Camp Week

The bigs just completed their first camp week of the summer.  One might think that meant a relaxing week for me.  Not exactly.  I spent the days just trying to recover from our most recent jaunt out of town.  Geez, that was a doozie.

But, thankfully I have recovered and just in the knick of time for Jack and Maggie's last day "performances".

Maggie spent her camp week at Little Mermaid Dance Camp.  Oh, how she fell in love.  Tutus, jewels, pink, purple, dance shoes, and ribbons for her hair.  They don't come much girlier than Maggie.  We invested in a pair of ballet shoes and I tell you that sweet little Magpie would sleep in them if I let her.  They are the first thing on her feet in the morning and the last thing to come off.

Each day Maggie came home and performed one of her latest steps for me.  Half of which I couldn't quite make out, but I did have a favorite...the "shake your mermaid tail" move.  I tried to imitate it only to be told I needed to "shake my head like this" {insert a head bob} and "do my hands like this" {insert jazz hands}.  Oh, but the head and hands didn't have anything on her little tush shaking back and forth.

So you can imagine my excitement for her end of camp performance.  Five days of intense anxious waiting on my part.

I arrived to this...

Glowing in pink, costumed in her mermaid tail, and elated to see mommy and baby sister...

And then the performance started.  This is about the only movement Maggie did.  She made her way to the seahorse {which apparently was where she was supposed to do some introductory move} and then shyly sauntered back to her position.

And the rest of the 8 minute performance looked like this...

Even the girliest of mermaids get shy and a bit overwhelmed sometimes.  After the performance, I told Maggie how beautiful she looked and complimented her on a great show. She then gave me the biggest hug and most sincere smile ever through teary blue eyes.  Love that little princess of mine.  

After that she came home and excitedly told Daddy all about her dancing show at "little mermaid caiiiimp".  And even showed off a few of her moves as if nothing had ever happened.

Dance or no dance, our littlest Lu got the biggest kick out of the performance.  Maggie's number one fan.  {not to mention Lucy was fascinated by the room full of twirling big girls}

Next it was off to Jack's end of camp presentation.  I am careful not to call it a "performance" per Jack's correction.

And guess what Jack picked...Science camp, of course.  My little genius in the making.  This summer it was Camp Cosmos.  His uniform wasn't nearly as cute as Maggie's but I'm pretty sure he didn't mind a bit.  The space, air, light, and gravity lessons were enough to satisfy my first born's intellectual side.

Jack taught me all about the solar system and showed me several of the models he had made.  I told him, "it must be fun to be so smart" and he nonchalantly replied, "it is".  My modest boy.

Jack's presentation was a rocket launch with his very own camp made rocket.  We headed outside in 90 degree heat for this one.  Somehow he ended up at the back of the line after stepping out a good 6 times to come tell me something very unimportant.

When it was finally Jack's turn I was quite glossy.  But I watched him lovingly as he mounted his rocket and pumped the launcher with all his might.

And then he ran full speed ahead to retrieve his air born rocket ship.  Needless to say he was glowing too with rosy cheeks and pride.

One week of camp down and one more in July to go.  I promised myself to spend as much time as I could with my summer break kiddos this year.  It was a two camp max for each of them.

Next up it's Literature camp for Maggie {or as she likes to call it "book caiiimp"} and Lego camp for Jack.  And then we will sadly start counting down the last days of summer.