Sly Park Science Camp

The first week of December I had the opportunity to be a chaperone for Heather's school at Sly Park Science Camp.  Knowing my need for sleep I was a bit nervous to go for a week.  However Heather is a sleep walker, and when she walks she comes looking for me.  I was afraid she would walk outside and get eaten by a bear.  So I figured how bad could it really be....  

California is in a wicked drought.  The week we went to camp was the worst rainy week of the year, actually the only rainy week all winter.  It poured and poured everyone and everything was wet.  The great outdoors is the classroom at Sly Park, so we were cold and soaked most of the time.  

These are my 25 girls.  I love them!  I guess that is what service does for ya.  I was a surrogate mother of 25 girls!  I constantly hung wet clothes, moved wet shoes/boots to the heater vents, dried tears, encouraged showers(musky is how Lajay described herself), hugged, corralled, enforced bed time, threatened death to anyone out of bed early in the morning, and advocated for each of these darling girls.  I was sad to see them go at the end of the week!  I knew each of their names by the end of day 1.  The other chaperones for our cabin came an went so the girls came to me for EVERYTHING!!!

Black Oak Cabin 2014

Heather and friends on the hour and a half bus ride to Pollock Pines.

Elise, Jenna, Heather, & Evelyn

Love the boy bombers in the back!

Heather and I at the half way point of a 5 mile hike.  We are standing in what was the middle of the lake before the drought.  One of my girls ran out in to dirt that was like quick sand and promptly sunk to the top of her boots, freaked out, jumped out of her boots and ran to me.  I walked out and pulled her boots out and then let her know she had to put her muddy feet into her boots to walk home. Tears!!

The kids had the opportunity to climb a rock wall.  So FUN!!

Heather

Heather killed it!

Hiking in the rain was great minus all the grouchy kiddos.  And I get it!!!!  

Heather in the middle of the creek on the creek hike during a constant drizzle.  Just enough rain and wind to make everyone cold, wet, and uninterested in anything Steve the Alien had to say.

Heather & Clara

Cute girls and perfect camp partners!!!

Heather & Jenna

Heather & Sunshine!!  Ewwwww  

I definately did not attend any class that was held in the animal room

Let's be honest, I have never been to prison and the only prison food I have even seen has been in movies or on TV.  But I am quiet certain that prisoners eat better than Sly Park campers do!!!  The food was terrible!!!  After 3 days I was hungry and Heather was melting away.  On my break Marissa(another chaperone who I adore) and I went into town and ordered 3 large pizzas!  We sat in the warm restaurant and ate and ate and enjoyed the quiet!!  We brought 2 and half pizzas back to camp with us and left them in the car.  We snuck our girls and their partners out to the car and fed them cold pizza every chance we got.  Talk about manna from heaven!  Mom points!!

My girls at our last meal together.  Love these girls and still so ready for home!

While this was Heather's camp experience I have told it as mine because she is still not over being wet, cold, and hungry.  And when asked she will tell you it was awful!!  I think it was a great experience for her!!!  I have more stories to tell like the sleep jumper, devil teacher, and ear plugs but for now I will finish by saying that only the biggest suckers are chaperones for Sly Park and I loved it!!!

 Final picture, Marissa, Alicia, & Cheryl
Marissa is a friend and fellow chaperone and Cheryl is Heather's teacher, who we LOVE!!!