Camp

Camp Makenna and Camp Tracen was a huge success!
This year each kept coming back to camping out for their party, and after thinking about it and asking around for some supplies, we went for it. When they have their parties together, the number of children invited seems to increase...but I looooove it! They invited 25 kiddos ages 5-10, plus each other. This equalled up to 25 kids because of 2 with stomach bugs, 1 baby sister, 2 parents, 2 grandparents, 1 super college guy, 1 cousin and her boyfriend, 1 uncle's sweat for hoooooouuuuuurs before, 1 trampoline disassembled, 1 tent picked up in Abilene on the way, 1 tent picked up at the preschool office at church, 1 tent picked up from friends, 1 projector from friends, 1 king sheet off our bed, 27 fabric strips for camp headbands, 5 strands of Christmas lights out of storage so nowhere in the yard would be completely dark, 6 borrowed lawn chairs, 25 chairs kids brought, 15 nails, 2 garage sale pickets, 6 pieces of found scrap wood, 50+ sheets of borrowed scrapbook paper, 1 Sam's quantity of chocolate chips and s'mores, 2 packages of marshmallows, 1 tub of pretzels, 4 packages crescent rolls, 100 little smokies, 2 borrowed tables, various borrowed camping gear items, 4 sheets of brown painters paper, 1/2 a roll of packing tape, 250 rocks, 12 mason jars, 4 packages of paints, 10 blankets, 1 extra pillow, 3 yards of fabric, 50 ziploc baggies, 48 banana bread muffins, 80 cinnamon rolls, 48 water bottles, 40 capri suns, 27 hobo bag favors, and 27 flashlights to pull it all off. No biggie, right? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

But really, other than setting up and tearing down, this party was great for that many kiddos. We bought stamps and envelopes and food items and drinks and favor things. Everything else was borrowed or a found item.

The major part of the party was organization and controlled fun for this many kids. We had things for them to do up until time for pjs and movie on the lawn. We also had separate boys' and girls' bathrooms set up for privacy. There were signs pointing them in the right direction and then signs of the doors of the bathrooms designated for them. Of course I gave the boys the all-tile bathroom. Thank goodness I did because my mom woke up to a surprise of pee covering the entire area around the potty, on the floor, in the trash can, and on the shower curtain! Some little dude was not awake when he went in the middle of the night! That was about the only drama we had. Yay!

Schedule:
7-7:20 Arrive and check-in
7:20-7:30 Rules and whats and wheres
7:30-7:50 Rock painting
7:50-8:00 Happy Birthday brownies
8:00-8:30 Eating and playing
8:30-9:15 Presents
9:15-9:30 Flashlights passed out and Flashlight tag rules
9:30-9:35 Walk to school field
9:40-10:25 Flashlight tag games in the dark
10:25-10:45 Bathroom and change into pjs
10:45-12:15 Watch Parent Trap movie
12:15-12:30 Bathroom
12:30 Goodnight!
2:30 Goodnight to the 4 girls still up and talking!
2:30-3:00 HORRID SKUNK SMELL THAT WOULD NOT GO AWAY
3:00-morning Covering up freeeeeeeezing little girlies in the tent with 17 of us inside it
7:30-8:30 Up and bathroom and change and eat breakfast
8:30-9:00 Go home!

I really did not plan this schedule out to a tee before. I just knew we needed to paint rocks first and sing and eat while it was still light out. Then we did presents because it was not dark enough to go play tag yet. That set the times of what we did. At 3am I was laying there, freezing my tail off in a tent with 16 little ladies, realizing 25 kids were all sleeping in my backyard at the same time!! Yes, as many of my friends said, I have lost my mind. :)

Girls' tent
Boys' tents
Some of Scott's sweet camping stuff
27 flashlights
Sign-in table, so I would have everyones' info and numbers in one place, just in case
How many? 157, and no kid guessed higher than 101!
Chaos at the sign-in table. Wesley was the KING of helping me! He would run their sleeping bags to their tents and then take their backpacks to the girls' or boys' room. He was a life saver!
Food Table
Drink coolers
Derrick, Erica-the real birthday girl, and Scott, who helped me all afternoon
Camp Rules! We have always had a rule in our house of no scaring anyone...aka talking about a monster in the closet or under the bed, or saying anything about the dark or ghosts(sorry Jillian, they def broke that rule with Hollyn...unbelievable to me still!!!). It was very important to me that everyone was there for fun and not for talking about the dark or being scared. It helped so much, and I never had a kid come to me and say they were scared ever.
Getting the rules
Rock Painting


Seven and Ten candles! Almost had 'real' campfire brownies!
Damilola shares a birthday with Tracen, so we begged him to come. This pic was for his sweet mommy in Nigeria to see him celebrating his day.
Campfire brownies
Sleeping bags(pigs in a blanket) and Pillows(chocolate dipped marshmallows)
Fishing worms(sliced string cheese)
Kindling Sticks(chocolate dipped pretzels)
Yay for a new cd player!
Finally I have one that Mailey does not want to use!
Flashlight tag fun!

Sophie hiding behind my dad in tag
Movie time
Lots of sleeping bags in a too small area!

Whew! Such a blast and so glad the organizing is over, but YES, I would do it again in a heartbeat!!