Last week with my Junipers!!!! Hello Daises

Saturday and Sunday we had our normal scheduled classes, Monday was our day off we got a van and went to Albany not Albany on the North Shore, Albany in the USA. We went to a mall and hung out as the weather wasn’t the greatest.

Tuesday was our last day of normal classes, which was good we played games and gave the kids free swim for most of the period.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 3am to someone dropping some letters in our doorway, we all knew it was colour wars the next day so  I knew it had something to do with that, when I woke up I gave all the girls their letters and we opened them they were from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling us we had been accepted to the school with the term beginning on the 20^th of July. Everyone was very very excited even more so when the Harry Potter music played over the loud speaker around the camp, we then headed up to the dining hall where there was a giant sorting hat on the front porch, all of the campers then got called up in groups to determine what house they were in. Then lastly the councillors got called up and we headed into the dining hall which had been set up like Hogwarts, I got put into Gryffindor house we had our red capes waiting for us at our tables.

Our captains were then announced the Gryffindor captains were Anna and Jaime, we then headed back to bunk to get changed into our house colours mine were red and yellow, two of the colours I don’t really own, we then went to our house meeting points and worked on some chants and songs and things like that.

Then we split up into groups lower camp girls etc and went to the activities for the day, we did this all day, like volleyball, quiddich , dobby sock hunt, protect your pin, puzzle, chess and all sorts of things.

The next day was much the same, we had a tri wizard tournament in the morning with a relay race at the pool and lake which I had to lifeguard for then other activities in the afternoon, we then spent the rest of the time working on our fight song and finishing the banner, we also had to set the dining hall for dinner that night. After dinner we performed our fight songs in front of everyone and presented our banners and skits. Then the winners were announced, Hufflepuff won but everyone had an amazing two days, they were the freaking hottest two day we’ve had at camp it was rather disgusting actually, after all the kids went to bed, we went down to the pub for a much needed drink and to celebrate Tanya’s birthday!

Friday morning we had a sleep late and breakfast in bed was a pity it was soo sooo hot and we couldn’t actually sleep in. Then we got breakfast delivered to our bunks, then it was time to start packing all the girls up, luckily I didn’t have to help as the bunks were stinking hot, I had to lifeguard instead so the kids that were staying could go swimming. After all the kids were packed up  we had a bit of a rest hour or two then we got ready for banquet, all the girl counsellors dressed up as hippies and the boys were dressed in Togas. After the dinner we went back to bunk and got dressed for club Emerson underage club pretty much, was so much fun dancing and the rock bands played, my girls bed time was pushed out till 12am, they didn’t actually get to sleep till about 1.30am and I’m pretty such Ildi and I were asleep before them.

Saturday was sad, we got up and had breakfast then went back to bunk to get all the girls backpacks as their luggage had already been collected and everyone met on the basketball courts and It was a crying session for about an hour while the buses left then my last girl went home by car. It was so weird I didn’t have any kids to look after I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I then moved bunks back into C bunk which is where I started during orientation. Then headed to the pool to lifeguard for the rest of the afternoon, then we all went out for dinner with the kids.

Sunday I got on a bus at 6.15am to White plains to collect some kids, pretty cruisy morning when we got back to camp I had to find the rest of my new little daises. Super super cute they are 7, 8 and 9 years old. We did swim tests and tours for the rest of the afternoon, then it was time for dinner.

Monday we had normal classes but the afternoon got rained out, same scenario Tuesday normal schedule but there was a huge huge storm that hit at like 2.30pm we had to get all the kids up from the pool to the dining hall then it started hailing and the power was surging few freak outs but was fun. So we spent the rest of the afternoon in the dining hall. Wednesday was day off we just went to a mall and to the movies just chilled out then came back to camp.

Thursday we finally had a full day of classes, our evening activity was campfire and overnight four of my five girls wanted to sleep up in the hill so I had to sleep out as well, had more smores which were yum, sleeping in the tent not so much we didn’t have any mattresses or anything we were just sleeping on the tent floor, then we woke up at about 6.30am and got ready to head back down to the bunks, and thank goodness it was a sleep late I jumped back in bed and slept till 9am then we were brought breakfast in bed. Today we are going to see the smurf movie yay super excited.

Saturday normal classes again!

 Photos on facebook take to long to upload on here!

That’s all for now can’t believe camp is nearly over its so weird!!!!!

Week Three

Monday we had normal classes, so hot though!!! Monday night it was our night off we went to Lake George which is in New York State we got picked up from camp at 9.30pm by a yellow school bus, it was only meant to take two hours to get to the lake but we didn’t get there till 1amish or something like that. Our bus driver was awesome we had rinks on the bus it was basically like a party bus, until we realise we had taken the wrong turn and had been driving for about 30mins in the wrong direction. We finally got to our hotel and everyone crashed.

On Tuesday we got up swam in the hotel pool then walked down to the lake which was about a 5min walk. We all had breakfast then wandered round the shops. It was too hot so we found the “beach” edge of the lake where there is sand and lifeguards which I found crazy hahah. Never find this in NZ, the water was delish super refreshing, we hung out at the beach most of the day then a few of us got went on a ferry ride around the lake which was wicked, took an hour and a half but we got dinner on board, really nice relaxing sail around there are some amazing houses on the lake with big water garages with all sorts of toys!!! After the ferry we got back on the bus and headed back to camp!

 On Wednesday we had normal classes again, our evening activity was the talent show which was cool to watch some very talented young kids at camp!!!

Thursday was trip day again, middle camp went to Jiminy Peak which is a ski field but in summer they have rides and things, they had a vertical bungee and a ropes course an alpine slide (luge) and what they call a mountain coaster. It was kinda crazy to begin with as the kids all just ran off but they stuck together well we got to join in which was fun!!! Then we got the bus back to camp.

This morning was an exciting morning, we got to go to a private screening of Harry Potter and the deathly hallows part 2 in 3d, it was awesome, our 3d glasses were even in the shape of Harry Potters glasses which I obviously kept haha, the 3d was weird though it was different to NZ’s 3d stuff. We got back to camp and had lunch then we had a normal day after lunch our last period is finishing at 8.30pm tonight.

Normal classes again today, evening activity is middle camp play Wiked Maddie a girl from our bunk is the lead so very very excited to see her perform tonight.

Better get back to my last period, can’t believe there is only one more week with my girls left gona be sad when they leave!

Will attach photos later!!

Ciao xxx

Can’t believe the kids have been here two weeks!!!!

The first week flew bye very quickly we got into our normal activity routine; everyone has to come to the pool so we see everyone. I have 1^st period lifeguarding, 2^nd teaching middle  camp girls which my bunk is in but I don’t teach any of them, 3^rd period I have lifeguarding then we have lunch and afterward rest period . All the counsellors are split into two groups for days and nights off A or B then for rest we are split into four groups so on rest periods we can actually see some of the A side. After rest period we have 4^th period and I teach lower camp boys, then 5^th period is my period off and then I teach upper camp boys in period 6.

 The first week at camp we just had normal routine one day we had a storm day, after breakfast we got back to bunk to clean and then a storm arrived which meant we had to stay in bunk till lunch time everyone was very very hungry and restless, each bunk had to be picked up by the vans and driven to the dining hall, we then had lunch and watch the 1^st harry potter movie.

Every night we have an evening activity the first week we had Wacky volleyball, minute to win it ( it is a game show in the usa you have a minute to play and win the activity), we had a pool party, friendship bracelet making,  lip sync. Every bunk got given a glee song and we had a few nights to practise and make up a dance routine to the song, then one of the evening activities we all performed them our song was only the good die young, we didn’t win middle camp but everyone thought we were second, very funny night especially seeing all the boys dressed up and dancing!!!

Monday the 4^th of July we had normal activities the after lunch we had a water carnival which we had to work, we had three stations, the pool, the slip and slide and the lake. We got to participate though every half hour we had off, finally got to try out the toys in the lake climbing the iceberg was a lot harder  than I thought, but it was fun! Went on the zip line as well and failed miserable fell off right away. The slip and slide was fun although I got a mouth full of soap at the end. That night we had a bbq and eat outside, then we had fireworks for evening activity which were awesome we went down to lake Emerson and they let them off the dock while we sat on the beach.

That night it was B sides night off , with day off the next day, we went to Pittsfield and got a motel, there was about twenty of us, the next day we went to the lake and hired a pontoon boat and drove around the lake for an hour jumping off the boat and swimming it was nice and relaxing, then we chilled out at the Irish bar/restaurant on the lake till 5ish then we went to the Berkshire mall and had dinner and looked around the shops then headed back to camp. Tuesday the rest of the campers had carnival day were each bunk had a stall each out bunk did munch kin munch were they tied mini donuts to string and people had to eat them without using their hands.

Wednesday we had normal activities, Thursday we had trip day A side was off so it was B side counsellors on, middle and upper camp went to a roller skating rink, I haven’t roller skated in such a long time I did get the hang of it eventually but it was the hottest place so people didn’t stay long on the track.

On Friday we had normal activities then during 4^th period a storm came so we had to evacuate the pool and we all headed to bunk, then we were in bunk until dinner, evening activity was just watching the 2^nd harry potter movie.  Then the lower camp performed their play in the theatre which was Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory it was very cute!!!

On Saturday it was visiting day! We had normal breakfast then cleaned our bunks until 11am which is when all of the parents and siblings etc arrived, the staff had an early lunch and then headed to our activities, the kids showed the family around camp and could use the pool or lake if they wanted to show their parents, we didn’t have many people in the pool but the lake got busy in the afternoon as it was a gorgeous day! At 4pm we had an assembly were some people performed then It was time for the parents to leave and say bye. We then had dinner, after dinner we had the best evening activity GOLDRUSH!!! Everyone in the camp got split into four teams  Red, Yellow, Blue and Green, we had to dress up in our respective colours and they had paint which the boys decided to cover themselves in! Then we all set up out on the soccer field where they had scattered lots and lots of pennies and big plastic coins, we had a few mins to collect as many coins as possible then we started again we did this a few times there were also bandits and sheriffs the bandits could steal from us and the sheriff protected us!!!  I was in Blue team and unfortunate the green team  won. We then headed back to bunk and had bunk party all the parents brought bucket loads of candy so we ate as much as we could then they came around before bed to collect it all, we are Bunk F and by the time they got to us they all ready had four big black rubbish bags full of candy.

Sunday we had normal activities and middle camp had a camp fire and camping only two of my girls wanted to camp out. We had songs and smores up at the camp fire they were delish!!!!!

 Anyway normal activities again today it is scorching hot!!!! And then it’s our night off tonight and day off tomorrow!!!!

Lots of love to everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxx