Civtan Camp 2013

Our annual Civitan Camp trip was planned as usual this summer except Bryce was working and not me.  Since E is so small and still nursing, I wouldn't be able to work camp and feed her every three hours.  I'll be back next year though.

Bryce had to be there at 1:00 so we pulled up at 12:45.  I love driving into that gravel road called Camp Ita Kana.  Camp is the best place in the world!  Bryce's assignment was boating/fishing (like usual) with Rob.  Boating has changed quite a bit since Bubba and I used to run it adult week.  Sand was brought in and now we have a pontoon boat called "Miss Abbie" for camp's founder Abbie Rogers.  There are even some motor boats as well as canoes and kayaks.  The pontoon boat is especially great for kids/adults in wheel chairs.  At last, they can experience boating in comfort instead of a nasty bean bag in the bottom of the canoe. 

Captain Rob

me and Jacob Bush

Me and Braydon

Me and Jackson

Bryce had to sleep in the science cabin this year with 5 other guys.  In all my counselor years at camp (8th grade through 12th grade) the science cabin was never used, overgrown, and didn't even have power.  I'm not sure who worked on it and fixed it up, but it's nice now.  There's not bathroom, so the nearest toilet and shower was Native Village, but it did have a sink.  I'm not sure who gave B the mattress, but he slept on a queen size blow up mattress all week.  Way better than the cots the other guys slept on!

Bryce with Bryce

Bryce with Jordan

Bryce with T

Ian at Native Village

J and Dale

Staff and counselors moved in on Saturday and campers came Sunday.  I rode down with Deane on Sunday for registration and we got there in time to hear B lead the worship time down at the camp fire.  Camp has gotten too big and populated for activities at the camp fire anymore.  A long time ago, we would have a night activity at the camp fire and when Miss Abbie died, we planted her tree there. I took B there one of his first years with me and we just stared at the stars.  I visited B Sunday and then again on Tuesday.  Bubba also came over on Tuesday and we met at camp around noon.  It was really good to see him and hang out.  I left E with my mom and my dad had the bigs, so I was kid-less for a few hours! We went to boating, swimming, moved some chairs, and sat on the porch for a while also.  Both sets of parents met at camp to exchange the kids back from dad to mom.  We had the whole family there for a few hours and it was fun.  I know Bubba misses camp, and maybe some day he can come back.  He's working 2 jobs and hard for him to get off work.  Maybe one day.

Ryan Smith and Cal Pierce (camp babies)

  I also came Thursday to visit B again, with just E.  Typically Thursday is the big fish fry night, but the directors decided to not to the community event and try to keep it smaller.  I think feeding so many people became too expensive and with so many visitors, it caused a lot of distractions and maybe became a little unsafe.  I surprised B and he was very happy to see us.  We had a nice evening of the talent show before I headed home around 8:30. 

Camp got over on Friday and we (me and the kids) picked B up to head down to the coast for dinner.  We met my dad, Ella, and Grandmalupe for dinner at Cracker Barrel in Gulfport.  We've done this for the past 3 years and it's just become our tradition I guess.  This way I get to see Grandmalupe, which is very important to me.