Big Bugs at Big Bear

Can you believe the size of those mountain bugs? They should really change the name of Big Bear to Big Bug!

A few weeks ago, I got to go to girls camp up in Big Bear. The theme was B.U.G.S. which stood for Bringing Upright Girls to the Savior. It was a fun theme to play with.

I went up on Tuesday morning, just hours before the girls arrived - and when they arrived, the party began.

I was asked to take the camp picture. I had a sneaking suspicion that I'd be the photographer since they asked me last year - so I brought my tripod. Good thing. I set up the camera, got everyone situated, then set the timer and RAN and jumped up over the railing onto the porch to the very back before the camera clicked. I did that like 4 times before someone suggested that maybe one of the first year girls in the front row could have pushed the shutter button. Duh. At least I got the girls smiling for the picture as they were giggling at Sis. V.'s antics.

My job at girls' camp was to be the crazy craft lady. The funny thing is that when the camp director asked me to do the crafts I was YW president. I was hesitant, since being YW pres is quite a big job already (understatement!) and I thought I'd be pretty busy at camp watching over all my girls. But against my better judgement I told her yes, and that very same day I was released as YW president, so I was glad that I would still get to go to camp with my girls.

I thought doing crafts would be great! Fun, easy, I'd get to sleep in a cabin on a real bed rather than in an A-frame on the floor. When it wasn't craft time, I'd have time to myself. And I'd get to be with my girls without having to deal with the drama. (Not that there is ever any drama at girls camp, right?)

Well, lets just say, it really didn't turn out that way. Doing the crafts was really hard - before, during, and after camp. I worked so hard to be as prepared as possible before hand, but when I got there, I found that the schedule was not what I expected, and I had prepared completely wrong! I had prepared to have the girls come in small groups every day for 3 days - so I planned one craft a day. I thought they would come in, I would give them instructions, and then they would make the craft of the day. Instead, the schedule was such that the girls only had one craft time scheduled all week, and I had half the girls the first day, and the other half the second day. I had planned 3 different crafts, plus a card making table for free time. So the first day I had about 40 girls and leaders show up at the same time, with 4 different crafts being offered at 4 different tables. Nobody knew how to do anything, and there was just me and one assistant to try to help everyone at once. It was a nightmare! Girls were not following instructions, or they didn't know what they should be doing. They would take supplies for one craft off the designated table and use it for another craft at another table, so nobody could find anything they needed. Even though they were told that they could only make one of each item the first two days to make sure there would be enough supplies for everyone, some girls were making half a dozen of the same items, completely disregarding the rule. Then suddenly time was up and they all left - leaving me a HUGE mess that took hours to clean up.

To make matters worse, I thought the craft cabin would be that - a cabin - something with doors and a roof. The craft cabin was actually an area between 3 cabins with a tarp over it. No roof meant that the wind would pick up and little papers and supplies would fly everywhere! No door meant no lock which meant that girls were making cards and crafting whenever they felt like it. I couldn't put a "Craft Cabin Closed" sign up and lock the door. I had to stay there all the time, and if I did venture away from the Craft area, someone would come and make a big mess, and leave all my ink pads open, and then I'd have to come and clean it all up again. Kind of like at home - cleaning the same mess over and over again.

Thankfully, by the second day, I had things figured out a bit though and things ran much smoother.

Actually, the crafts themselves were really quite fun, I thought, and everyone seemed to enjoy them. I heard nothing but good things from the girls and leaders, which was very encouraging. I am so glad that the girls enjoyed them!

The fabric flowers were a big hit! I was amazed with how creative the girls got with them!

We also made some fun necklaces out of washers that were very popular. I think they just liked getting to wield a heavy hammer and pound away.

We also made fun little bug magnets - butterflies, worms, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and lady bugs. They were so cute!

There was also a card making station where the girls could make buggy cards for each other. They loved this and made a ton of cute cards!

Besides the crafts, the girls also got to do another project - a humanitarian aid project where they got to make wood toys for children who don't have toys. Every girl got to make her own animal, from start to finish. They were all very careful and did a great job.

I wasn't in charge of this one, but I did get to help.

The finished ponies, ducks, elephants and giraffes looked so cute all lined up and ready for inspection! What a wonderful service project for the girls to participate in!

Singing songs at roll call.

But camp wasn't all about the projects. There was a whole lot going on.

And I really enjoyed myself (after that first crazy day.) My favorite part, I think, was getting to spend time with all the wonderful leaders - ladies I know and love, as well as the ones I got to know and enjoy. What wonderful women and dear friends!

And, of course, I had a great time with "my girls" even if I can't officially claim them anymore. It is so great to have these darling girls giving you hugs all day and telling you how wonderful you are! Who wouldn't love that? They have a way of making this old dame feel like she is still kinda cool. I'll take it!

We also spent an afternoon at the lake where we enjoyed the popsicles and each other perhaps more than the water.

This year the cabins were divided up by years rather than by wards, which I think is a good idea, except that it meant that we didn't have a lot of ward together time. We did get a slot of time each day called DEAR time where we got to be together as a ward and have a devotional. I really enjoyed these times (when I wasn't off cleaning up a mess). Our girls gave some powerful devotionals like this very special one where we each told each other of the wonderful talents we see in each of them. These are the moments that make girls camp so memorable and wonderful!

There is just a love a girls camp that is hard to duplicate elsewhere.

One of our gals celebrated a birthday up there. How great is that?- an all day party with 80 of your closest friends!

We also did a hike up into the mountains above Big Bear Lake. The views were gorgeous, and the hikers were too!

We stopped for a sack breakfast up there.

A beautiful day!

Our ward (mostly). I love these girls and women!!! Love, love, love! I'm so glad I could share this with them!

The Youth Camp Leaders did a really good job with camp. I claim two of them as my very own!

Hanging out, relaxing, and enjoying the cool mountain air.

One campfire with our testimony lights. I tried a slow shutter speed to capture the lights. That wavy line was somebody with a tea light walking past the camera. Kinda cool, huh?

Even though it was a ton of work, I am really glad I got to go to camp and enjoy the spirit of girls camp, and to spend just a bit more time with the girls and my dear sisters, and all the bugs (which were mostly the non-biting, non-stinging, non-crawling, plastic type, by the way.)

P.S. I was officially a "Spider" up at camp and my nickname was... you guessed it...Long Legs!

Love you girls! Thanks for letting me bug you for a few days.