Mommy Camp at Shaggyhill Farm ~where love grows~ (1)

Creative Every Day/Flickr Project 365 photo for 7/3/2010:

 I realize I am probably not the only person who does this please don't let me be the only one:

I spend a lot of time "thinking" about things I'd like to do.  So much time thinking actually, that oftentimes there isn't enough time left to *do* these things.  Then I get all crabbed out and slothy feeling and start snapping at my loved ones with irritable irritableness.  Yep.  Just one facet to my overall awesomeness.
 

Anyway, I am now presented with another summer in which I work 3 days a week while my family is home all 7.  This is not at all a bad thing.  But, it leaves precious little time for thinking up grand plans (and even not so grand plans) and even less time for the doing.  Somehow, I never have any trouble fitting in the irritable irritableness though.  Gah.

So, I came up with Mommy Camp.  I chose some fun looking activities from the gazilion blogs by the gazilion amazing women who manage to think up great things and actually do them and then photograph and blog about them what the heck is wrong with me?? .  I then secured the supplies 2 days in advance (threw a trip to Yankee Stadium in there too) and invited my girls in an official sort of way printed up invites, folded them into unflightworthy paper aircraft, and tossed into the playroom.  

(Dad and I at the Yankee game the day before Mommy Camp.)

Back to Mommy Camp...

Here's the text of the invite with links added if you want to try the activities yourself:

    Mommy Camp, Part One, Friday, July 2, 2010

    Shaggyhill Farm~where love grows~

    Activities include:

    Creating red, white, and blue cupcakes

    Making our own puffy paint

    And painting with it

    lunch

    A stroll in nature with a pooch

    Crafting a braided flower headband


    (campers must eat breakfast, have bed made, clothes on, hair/teeth brushed, prior to camp)

                                                                                                                                                 

    Official Camp begins at 10am in the dining room

    Possible pre-camp activity for early risers (9am):

    making a tin can lantern for the evening picnic

    
    Hope to see you!

The day arrived and, although I was swimming in a haze of premenstrual desires to be ALL BY MYSELF and DON'T TOUCH ME,  I did some shiva nata, channeled some patience, locked perfectionism in a closet, shut down the computer, and vowed to be in the moment with my beautiful, beautiful girls on a beautiful day.

It worked!

 

First activity of the day was to make tin can lanterns for our concert picnic that evening.  You know these...freeze water in them, hammer away!  

Truly, I can't get enough of these babies.

 

 Fun!

There was a bit of excitement when I discovered the yellow jacket nest the bees made in the ground near our cool wire spool table.  OUCH!  

I haven't been stung in years and it hurts!

 Discovered Karma loves ice cubes!

 

 Changed venues in a hurry.

 

This just never gets old!

 

 (That's Paul in the background, getting supplies to deal with the bees nest.)

Thank you Paul for having the hammers and nails

waiting on the dining room table for us.

Love you!

Viola!

 

 ~Such a pretty glow~

A beautiful way to end a beautiful day.

More from Mommy Camp tomorrow....

PS: There's a monster in my head that feels vulnerable for sharing this intimate day and that I might be judged and it wants me to tell you that I don't need to create a "camp" to have quality time with my kids.  

To that monster, I say...quiet now...it will be alright, we simply don't need to fuss about judgement.  Camp worked for us and whatever I called it or however I structured it the outcome was a beautiful day and 

I don't need to worry about how people interpret my use of the term "camp" or the concept of sending my kids invitations. 

Oye, vey.  It ain't easy being me sometimes!