Setting up camp

The excitement started a little after lunchtime - the first to arrive was Tammy and punks, siting their pop-up close to the campfire circle. Hubby Matt even took his lunch hour to come make sure she was all set up for several days of fun and relaxation.
I have to question that last bit - is there true relaxation in a camp full of kids??

Lynn and Maddy joined the tent city springing up in the front "lawn" - which quickly looked like a multi-colored mushroom field.

Than had his own tent, purchased by his own labor, for his Scouting excursions. Lee took over the little extension tent from Carrie's main tent. He was thrilled to have his own little house - just him and leopard.

And there was plenty of help - all hands on deck for this kind of fun!

"I can do, let me do it..." , as he takes the hammer from mom. When you are 5, the world's your oyster! And he will dang well figure out how to open it...

Tammy's boys finally called on the Scout to help get their tent upright...

Jayden quickly took over tent sweeping duty - those punks are well-trained campers! Comes from doing the daddy-son outings with the church crew.

Almost done. Max has to test every potential possibility for having fun - this was his "doggy-door"...or maybe that should be dog escape hatch, eh, Nikki? She camped too, you'll see her here and there in the photos. The big guys had to stay home - they were sad not to get to play in the tents and romp through the campfire and chase kids - all those things that dogs are supposed to do to keep things in an uproar.

The punks did a fine job of that all by themselves...

While Lee takes a hard-earned water break from putting up his 3x4 igloo, Maddy rolled in the beds for her cozy home-away-from-home. We were especially proud of Lynn when she informed us it had been almost 20 years since that tent had been up! She looked like an old hand but we understand there was a crash course on tent-raising the previous night, just to make sure she and Maddy would have a roof over their heads!

Setting up camp is the springboard for the coming days of fun. But it's hard work, says Maddy. Rolling that foam mattress just about wiped her out...

Rather than post the 486 photos here, if anyone is interested I have made a CD of ALL the camp photos. Just let me know, email or phone, and it's yours.

I'll post more of Camp Purple tomorrow - this was just the appetizer!

Meanwhile, I'm still recuperating...from outwitting the computer and getting all those pictures in one place and on a disc. Whew.