ABC, 123

Every summer the Busy Bees at Briarwood Day Camp perform a camp show.  Being that this is our first summer, this was a new experience for us.  The boys were excited about from the get go and walked around the house singing their songs, which included ABC by the Jackson 5.

When the boys first started singing the song at home they couldn't believe that I KNEW who the Jackson 5 were.  And better, that I would have their CD.  (Really, it was Todd's but...)  They were so excited when I played the CD for them and what followed was an hour lesson (you tube footage ad nauseum included) of the wonder that was known as Michael Jackson.

As they prepared, daily, for their Busy Bee show they wouldn't share much else with me.  Instead I had to be surprised when I got there.  They were the "boys from Detroit" and they all looked adorable with their 'hawks and their slicked back hair.  For Ryder it was all part of dressing up and he loves to gel his hair back.  For Chase, he was a trooper, but warned me he doesn't prefer to wear his hear spiked up (I ask him to spike it up all of the time, he always says no!)

The show was cute, though I will stick to my guns and say all children's show that involve their participation should be limited to 60 seconds.  After that, you lose them one by one.  After, there was a breakfast which allowed us an opportunity to chat with the counselors and the other boys' parents.  Also, it was a great opportunity to see the boys in the element of Briarwood.

Here are some photos from the day:

The Dragonflies from Detroit

Crazy Hat Day at Briarwood!

Meanest Mom EVER!!

That's what I was told by my two oldest sons after their very first day at Briarwood Day Camp! Why?  Because, apparently, they love camp so much, more than anything else in this world, and to make them miss it to spend the day on the beach is cruel.   Torture.  Call Social Service’s because this is a rare form of abuse that I would even CONSIDER sending them to camp just 4 days so that we can have Friday's on the beach let alone DO IT.  This was after the first day. Tuesday it was more of the same.  But this time included some form of tantruming that reminded me of the terrible two's.   Wednesday was no different. And, so on.

Very excited about their first day!

Ready for camp

Brothers and campers

I understand.  Camp, to many people, is one of the greatest places on Earth for kids.  Next to Disney World.  My husband is one of those people. At camp you play all day, outdoors, getting dirty and being social.  It is considered a luxury, evidenced by the lofty price tag.

But, yet, we all find a way to make those payments just so our kids can call us mean.

Growing up, Todd and I both went to Willow Grove Day Camp and we both could have argued, successfully, that WGDC was the very best day camp on the planet.  To Todd, WGDC was the only place for our boys. But, for a number of reasons, including the fact that Willow Grove does not allow the flexibilty of four days a week, we chose Briarwood Day Camp.

Chase and Ryder absolutely love camp.  They love everything about it. They love that they swim two times a day.  They love that they play sports all day.  They love that they are changing activities all of the time and that their bunk is all boys.  They love that at camp they can be the verbs that they are.  And, they are in love with their JC. Ah, camp!  The home of first romances.   They will likely both marry her at the carnival.

So, I have no regrets at all for choosing big boy camp at 5 years old.  No regrets for having to pilfer money from sofa cushions and car seats to pay the tuition.  There are no regrets once you see the smiles on their faces and listen to the stories they tell about camp.  And, despite being the meanest mom ever, I certainly have no regrets of keeping them out on Friday’s  so that we can beach together as a family. 

Yes, I am just that mean!