Nature Camp

Our oldest is enjoying his first real taste of summer camp this week. I'm so excited for him! He wanted to go to this amazing Nature Camp in the mountains with his buddy John John last year, but the full-day program was for 5 yrs and up, and of course Buby was still 4. He is usually the youngest in his class with a mid-September birthday and always misses the age cut-off for summer events, little league, etc. {Truth be told, I don't think I was emotionally ready to send him in 2010.}


Springtime rolled around and he started asking again, so we agreed to meet his buddy at the Open House {which was a first-come-first-serve mad house} and snagged the very last two spots. Hurray for my friend Seda, who jumped in line while we were finishing tennis and insisted Buby's name be on the list. The theme is "Treasure Hunters." The camp is 30-40 minutes from home and runs M-F 8:45-2:45. John signed up for two weeks; we signed up for one {since we have another family vacation and art camp coming up!}.


Enrollment at private day camps in this area is super competitive. Space is limited, and the teacher/camper ratios are typically really great. We are halfway through our week, and so far Buby gives the whole adventure a big thumbs up! He's eating wine berries and talking conservation and wildlife rescue. He's already plotting next summer with his new girl-friends Alexa, Jordan and McCray.


Each morning I try to have the three kiddos ready and in the car by 8 a.m. I send Buby off with a backpack, a healthy lunch, a snack, a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, an old-school camo fishing hat from Tom's childhood closet, and this organic bite blocker sprayed on his sneaks and clothing.


Bleu and I have met friends for coffee/breakfast/hikes before heading home. Every afternoon we retrieve Buby from the porch of the building shown above; he's smiling, exhausted and covered in dirt from all his digging. {I love to see my clean boy dirty!} I inspect for ticks, distribute waters and light snacks, and we head home to our pool.