Murder Mystery!!

Chris and his team created an intricate night game for the Senior Teens!  Got to love Imamemes insta shout out to it lol

Introducing Captain Chris Cross

Isaac and Owen did a great job in their characters too

And Lisa finished strong this summer. One of Chris’s closest camp friends.

Can’t remember what night this was but we had a few outdoor movie nights in our yard. Sometimes Isaacs friends would come, sometimes it was just elliot and I .....

Road trip with Elliot and Jax!

After work, I met up with Rachel and she brought Elliot and Jax into town who then hopped into my car and we headed to Nanaimo to pick up the light systems for Chris's BATTLE game that night.

After we picked up the lights, I dropped them off at the AirPark as Elliot wanted to go here for his birthday ... and we never got here because summer was in full swing.  So, he and Jax played for a few hours.

Sweaty kids ....

Tired kid ....





And since it was half priced Monday, I got them pizza on the way home.

Launching Senior Teen 2019!!

Mike and Susan arrived on Friday a little early to set up their sweet new trailer at Wild Side ... that evening, they took Elliot and I out for sushi with them!  After we all walked across the street for dessert.  

I think this was Saturday afternoon during a bit of a lull .... but here they were waiting for me at Wild Side - they were the only ones on property because everyone else was gone ... maybe this was Friday? ... Either way, I thought the empty third seat they pulled up for me was quite sweet. 

Jolene came over (again, I can't remember the day ... either Saturday or Sunday ... it's a blur) ....she gave both boys really nice 'back to school' haircuts in the yard .....

Susan watched with me .....

Chris came home for literally a minute to visit before he was off again ....

This for sure was taken on Sunday! When campers were arriving at 2 .... he just finished teen camp, slept for 14 hours, and was up and ready to volunteer for the upcoming week for Senior Teen!  Here he is with a staff shirt and ready to roll!!

Apparently this week is VERY understaffed ... so my sweet kid was the ONLY one on welcome and parking duty - in the blazing sun!  Shade didn't come for a few hours .... so I brought him a hat and some water and he did a great job welcoming everyone who drove through the gate.  A big "HI!! Welcome to Camp Imadene!"



Some points in the afternoon there were line-ups of cars coming in .... he did a great moving them all along!

Pointing out where to park and then where to get the campers cabin and name tag!

Once he was done with welcoming, Chris gave him a quick lesson on videography.  Our Videographer left unexpectedly and so everyone on deck for filming!  He filmed kick-off while Chris welcomed the kids and ran it.

In the meantime, I had girlfriends show up!  We went for a bike ride through the local trails and then went for a swim.  Then, back to the shade for food!!



Isaac came home for a minute ..... he is taking after his dad!!

Because it is Senior Teen, and many of these campers have been staff all summer, Chris has to add things to the schedule that they don't expect!!  So - Night one is NIGHT GAME!!  They hit it hard, right out of the gate!! There are 2 night games this week!    Here he is explaining what staff need to do with the campers for the game ... everyone has their costumes and has been debriefed.

These 2 have become great friends ... tonight they will play the Ancestors.  Asking the campers questions in the dark in exchange for something they need to complete the mission of the night game!


A few of the others .....

Epic music playing ... volcano erupting behind ... Chris silently awaiting campers as they file in.



The ancestors hard at work ....



Man he has grown up this summer ... right in front of our eyes ... I have never seen this much growth in character, and height actually .... it was a crazy couple months.  So glad I was around to see.

Teen Camp

Jo and I hiked the mountain ... it was fun and hard because hiking with another 'hiker' is different than hiking with kids!  

She is great company ....

And here is Elliot in a rare sighting outside ... in full pants.  He didn't stay long ... he prefers inside.

Another rare sighting of this kid .... torn away from his friends and work .... he saw a kid sitting alone and decided to go introduce himself and see how his week was going .... i love that he has that incentive...

"Hello, I am Isaac"

He told me later that his friends wouldn't let him just sit with this new kid because they wanted to hang out with Isaac .....

He has been coming home during chapel time because he is hungry ... so this meme (from some local camp staff have created an instagram account),  is actually pretty hilarious):

And another rare walk as a family after campers left ... we haven't been together alot this summer ... everyone running in different directions ... except Elliot ... he happily, hasn't moved much.  He has been rotating between a bunch of spots, but he has a good routine.

Last day of Teen 2 ....

This guy -- endless energy ... in his grass skirt .... here he is playing DJ for the tunes.

And the speaker this week was great .... a little emotional with all the music at the end .... but Isaac and his friends seemed to have a good time listening when he spoke .... it was pretty cute, when some songs would come on, and the kids would gather together to sing, Nick (who has never come to camp) yells "ooh, its shoulder singing again!"

We have been debating about sending Isaac to the Christian school in Duncan because of the huge growth we have seen in him this summer ... but after watching him this last week with his school friends at camp, I think we will keep him when he is.  They all seem quite attached to each other, and they are good kids .... Isaac is a strong leader in the school and we want to foster that leadership .. we will just have to make sure he keeps growing with good mentors and activities outside school this year.  Cause ... as seen below .... he still does dumb stuff like let people shave an eyebrow off. 

And this kid has been happily staying at home and rotating between video games, origami, atom ball, trampoline with Zalinko’s and mug up at 9:30.  He and Mittens keep each other company. 

Isaac goes back to camp ..... TEEN 2!

Isaac is in cabin Petra, and here they are with the female partnered cabin making up a cheer!!  Lots of his friends have come from school (Isaiah is in the green t-shirt, and Nick is in the middle), and Nick has never come to camp!  So, that's fun ... but there is another Isaiah and Isaac in the cabin too - and they are best friends ... weird hey?

Spencer is the tall one with his back to the picture with a hat on...and that is Richard and Shaleah's boy ... we were so excited to hear that he was going to be isaacs leader, but so far he is Mr No-Fun according to Isaac ... he says no to everything ... so that was kind of unexpected ... but Isaac will make it fun .... he knows how to work around difficult people ... I like to think I helped develop those skills in him ;-)

Happy Birthday Gordon !!

After Ryan spoiled us with crepes with chocolate and strawberries and Charlene coffee'd us up, we all headed out to Cumberland to explore the little town ... we shopped at a church thrift store, ate donuts from the local bakery ... and had a really nice morning with these gals.....

Chris met us in Duncan and Carrie took the car home and started laundry and prepping for her next chapter heading to Chicago to help outfit a boat for people with disabilities to cruise!  After a short stop at the park in Cowichan Bay, the boys and I headed to see Gordon for his birthday!!!  Here he is making a blackberry apple cobbler on his birthday!!  He really is a great cook!!

Isaac finishing up a carving for grandpa's birthday ... and Elliot made him a wolf out of oragami....

He's the pillar .... Happy Birthday Gordon!!  Love this man ....