Colonial-themed Family Camping

This weekend was a busy one as we had family camp for our AHG troop. I have been busy all week preparing for it, making sure the campground was ready, hauling in firewood since we've had SO much rain and everything was wet, setting up schedules, arranging the volunteers, and making stew for our group dinner. I forgot how much work it was to set it up, but it got done and everything went smoothly -- including the perfect weather!

Friday night, families arrived to set up camp. There weren't really any other plans for the evenings, so the kids got to run and play and the adults visited. We had a family come teach about Colonial living and the kids enjoyed sitting around their camp learning about the different types of camping gear they saw.

Saturday morning, we began the day with unit devotions. Our oldest girls led the devotional for the Explorers, and leaders worked with the younger girls. For breakfast, some of the Explorers worked on a few basic outdoor cooking skills. Allen and I were able to take a walk and get a photo of a bird I haven't seen around here (camp is about 2 miles from our home). I think it is an indigo bunting!

After devotions, several dads led the way as we cleared trails around the camp. We did that as a service project and "thank you" to the camp to help them get ready for the church camps they run in the summertime. An hour and a half later, the trails looked awesome, the kids were all sweaty, but they were proud to see the work they accomplished.

Next up were the Colonial lessons. A local family beautifully wove scripture into history lessons. All of us were together learning about government, politics, family life, education, and etiquette at the dawn of our country.

After lunch, the boys went and learned what boys back then would've learned - tin-smithing, military drills (re-enactments), farming and business. I didn't get as many boy pictures because I was with the womenfolk most of the time.

Meanwhile, the girls were making peas porridge and churning butter, sewing a waist-tied pocket, and learning about the different layers of proper clothing. With Dutch-oven cooking, wool-combing, stitching, and ending with seven or eight different games, the girls had a blast and got quite a bit of badge work done.

We ended the day with a full-group stew dinner that the girls helped set up, serve, and clean up, then we headed to the campfire for s'mores and skits that the kids all made up. During the free time, it made me SO happy to see all the kids playing together so well. The boys taught the girls all the military drills they learned, and the girls convinced some of the boys to participate in the songs and skits they created.

Overall, there were about 75 people there for the evening activities -- most of them were kids, but they all had a parent or grandparent or two there with them.

Sunday morning there were not too many of us left at camp. Several leaders and AHG families are involved in other ministries on Sunday mornings and didn't stay (or left really early). Those of us still there enjoyed a worship service together. One of the dads gave a message and one of our introverted girls coordinated the worship music.

The weekend could  not have gone more smoothly (except for an injury with the group of boys getting too rough with the stick-weapons) and the weather was perfect. It was a lot of work, but TOTALLY worth it since all the families had such a great time!