Camp - Day 3

This morning the group made some letters by lying on the floor with a partner - here are Holly and Sienna being an . . . (can you guess?!) - yes, the letter L!














Next is a V!



















This is a great shot of the shoe rack outside the dorm building - the Charis Camp wanted us to take our shoes off before we went inside . . .














It was a bit rainy today, so we had indoor climbing instead of tackling the big outdoor structure.



















Holly had fun - each student got 3 turns to try going up and Holly made it about half-way.



















Too bad today also turned out to be our swimming day - but it was fun because the pool was heated! That is until we had to get out!!!














Everyone (students, teachers, and parents) had fun.














I had Mehr and Holly with me because Mehr's parents decided not to come in.














Sienna underwater!














Holly had a lot of fun - which she always does in the pool!














Here she is straddling the tube and pretending she's driving her car!














Having fun with Sienna!














This afternoon, the kids collaborated and made up a dance to represent their group "Water".

Camp - Day 2

Our first activity of the day was learning to dance the merengue with Ms. Celis. Holly and Mehr had fun dancing together!














Later on, we went on a nature walk with Mr. Bouchard. We walked crossed a creek on a wooden bridge and looked at the moss and other things with small microscopic glasses.














After lunch, the group had clay time behind the dining room building.



















I'm not exactly sure what Holly is making . . .



















. . . but she's proud of it!



















Posing with Sienna and Mehr - this might be a foreshadowing of the future in about 8 years if they all head to summer camp together!














Chilling before the next activity with Isabella and Cassie.














Mackenzie also joins in - she'll be an Urban Academy student next year!















This was a fun game after dinner - some of the teachers, Board members and older students dressed up as strange animals . . . the kids had to chase the animals and capture them by joining hands so the animal was trapped. They then walked them back to the "zoo" where the capture was recorded to see which team captured the most animals!

School Camping Trip

Our first school camping trip! We're really excited to be at camp with the WHOLE school!

Today, we arrived at camp and had a look around. We found this great big climbing wall near one of the fields - hopefully we'll get a chance to try it out!



















The kids were put into 4 element groups - Holly's class is part of Water. They created a group flag with each student drawing on a square and putting it all together.















This is Holly's square.















There are different buildings at camp - there is a gym, the dining building and a large dorm building. Our room is in the dorm building where we also have Opening Circle in the morning. We're sharing a room with Cassie and her family as well as Maia and her mom (who is in Kindergarten).















Holly found a nice swing chair in the trees next to a stream that runs through the camp.















Ready for dinner with Sienna and Cassie!















Dessert is yummy!















After dinner we participated with our Water group in a "found art" project. We made a picture out of branches, rocks and other things we found in the woods. Our group was: Anna, Holly, Katherine, Cyena, Aydin & Aryn.















With Ms. Nadia (our teacher) and some other moms, Lara, Nalini and Safana.















Sienna and Holly decided to make some more "art" after the group project was done!



















Each night, after dinner and a quick activity, there will be camp fire time. We'll be singing songs and maybe roasting marshmallows!

What kind of Mom . . .

. . . forgets to take a picture of her child on her ACTUAL 5th (a big one for a child) birthday?! Apparently, this one. Bad Mommy =(

5th Birthday Party

Today was Holly's 5th birthday party! How time flies - I remember planning and having 2 parties for her 1st birthday, which seems like just yesterday!

I made some sushi for the party . . . (Rice Krispies, red licorice, fruit roll-ups).














We were going to have the party elsewhere, but I left the planning a bit late (cruise, etc) and the place I wanted was not available, so we had it at home in our construction zone!















There were crafts, and games like Musical Chairs and "stick the jewel on the crown" (a modern, girly version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey). . .















A Prince & Princess cutout photo-op (hand made by my friend Helen for her daughter's 5th birthday a few years ago!).

Mehr and Sienna . . .














Sienna & Anna . . .















Simon & Isabelle . . .















This year Holly asked for a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake. She got a very simple, not too fancy cake!














A happy Princess - she asked the girls to come in pretty princess dresses, as a Princess or Fairy, and the boys to dress as superheroes (eg Spiderman) or a Prince.














































Pink flower cupcakes - fit for a Princess!














After the party, Holly watched Kayli do some pretty amazing tricks with her hula hoop - so she decided to try it out, too!



















Prince Mommy and Princess Holly














Goofy Prince Daddy and Pretty Princess Mommy















A very pretty dress from Elle-Ee and Uncle Paolo!



















Beautiful Fairy wings and matching wand from Auntie Marlene & Uncle Laci (with a borrowed tiara from Auntie Helen!).

Birthday celebration

Whenever it's someone's birthday, there is a little "party" in Holly's class. Today they celebrated her birthday. All the kids sang Happy Birthday to her and Ms. Nadia brought out the pretend birthday cake. They also each said something they wished for her (very cute & some very funny), and she was given a book from the class. The weather was good so they celebrated in the playground.