Sleep Away

Harper had her first sleep away camp this week at Camp Grimes in Nebo, North Carolina.  Ethan missed Harper's company, but enjoyed some only child attention.  Ethan had a design and building camp at Discovery Place this past week, which he enjoyed.  We went to the pool one afternoon and he had a hair cut another afternoon.  On Friday evening, families were invited for dinner and to see the camp in Nebo.  Harper didn't want to stay another night once she saw us so we did bring her home with us Friday night.  It was very hard for Harper to be away from us for that long and she experienced some major home sickness, but said she loved the camp activities and would do it again as long as one of us was there.  She earned several merit badges for Scouts.  She came home with a million bug bites too! 

      

Pool afternoon!

    

    

   

         

Little Man loves his hair cuts! 

      

It was neat to be able to go to family night at Camp Grimes.  Harper showed us around the camp.  When we first saw her, she was coming back from a mile canoe trek.  She cried happy tears when she saw us!

      

This is the dining hall.

       

We had dinner together first.

    

Then walked to her campsite where we were met with a torrential storm.

        

Harper's tent!  She slept here with Amelia.

   

They were the youngest girls.  They were scared at night so they both slept on the same cot in the same bug net.

    

       

      

    

     

The views near the water were amazing.

          

This is where all the water activities took place!

      

Harper earned her swimming merit badge.

    

       

          

They did awards and a concert and then we left.  Harper fell asleep on the way home.

       

There was no pause to Harper's schedule as she had a birthday party to attend Saturday. 

   

   

      

After a week of rock climbing camp then a week at Grimes with more climbing, Harper is an expert.

     

       

        

       

    

    

    

     

We had a nice breakfast this morning.

    

Then Harper and I walked to Camp North End to try a new authentic Japanese matcha place.

   

    

Camp Harper

We have spent this week celebrating Harper!  She turned eleven on Wednesday.  The Scheers came over on the special day with Harper's birthday gifts and cupcakes.  We have been getting ready for her birthday party(ies) for a while now and it was crunch time this week!  The kids had rock climbing camp this week and loved it!  Harper brought bundtini cakes in on her birthday, which was a first as we are usually out of town!  Harper left for a week of Scouts Camp in Nebo today and we have spent the week packing her bag and preparing for this.

      
Presents for Harper!

   

She got art supplies and beautiful jewelry. 

   

    

   

    

   

   

   

Harper and I packed her goodie bags.  We put stickers,

   

a s'mores stick,

   

a field book and branch pencil, 

    

bandana, 

   

flashlight,

    

friendship bracelet,

    

hair ties,

    

and bubbles in the bags.  We added mini fans last minute as it was set to be a hundred degrees!

    

We called the goodie bags survival kits!

    

     

I made the cakes this year.

    

We added pretty lights to the backyard.  

        

Harper loves to make mini paints!

     

Alex and I set up camp Friday afternoon.  It was sunny, but hot!

      
Harper's cake turned out great!

     

I wore my bandana as a camp counselor. 

     

We had a s'mores station and a trail mix station.

   

There was a drink station.

     

We set the picnic table.

    

     

    

   

     

I made camp cups out of honey bear bottles and tied green ribbons on their necks.

     

    

   

   

    

    

The girls made friendship bracelets in the tent.

       

Then it was time for dinner!  Harper wanted to serve Chick-fil-A.

    

    
Harper took polaroid pictures throughout the party.

   

   

   

   

     

Time for cake!

   

   

      

The girls made trail mix bags then "hiked" to the park in our neighborhood.

     

   

    

    

   

          

They made dog friends on the hike.

      

After they got back, Alex set up a backyard movie.

     

They had popcorn.

    

       

We took a break from the movie for s'mores!

   

    

My trail mix!

    

    

    

   

   

    

      

They were up supposedly until five am!  I think I fell asleep at two.  It was a blast!

    

The next day after the girls went home, I quick cleaned up and started setting up for party number two.  I made the same cake!

      

Lu was curious about Harper's presents.

   

     

Girlie got a new back pack, lunch box and water bottle for middle school.

    

    

College fund money from Grandma!

     

     

Lu was not happy about her camp counselor scarf.

      

Lisa and Matt came too!

   

     
The Scheers and Schneiders arrived to camp!

   

    

     

Alex used his new birthday grill for the cookout!

    

     

    

    

     

      

We all went to the Knight's Stadium after dinner and cake for a patriotic symphony show and fireworks.

      

It was hot, but we were seated in the shade.

    

    

     

    

We were surprised with a bonus drone show!!  It was fantastic!!

    

    

   

    

    

The fireworks were amazing too!

   

      

     

Grandma had her first funnel cake to end the night!