Cub Scout Campers

Last week, Topher, Hannah, and I were cub scout day campers. Toph was there because, duh, he's a cub scout. I was there as a leader volunteer. For the last 2 years I haven't gone, but with a boy in cubs now, I felt like it was my turn to volunteer. For the whole week--what was I smoking? Hannah was there because where would I leave her for 7+ hours 5 days in a row? She attended Sibling Camp at the same time.

I was a Jack-Of-All-Trades last week. I did the skit and song rotation on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. During that time I got to teach the history of the flag and other flag-related topics, the history of the national anthem, and the music belt loop. Everything I needed came in a binder, so it wasn't too bad, and I acutally learned things too. On Tuesday, I filled in at Agent's Life. The theme of camp was "Mission Possible" and throughout the week, the kids were doing some activities that would make them like FBI agents. Tuesday's activity was on prints--animal prints specifically, but we talked about all kinds of prints. We learned about the 3 different types of footprints, and then the boys used plaster of paris to make a footprint. Ideally, I was supposed to wet some dirt around my area and put the prints into the dirt. Then the boys would mix their plaster and pour it into the dirt. That wasn't drying fast enough though, and I didn't have a lot of dirt at my disposal, so I mixed it up a bit. Instead of pouring the plaster into the dirt, we put the print into the plaster. Not exactly the same, but they got to go home with a footprint. Thursday I helped at Crafts. The boys didn't have time to finish all of the projects on Wednesday, so there was a lot to do on Thursday. I helped the boys make a leather bracelet--by stamping on the designs. I'd done that a LONG time ago as a kid, so I kind of knew what I was doing. It was LOUD, but a lot of fun.

Topher did all kinds of things. He did archery and fishing (probably his favorite things), crafts, outdoor cooking, skit and song, hiking and nature, fingerprinting, and water games. On Friday, the FBI was supposed to run one of the centers, but they got called away to investigate a boarder patrol agent's murder, and the leaders "kind of" set up the area like the FBI would have. The boys got to make predictions about a "crime" based on evidence--bones, blood, etc. He had a blast!

Hannah enjoyed Sibling Camp. The kids did tons of crafts. She made lots of bracelets and necklaces and pictures. She painted a treasure chest. She got to go to the playground. She got to feed the ducks. She got to play games and sing and dance. She loved it!

Cub scout day camp is at Lake Poway, about 20 minutes from home. Not a bad drive, and it's really pretty. But it was HOT! We don't get much HOT weather, but we were in the middle of a heat wave, and it was 98 one of the days before we started. Remember, I live in San Diego--it's not normally HOT. But I was glad to be outside, at least at the beginning of the week, because our a/c was BROKEN!!! It broke on Wednesday or Thursday of the previous week, and didn't get fixed until Tuesday of scout camp week. Talk about HOT! Inside our house it was 91 one day. CRAZY!

I do have to say that the timing of a heat wave, all-day scout camp volunteering, and being in the 2nd week of fibromyalgia treatment was really less than ideal. The heat sucks the life out of me, the meds sucked the rest of the life right out of me, and I was hurting all over my body--like the worst case of flu you can imagine. There were a few times I wondered how I'd get through it, but I was blessed. Thursday was an especially blessed day. I was SO tired and hurt SO much, and I was having asthma issues on top of it, and if they had enough volunteers, I was going to go home and rest. Hannah was missing her down time and playing with her toys, and I just wanted to crawl into bed. But that was not to happen. And Thursday ended up being a great day. I exercised a little faith that my Heavenly Father would have to help me get through the day, and He did not disappoint! And I must give kudos to our camp directors. From the beginning, they knew they were getting additional concerns with me. They knew about my physical limitations, and they kindly put me places where I could be in the shade and periodically rest. They were concerned for my well-being every day. And paid me a very high compliment at the end. The program director, Troy, told me how grateful he was for my daily attendance and willingness to do whatever they asked of me. That was so nice to hear.

It was an exhausting week. I gave camp my entire focus of energy--which means that I was pretty much a lump at home. We'd get home sweaty and stinky each evening, throw the kids in the shower, eat a 2nd dinner, wash the uniforms, and go to bed. Wake up, rinse, and repeat. Camp was from 1-7 (from 12-7 for the leaders), so we ate brunch at about 11, "linner" at 5, and a 2nd dinner at about 8 all week. The kids had a blast though, and I enjoyed myself too. I am allergic to something at Lake Poway though. Every night I'd come home and itch my eyes and ears and sneeze, and by the end of the week, I was having asthma issues too. Toph experienced this too, to some extent. And the BUGS! Don't get me started! There were these black and yellow bugs that kept crawling all over my stuff and ME! Really, this is the extent of the camping experience for me--nothing more than day camp for this city girl!

Next year we'll definitely do it again--but I will probably only do 2-3 days! And maybe I'll remember to take the camera!