Kids, Cokes, and Critters: 16 Girl Scouts, 4 Mamas, and some wasps

Well...another Girl Scout camping session was survived by everyone. This was my 3rd camping experience. The first two were troop camp and had the camp staff there. Ms Maya got brave and took us camping on our own, no staff there to direct us, or cook for us, or plan activities for us. And I must admit - it was quite a fun time! The only negative was that we had really crappy weather. Granted, it could have been worse, but the cool, damp air is not friends with my sinuses, and my hair rejects moisture like crazy! I turn into a horribly frizzy mess when there is moisture outside.

This here is the results of moisture. I went to camp with my hair pretty
and straight and woke up like this. Thank you rain.

I think that the girls had a really good time! I heard lots of laughing and enjoying each other. I also heard lots of screams because the cabins all had wasps on the ceilings when we got there. Kerensa and I got a good system going of smacking them down with a broom while the other person waited to whack them with the fly swatter. I am pretty sure that, if there was a wasp killing patch for Girl Scouts, we would have earned it!

NEVER FEAR - Kerensa and Erin are here!!!

A big adventure for the girls was listening to them talk about having to use a latrine. There was lots of talk about "squatting" and the such. I think that, although the latrine wasn't pleasant to use, that all the girls were proud that they DID use it. Just for future reference. The camp latrine makes this sound when you pee in it: pssssssss (that's the pee sound) and then, echo....when you poop in the latrine it makes this sound: plop and then echo...LOL.

The lovely latrine

Inside the latrine - it's not pretty folks, but it's better than wiping with leaves - LOL

The girls also got to man the fires and cook their own foods. What a great experience and adventure for them! I am not sure how much smoke I inhaled but I got pretty darn good and blowing on the fire to make it start back up again. The packet chicken and taters was delightful, and I was so happy that Maya brought her Tastefully Simple garlic pepper seasoning! Woot!

Big Mama mans the chicken packets

Leah fries up a sausage on top of a can!

I know a lot of folks say that they couldn't go camping or don't do the "bugs" and things, but it really isn't that bad. I look at it this way - it is an experience - for the parent AND the child. Some of my favorite memories that Leah and I have in the last few years are from camp! Even a couple years after we first went, the girls STILL talk about some of the stuff that happened. The first year we were there, we saw a snake...all of us that were there still laugh about it. Last year, we had a bat in our tent. It was scary at the time, but even the scary things are memorable! As long as you are making memories with your child and the other girls, it is all good!