Camp Mimi, 2011

For the past couple of summers, the first week of June coincides with the week my daughter-in-law volunteers at a camp for children with muscular dystrophy and the three extra days Julie must work after the kiddos get out of school---so lucky me! I get all three of my grandchildren for a few days of fun! It's a chance for some "cousin-bonding time," and has proven to be lots of fun. This year was no exception!

Sunday was a day for church. Ainsley was a super-good girl and enjoyed listening to the "CREATURE" (her term for "preacher") and even going to the altar for a little communion/tea party. I would have loved to have a picture of this for the blog, but it wasn't really something I could do. Later, in the evening, she watered the plants on the deck with her spray bottle (easier for her than a watering can!), and then we ate popsicles while we watched the hummingbirds swarm to the feeder.

She enjoyed entertaining Papa and me with her talents...

Then it was time for bath, teeth-brushing, a bedtime story, prayers, and "night-night." We had a lot of things planned for the next few days.

It began with a trip to Macy's and Marshall's house (because they have all the neat stuff!) and watching Marshall play with his "magic ball."

Such talented grandkids!

Macy and Marshall have become excellent swimmers, but since Ainsley is still learning how to swim, I was reluctant to take them to the "big pool," so they had to be content with splashing and playing with water guns in a little pool in the backyard! This occupied them for about an hour each of the three days.

It was a bit crowded when they all decided to lie down in the water!

Next, they put on costumes--Ainsley chose Tinkerbell wings and wand...

Marshall put on his SWAT team outfit and handcuffed himself! Macy never got into the costume activity, but was pre-occupied with getting out her Littlest Pet Shop toys for Ainsley.

Ainsley was quickly intrigued and I think may be asking for LPS for birthday and Christmas! Get ready, John and Colleen for a thousand little pieces!

Next, we had a Camp Mimi Spa with manicure and pedicure for the girls. This was a first for Ainsley. She chose blue for her toes and pink for her nails.

I told her to hold her fingers out so they wouldn't smear, and she spent a couple of hours in this pose!

The next two days, we also played with bubbles...

...and played with Play-Doh, making all kinds of sea creatures and food items...

like Marshall's fudge-colored jelly-fish. It took a lot of work to get this perfect shade of brown!

For some reason, holding the mouth a certain way always helps when you're creating art!

Ainsley's special creation.

We had lots of fun each day with other art activites, coloring, cooking, eating, playing with dolls, hula-hoops, jumping rope, playing musical instruments, and writing books. This book above is Macy's little book, called "The Baby Bird," which will have a blog post all of its own. It's about a baby bird who was born with no wings and had some special friends who took him to a camp called "Camp Dissy-Bird" for disabled birds. She had obviously been influenced by her Aunt Colleen's volunteer work at the camp for children with muscular dystrophy.

Before long, Camp Mimi, 2011 was over and we were off to meet John in Schulenburg so Ainsley could go back home to Houston, with a trip to her mom's camp the next day. It was a fun-filled week for Mimi and Papa, who returned home to pack for a trip to Seattle the next day to see one of the older granddaughters get married. We are blessed to have fourteen grandchildren!!