Yesterday I had the chance to drive some of the young women in our ward to girl's camp. It was a pleasant 3 hour drive up to the camp and when I got there, crossed the lake and was surrounded by big pine trees I almost forgot that I wasn't in the mountains! I was pretty glad not to have to stay up there for the week but once I was there I really didn't want to leave. I left much later than I thought and ended up making the long drive home in the dark, finally arriving home only a little before midnight.
Being up at girl's camp made me remember my own experiences. The camp here is much different from ours--we were in the mountains sleeping on the floor of a-frames and here they are in humid Oklahoma sleeping on beds in an air-conditioned cabin, we were divided up mostly by age and here they sleep together as wards, in addition to many, many others--but the spirit is essentially the same.
For some reason I can only find pictures right now from my last 2 years of camp but I thought I'd share them with you anyhow.
I'm just realizing that we are wearing our camp sweatshirts in some of the pictures. Funny. They would never even dream of making sweatshirts for camp here (although the girls had that air cranked in the cabin so it was rather chilly!)
What were your girl's camp experiences like?
**After Sis. Holmes' comments I remembered that the thing that the girls here are missing out on the most is the BATH girls!
I've done it all... tents on the dirt floor with just my ward, a frames with my year. In the mountains, not in the mountains. And last year I went with our ward to girls camp and it was literally just our ward. Our stake only has STAKE girls camp every other year.
ReplyDeleteLast year was my fav. I loved it! And it was A LOT of work. Young women are lazy, especially in large groups. But to watch those girls feel the spirit and to get to be a little immature... it was so fun!
OH my goodness... I cannot believe those pictures. I was such a chunk... WOW!
ReplyDeleteI really do miss those times though! Im so glad I got to know you girls from Corona!
I cannot believe they are in cabins with AC... what? thats not girls camp.
ReplyDeleteI've gone from cabins, a dining hall, swimming pool and shorts and flip flops as a girl,(not to mention ticks and mosquitos) to tents in the mountains with fire cooked meals and sweatshirts with hail and rain and dirt as a leader. I thought I would be relieved not to be going this year, but it turns out I am very sad and jealous of anyone who gets to go.
ReplyDeleteI love girls camp and I can't wait to go back some day. Oh and NICE bangs!! You should bring that back!! And SINCE WHEN did they let girls wear short to camp!! That is so unfair!! We were SO not allowed but it was ok my last year since it snowed 10 inches- it was crazy since we were in tents too- we usually slept in A frame cabins as well. And I think that air conditioning is SO not allowed either, but I'll give them a break because I know what OK summers can be like.
ReplyDeleteCarrie... I can't believe you had ward girls camp... that would be just too much work!!!
ReplyDeleteHeidi... AC I know! And I thought that we were a little spoiled at our camp! I'm so glad that our camp mixed the wards together--it's sad to me that they don't do that here because that's how we got to know so many of the other girls in the stake like you!
Amy... sounds like your camp growing up is a lot like the one here in OK... complete with ticks and all!
Melissa... we ALWAYS wore shorts at girl's camp but they had to be LONG. Most of us made camp shorts every year out of bright, crazy fabric. I was just wearing an old pair this morning! Oh. And I"m NEVER brining back those bangs!
Girls Camp was never my favorite thing. I didn't like being dirty and I didn't like being cold at night. And I really didn't like the catfights that broke out each year. Those got old. I don't know...I like nature, but I'm not a nature girl, and my dislike of camping in general reflects that. That said, though, I do actually have some fond memories of girls camp. I liked the campfires and the hikes. Those were fun.
ReplyDeleteFunny we went to the same girls camp, but I really don't have fond memories. I think I only went two years. Great pictures though. I was hoping I could click on them to view larger, but it didn't work. I haven't seen some of those. Very fun. Nice that you go out of staying the week! In my 5 years serving in young women, I got out of camp every year.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who Lindsay is but I have to echo her feelings. I love being outside, day hikes, campfires, but I just like my own bed at night and having a nice long, hot shower in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThe first year I went to camp in Corona, I was shocked at how kushy it was. When I was growing up, we were in tents, cooked our own food, dug our own outhouse...maybe that's where my dislike for girls camp came from. I have to say, by the time I was sleeping in the leaders cabin with my girls, we had a lot of fun.
The favorite parts of camp as a leader was getting to know great girls like you!! Lauri and I had soooo much fun and laughs amongst our learning experiences with the girls and the other leaders. As a young woman I stayed in cabins, we had a pool, but went on hikes and did our certification. So grateful for the Lord seeing all of the different areas in our lives that we can learn and grow, and being in nature is an amazing place to learn lessons that we wouldn't learn in other places. Okay, I am done....Love you Corona Stake girls!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting ready to go to Girls Camp myself - for all 4 of the days. It's going to be freezing and I'm a little nervous about the snow. You know it's not a good sign when the priesthood have to go up a week before to clear a path to make sure the buses can get through!
ReplyDeleteFunny to think of Girls Camp again. VERY cute pictures. I need to dig around to find mine--maybe next year :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to get that Dinosaur book for my TyGuy--I am sure he'd love it... and if not, I will for sure.
I experienced all sorts of girl's camp arrangements. While in CA, I went to a girls camp with air conditioned cabins, bunk beds, a nice pool with showers, etc. In Texas we slept on cots on cement slabs with wooden frames covered with screens and a roof. In Utah we also slept in A-frame cabins, and girls camp was high in the mountains and very cold. In CA and UT, we were divided into wards, and in TX we divided into levels. So...I guess I've seen quite a few girls camp arrangements as well.
ReplyDeleteAh...Girl's Camp. It's truly a unique experience, and I always think of it fondly when I start to feel the sticky summer heat. Thanks for sharing your memories. I am with you, a ward camp would not be cool. It's just not the same, you know?
ReplyDeleteJeanine-Those camp days were fun! Girls camp is next week for my young women and it is not as posh as either CA or Oklahoma. These girls are in tents!
ReplyDeleteNatalie
I plead the fifth on girls camp.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing though was getting to know everyone in the stake.
super cute pic, I totally laughed
Cute pictures! I love how you and Katie post old pics! We all had some fun times!
ReplyDeleteLindsay... I'm with you. Not much a fan of the actual camping part of girls camp but I still have a lot of fond memories.
ReplyDeleteKatie... you had to have gone more than 2 years! I know for sure you were there 4th and 5th years and not there 2nd year (the year everyone went to DC) and 6th. I can't believe you got out of camp for 5 years straight though!
Sis. Benson and Sis. Holmes... I cannot say it too much: You guys were the best leaders EVER!
Jenn... I can't believe you will have SNOW at girls camp! You'll have to post all about it when you get back!
Noel... when you find your pictures you'll have to post them. I'm sure you have some that I don't!
Rebecca... Wow! You've had all sorts of camp experiences. So I have to ask... what was your favorite? And in particular, did you like being split as wards or ages better?
Megg... so glad that you think back on it fondly. This is the first time I've really felt real fondness about girls camp in years!
Natalie... OH MY WORD! It's been ages! I can't tell you how your comment has made my week!
Traci... I totally agree! I loved that we got to know so many other girls through camp! How else would we know those fabulous Norco girls!?
Kelly... we sure did have some fun times. I'll have to find some old pictures of you to post soon!
I loved girl's camp. I did a lot of crazy stuff there. And I loved that we got to mix with all the girls in the stake. I m ade so many awesome friends that way. The only thing I didn';t like was not being able to call Paul my last 2 years. But I did get special calls by one great crazy leader, along with smuggled in fast food. Oh those fun days how I miss them!!
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