabin at her kayak session at the same time and asked us to do the bean skit for them, so i taught it and everyone embraced it wonderfully!
my cabin was great this week. they were 12 year old girls and by the end of the week we all really clicked! i had to fight back tears when i was saying goodbye.
Silly Band Diary
v. Your cabin stays
On the girls' side but we just can't wait
For the mealtimes when we can make you
Shake your booty yeah
c. Hey Cabin 7
We know that you're from heaven
On the radio, right now you know,
Tellin all the world it's so
Hey cabin 7
My blood sugar's 11
Won't you share your juice with me
Tonight?
v. If you'll be mine
We can meet together at free time
We can watch the band forever
Put our hands together
Yours and mine
The 7 Rules of Romance
These were written by adorable 10 year old boys about what to do. When asked if the were rules, one responded: They're the law
1.Make her happy
2.Get to know her
3.Act cute/Smell good
4.Date her
5.Marry her
6.Have babies
7.Love forever
boys: take note!! these are rules that all males should follow!
bottom line: kudzu week 2 was awesome! now ready for camp sunshine teens!!
i would have to say that this week my favorite activity was improv. i was scheduled there a lot, and i got some really awesome cabins to hang out with! it's so great to see kids to come out of their shell and just have fun. one of the cabins i had was B's cabin. they were an interesting group of boys, but every time they saw me they said hey! another group i had the last day. also boys, they were the group who wrote a song to my cabin. meliss had a girls cabin at her kayak session at the same time and asked us to do the bean skit for them, so i taught it and everyone embraced it wonderfully!
my cabin was great this week. they were 12 year old girls and by the end of the week we all really clicked! i had to fight back tears when i was saying goodbye.
Silly Band Diary
- kudzu day 2: added a microphone
- kudzu day 3: traded the elephant for a penguin and the crown for a hedgehog!
- meliss traded her absolute favorite sill band, an alabama A (roll tide!) for the coolest one ever: marshmallows on a stick
- saturday: my lovely roommie hannah brought back even more silly bands, so i added a tepee, an elephant, and an ostrich to my collection!
v. Your cabin stays
On the girls' side but we just can't wait
For the mealtimes when we can make you
Shake your booty yeah
c. Hey Cabin 7
We know that you're from heaven
On the radio, right now you know,
Tellin all the world it's so
Hey cabin 7
My blood sugar's 11
Won't you share your juice with me
Tonight?
v. If you'll be mine
We can meet together at free time
We can watch the band forever
Put our hands together
Yours and mine
The 7 Rules of Romance
These were written by adorable 10 year old boys about what to do. When asked if the were rules, one responded: They're the law
1.Make her happy
2.Get to know her
3.Act cute/Smell good
4.Date her
5.Marry her
6.Have babies
7.Love forever
boys: take note!! these are rules that all males should follow!
bottom line: kudzu week 2 was awesome! now ready for camp sunshine teens!!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
silly band diary
who hasn't heard of silly bands???? no one? good. EVERYONE has them here at camp and a lot of us trade or give them to campers. I decided today that I am going to record where my silly bands go, what i end up with, and what others give. woo!
kudzu day 1:
kudzu day 1:
- I started with a dollar sign (my absolute FAVORITE), a rabbit, a hook, and a crown. After opening ceremony I traded the dollar sign for an elephant with one of my campers whose sugar was high
- Somehow Caley managed to get the coolest silly band ever: a kite! he got it from a camper who traded the kite for caley's unicorn
- becca b (my co-parent for this week) gave one of her silly bands to a camper in our cabin because she didn't have any. yay becca!!
- my other roommate hannah had the "groovy" pack, and she gave me the love and peace silly bands!
D-I-A-B-E-T-E-S
so.... I did a really bad job of updating last week! i apologize.
who's ready for camp kudzu week 2??? I AM!! it's always great to meet a new set of campers every week. I've got cabin 7 so I'm thinking they will be about 13 yr old girls. maybe?
Some more of what happened last week:
What do a certain group of professional cyclists and kudzu campers have in common?? Type 1 Diabetes. 5 of the cyclists from Team Type 1 (made up of cyclists with the betes!) came last week and stayed for two days. they talked to the kids about how not to let diabetes hold them back! they also stressed how important it is to manage their blood sugar well so that they can live their dream of becoming pro cyclists. then they just hung out with the kids and went to activities! one of my favorite things to do is watch adults who get thrown into camp do all of our songs and dances. it was pretty cute. the youngest one (who was 2o. younger than me!) really concentrated to get it all down pat! by the time they left they were experts at ctl life.
thursday night was...... the dance!! remember my camper who had a date monday at breakfast? well she ditched him and picked up a new guy to take to the dance. a few of my other girls had dates too! oh to be young and have camp love...
speaking of dancing, i had the dance activity at least once a day. i was pretty nervous to do it, but it turned out to be AWESOME! every cabin that came wanted to learn the 'Hoedown Throwdown' (thank you miley) and even the one group that kinda got bored, the counselors wanted to learn more line dances. i have lots of those btw, which is weird since i do not like country music. but hey, there's a first time for everything, right? and 'callin baton rouge' is one of my absolute favorite songs at the moment. one cabin at dance, cabin 3, was so cute and enthusiastic. they ALL wanted to tell me there diabetes stories and how when they were little they would take glucose tablets from where their mom hid them because they tasted so good, etc. and one of those girls gave me a headband she made!! She had two, and I said that i loved them because they were adorable, and she practically forced me to take it. we had an argument. and you just can't argue against a 10 year old girl. they will win!! another girl in the same cabin saw my tattoo and said 'you have a sunshine tattoo?' of course i said yes, and then she asked if i had cancer and what type i had. i was pretty caught off guard because most ten year olds don't know what the other camps are for, let alone ask questions about it!
one of my best sessions last week was definitely radio. i was paired up with my dear roommie Grace and we had a cabin of ten year old boys. they were probably the funniest cabin at camp. they wanted to do a radio show and have me and grace be their guest callers. not to mention that their song requests were epic! they told grace that her character was named penelope (haha). both of us talked with funny accents. mine ended up coming out a jamaican-hispanic mix. but the kids thought both of us were hilarious, which is what it's all about!! one of the things we are striving for with the radio is to make everything more camp-centric, so when we called in, both grace and i pretended to be moms of campers at kudzu. my kid, i think i named her amelia, was new and does injections, so i asked how she was being taken care of there and helped. those boys were the best advocates for their camp. they talked about how great it is. they talked about the pump palace and how everyone helps everyone else learn to manage their diabetes better. it was pretty adorable and awesome and everything that we strive for at camp.
this week i checked my blood sugar for the first time!!! i even pricked my finger myself. next step=pump site. one of the girls in cabin 11 who comes back for another camp told me that she would bring extra sites just in case any ctl staff doesn't get the chance to get a pump site this week! woo! i'm pretty nervous about it actually, but that's okay!! for those who don't know, pump sites involve needles, and i am not too comfortable with those. it's great to get a bit of the experience that all these kids go through every day!
gah i can't wait for another great week at camp twin lakes!!!
who's ready for camp kudzu week 2??? I AM!! it's always great to meet a new set of campers every week. I've got cabin 7 so I'm thinking they will be about 13 yr old girls. maybe?
Some more of what happened last week:
What do a certain group of professional cyclists and kudzu campers have in common?? Type 1 Diabetes. 5 of the cyclists from Team Type 1 (made up of cyclists with the betes!) came last week and stayed for two days. they talked to the kids about how not to let diabetes hold them back! they also stressed how important it is to manage their blood sugar well so that they can live their dream of becoming pro cyclists. then they just hung out with the kids and went to activities! one of my favorite things to do is watch adults who get thrown into camp do all of our songs and dances. it was pretty cute. the youngest one (who was 2o. younger than me!) really concentrated to get it all down pat! by the time they left they were experts at ctl life.
thursday night was...... the dance!! remember my camper who had a date monday at breakfast? well she ditched him and picked up a new guy to take to the dance. a few of my other girls had dates too! oh to be young and have camp love...
speaking of dancing, i had the dance activity at least once a day. i was pretty nervous to do it, but it turned out to be AWESOME! every cabin that came wanted to learn the 'Hoedown Throwdown' (thank you miley) and even the one group that kinda got bored, the counselors wanted to learn more line dances. i have lots of those btw, which is weird since i do not like country music. but hey, there's a first time for everything, right? and 'callin baton rouge' is one of my absolute favorite songs at the moment. one cabin at dance, cabin 3, was so cute and enthusiastic. they ALL wanted to tell me there diabetes stories and how when they were little they would take glucose tablets from where their mom hid them because they tasted so good, etc. and one of those girls gave me a headband she made!! She had two, and I said that i loved them because they were adorable, and she practically forced me to take it. we had an argument. and you just can't argue against a 10 year old girl. they will win!! another girl in the same cabin saw my tattoo and said 'you have a sunshine tattoo?' of course i said yes, and then she asked if i had cancer and what type i had. i was pretty caught off guard because most ten year olds don't know what the other camps are for, let alone ask questions about it!
one of my best sessions last week was definitely radio. i was paired up with my dear roommie Grace and we had a cabin of ten year old boys. they were probably the funniest cabin at camp. they wanted to do a radio show and have me and grace be their guest callers. not to mention that their song requests were epic! they told grace that her character was named penelope (haha). both of us talked with funny accents. mine ended up coming out a jamaican-hispanic mix. but the kids thought both of us were hilarious, which is what it's all about!! one of the things we are striving for with the radio is to make everything more camp-centric, so when we called in, both grace and i pretended to be moms of campers at kudzu. my kid, i think i named her amelia, was new and does injections, so i asked how she was being taken care of there and helped. those boys were the best advocates for their camp. they talked about how great it is. they talked about the pump palace and how everyone helps everyone else learn to manage their diabetes better. it was pretty adorable and awesome and everything that we strive for at camp.
this week i checked my blood sugar for the first time!!! i even pricked my finger myself. next step=pump site. one of the girls in cabin 11 who comes back for another camp told me that she would bring extra sites just in case any ctl staff doesn't get the chance to get a pump site this week! woo! i'm pretty nervous about it actually, but that's okay!! for those who don't know, pump sites involve needles, and i am not too comfortable with those. it's great to get a bit of the experience that all these kids go through every day!
gah i can't wait for another great week at camp twin lakes!!!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
we're brothers and sisters at camp kudzu!
this week is off to a great start!! my cabin is ballin, the dance dimension is pretty much the best workout ever, and kudzu is awesome!! not to mention a helicopter landed on the ball field today......
wait, what? yes. that is correct. a helicopter landed ON the sports field yesterday, and not for a medical emergency but for two (almost) famous people! the first was Jordyn Shellhart, an up and coming country singer from nashville. She was actually quite good and had one heck of a voice for 16! her songs were taylor swift-esque. the other was Chase Elliot, son of a nascar driver, and a driver in his own right. (I don't really know much about nascar...) both of them were adorable, and the kids today thought the whole helicopter thing was awesome! poor kid, chase pretty much became every tween girl's object of affection after that! After lunch, Jordyn gave camp a concert in the gym. the weather was crazy flip floppy so the safe bet was DEFINITELY inside. every kid wanted an autograph or picture with her and she made sure they all got them! look her up on www.jordynshellhart.com or http://www.myspace.com/jordynshellhart !!
where to start when talking about my cabin? well.. they are 11-year-old girls that were originally supposed to be in cabin 4, but the air conditioner is broken so they are in cabin 28, right by the oldest boys!! they got here midday sunday, and by breakfast yesterday, one of my girls already had a date for the dance! well... she had one, but broke up with him and now has another. haha i love them. my cabin is crazy... just the way i like it!!
this week i also have the dance dimension with JoJo!! Dimensions are for teens only and they get to pick an activity that they do mon, tues, and wed night. Three of the girls were really into it and the two that weren't didn't come back! So we pretty much learned choreographed stuff the first day and then let them make up their own dances. We also learned the beginning of "Thriller".
that's all for now!!
wait, what? yes. that is correct. a helicopter landed ON the sports field yesterday, and not for a medical emergency but for two (almost) famous people! the first was Jordyn Shellhart, an up and coming country singer from nashville. She was actually quite good and had one heck of a voice for 16! her songs were taylor swift-esque. the other was Chase Elliot, son of a nascar driver, and a driver in his own right. (I don't really know much about nascar...) both of them were adorable, and the kids today thought the whole helicopter thing was awesome! poor kid, chase pretty much became every tween girl's object of affection after that! After lunch, Jordyn gave camp a concert in the gym. the weather was crazy flip floppy so the safe bet was DEFINITELY inside. every kid wanted an autograph or picture with her and she made sure they all got them! look her up on www.jordynshellhart.com or http://www.myspace.com/jordynshellhart !!
where to start when talking about my cabin? well.. they are 11-year-old girls that were originally supposed to be in cabin 4, but the air conditioner is broken so they are in cabin 28, right by the oldest boys!! they got here midday sunday, and by breakfast yesterday, one of my girls already had a date for the dance! well... she had one, but broke up with him and now has another. haha i love them. my cabin is crazy... just the way i like it!!
this week i also have the dance dimension with JoJo!! Dimensions are for teens only and they get to pick an activity that they do mon, tues, and wed night. Three of the girls were really into it and the two that weren't didn't come back! So we pretty much learned choreographed stuff the first day and then let them make up their own dances. We also learned the beginning of "Thriller".
that's all for now!!
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