Who's Ready For Summer Camp 2015?

Recently, a friend shared this awesome post and it made me so happy!  I encourage you to read it. http://wellfesto.com/2013/06/13/if-our-daily-lives-were-more-like-summer-camp/

This post is truly relatable to me. I absolutely support and agree with everything stated here. The bonds really do come quickly. The friendships are magic and every one of them is important, from the past to the future. Exercise is better at camp. No one would care how you sound when you sing. Eating as a group is a cool deal. Written letters are treasures. The warmth of the sun is a great feeling. Friendly competition is the most amazing form of competition. Being ourselves is the best thing we can do. Money shouldn’t disrupt the amazing moments. Making stuff in arts and crafts should be enjoyed. The stars in the sky are worth looking at. Warm fuzzies would be a common occurrence, and that would be joyous. Hugs should be given, warm and heartwarming. We’d live out the Raggers Creed.

 But I believe there’s more to it.

1. We’d get to know one another and trust one another quicker.
2. We would embrace emotional moments.
3. We would graciously include new people, new cultures, and new possibilities.
4. We wouldn’t dress to impress.
5. We would take each other into consideration at every turn.
6. We would become comfortable in our personality and quirks.
7. We would challenge each other to become better.
8. We would help each other get past our fears.
9. We would encourage open conversation.
10. Resolutions to interpersonal issues wouldn’t be drawn out, but quickly and constructively.
11. We’d show compassion constantly.
12. We’d encourage and support one another’s choices.
13. We’d encourage each person to speak up and be leaders.
14. Appearance wouldn’t matter, but our attitude and intent.
15. We would enjoy one another’s crazy laughter.
16. We would compliment others sincerely.
17. Random dancing wouldn’t be uncomfortable.
18. We would enjoy children’s stories.
19. We wouldn’t rely on technology to feel connected.
20. We would use pranks as a form of appreciation.

There are so many things camp does for us that the real world would be enhanced by introducing. Camp builds people up and supports who people plan to be.

Camp is my safe haven. Three summers ago, I wouldn't speak. I didn't have the trust and friendliness to open up and be part of my cabin. Throughout the week, I went from not speaking to anyone to speaking to one camper and one counselor. That summer, I made goals and got my first rag. Two summers ago, I came back and I had trouble talking to my cabin mates and two new counselors. Eventually, the discomfort became friendship. Those counselors became more like mentors and I trusted them. Making more goals and getting my second rag, I went home changed and all the beauty of camp made everything better. This last summer, I went from being the shy and antisocial camper to the one that was invited back as a Counselor in Training. Staying 6 weeks instead of 1, I became someone those counselors could make use of. I hope I made them proud. Camp saved me from many situations that could have unfolded just by being safe and encouraging. I went home impatient for summer to come again, and I'm still waiting to go back to grow some more.

Last spring, I would go to girls’ group with my church and sit under a table or behind a chair during our movie time and now, after camp, I speak with a newfound confidence and in comfort with the people around me. Camp is what took the shy and uncomfortable person I had been, and transformed me into someone with no reservation in being myself.

For me, camp will always be my home away from home. I think of my favorite people I met there, and I smile. I can’t wait to go back and experience each special thing all over again countless times. Camp has been my life saver. I think the opportunities presented by camp are the best to learn from.  Camp gives independence in an open and accepting environment that provides room to grow and mature while still keeping the childlike nature that is important.

What’s your camp moment?

What Have We Been Up To?

And the farm animals take over the blog! Clearly, the humans have been too busy to blog lately, with their homeschooling and church and cleaning pens and stuff, so we thought we animals would share a few words on what we have been up to around here!

We finally got some rain around here, and the "goosies on the loosies" as that house mama calls us like rain better than any of the other animals! Why? To play in, of course! But also, because weeds mean that we eat fresh greens that the other animals don't reach. Mama says that means we are brats telling everyone else about it, but we are the guard geese after all, so we should get some perks!

House mama, also known as the feed lady, she tried to pull some weeds down by her garden recently. We told her this was unacceptable, as they were the salad bar we hadn't gotten to yet. Finally, we got her to leave the piles for a couple days so that we could munch a bit before she did more work.

She still has more to prep for our eating. We are done with the other piles, so she had best get busy!

Just because the geese roam all the time doesn't mean they are the only ones with good treats! Despite getting our own salad bar in our pen that Wyatt keeps stocked and growing for us, we still get baskets of sprouts!

It is like a party when the red baskets come out in the middle of the day!

We even share with the guineas! (Well, most of the time, anyway!)

Breakfast time is the best time in our pen! Okay, well, we think we get the best dinner, too! We have the house mama and our Bailey trained to bring us bottles twice a day, and then Daddy Powerstroke lets us have the feeder . This is our look that says, "We are cute!" We know you agree, and the Brahmas that share a fence with us in the grow out pen sing along with us.

The house mama is always excited to see melons doing well. What we like about melons, is that the chickens get lots of melon and then they are in better moods!  They complain less about us singing at night when they are in good moods, and I think I heard this kind of melon called a honeydew...

Just in case you were missing out on some of my cuteness, I am Freedom's Prayer!  I am pretty sure the world is here to cuddle me!

Did we mention we are masters as coexistence? The goats might say we complain about them singing, but we keep our rooster in line, and also have a pet snake in our pen. If you look closely, you will see his tail over by the old feeder we like to stand on.

This guy doesn't bother us hens, and our nesting boxes and new feeder are up off the ground. The desert comes with mice, so we let this guy wander around so the mice don't bother our nests, and in turn we nest up high and only try to sit on eggs up in the loft where Wyatt keeps our straw. The added bonus- the bigger our Wyatt gets, the funnier it is when he tries to get eggs from us up there! Then we all stand around in the door to our hen house and watch him... Did I mention bonus points for anyone who can get him stuck up there so he has to call for help?

Why yes, the chickens tried to take over! But guess what! We are just too cute to ignore!

My brother was being silly and trying to wrestle with our Dad, so I decided to play peekaboo from my favorite house. Dad also likes to pose. Don'e tell the house mama, but he leaves a pile of poop near where he poses on purpose. She says he wasn't well socialized before our Bailey brought him home, but Bailey says that means he will do just fine in our family of homeschool goofballs. Not sure what that means, but she always scratches our ears and brings us food. And, if we cry really loud, she will come out over and over to check on us!

Well, that is the world according to the bucks, the geese and the Big Pen. We dare the does and the others to outdo us!

GUEST BLOGGER ALERT
Hey, it's Bailey.

So for Christmas my friend made me  beautiful scarf and I notice later I had similar material.

So I made my own!
And I think I might just make my goat a matching one.

The material. I found a tutorial on youtube and modified it to make a fluffier and more me scarf!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuooaHxIL70
I added a third layer for extra fluffiness. 
http://www.walmart.com/.../Red-Heart-Boutique.../26633072
That is the material. Multiple brands make it, that's one of them.
I did it with a crochet hook but you can do it with knitting needles as well.