It’s the FINAL COUNT DOWN, do do do doooooo… do do dododooooooooo!

I have new school clothes on order, I have backpacks in the process of being washed to a like-new state, I have lunch ideas being saved on Pintrest. You know, those meals that Hank won’t eat? Those would be the ones. BUT, I will not feel bad, I am feeling high on life. WHY? Because we’re in the final count down for the new school year.

I love this time of year. I can almost smell the black leggings and feel those cozy pumpkin spice lattes on my legs. Wait. Reverse that. Or not, hell, I don’t care. I’m just too excited!

It isn’t that I don’t love summer. I mean, I don’t, but I don’t hate it. I am an introvert. BIG TIME. So during summer, these kids get a whole bunch of me and not a whole bunch of planned activities. Last summer, I decided that the kid fighting had to stop and that “Next year, they will go to a camp”. So, this summer, they did!

There is a local summer camp that looked like a lot of fun. Mud pits, soccer, animal learning centers, building; you name it, they have it. I was determined that each kid would be signed up so that they get a break this summer and the chance to have fun outside of the home. Bonus to me, it would be at a place where I don’t have to make small talk with other parents.

I signed Dave up for Soccer. He was such a fan for the game BEFORE he went for a week, running, maybe getting the ball and not being the player that he thought he would be … never having played before. He has asked to go back next year, and named three other camps within this one that he would like to do. Done. No prob, Dave. We’ll camp it up.

Hank got a week of animal adventure camp. We received a day-to-day (almost) weather report as to whether he was having fun.

First Day After Camp!

Monday: Mom! It was so cool! I know someone from my school!

Tuesday: *before camp* I don’t want to go. Don’t make me go.

*After camp* It was ok, I guess. Do I have to go back?

Wednesday: MOM! LOOK AT WHAT THEY GAVE ME! *He came running out with a white shirt waving over his head like a flag. Before we even got to the truck, little dude has his shirt off and it stuffing his noggin through the neck hole of the camp shirt. *

Thursday: *Before camp: small, angry camper who doesn’t understand why he can’t wear his new camp shirt to camp. I explain that he wore it half a day, spilled lunch/dinner on it and then refused to take it off for bed. He changes*

*After camp* Tired. Ran a bunch. Saved some imaginary animals. Hungry.

Friday: *After camp* MOM! There was a hotdog eating contest and I won! (no, he didn’t. The camp councilors had a competition and it was amazing to watch)

I personally liked the camp. They checked all ingredients for food activities and rather than making him an odd man out when it was determined that he was allergic, they moved him in with another group and he got to experience more of the camp than he would have. Imagine that. He went to a camp and didn’t feel left out. He actually felt like he had an advantage over the other kids in his group. My goodness. That was an amazing feeling. It was an amazing experience.

So, I’ll say it again. Next year, these kids are going to camp. Only this time, they are going for longer and maybe at the same time. AT THE SAME TIME. Nerf camp, animal camp, maybe building camp is in their future. Pedicures and coffee for me. Coffee. Maybe a cup of that Pumpkin Spice that smells so good.