I held my first "Mimi Camp" in 2008. My grandson was a few months old and made his way from Florida for his first visit. I found a "onesie" that said Camp Gramma. I have photos of him helping me plant flowers.
Every year I chose a theme. I would work on crafts and activities all year, made my own t-shirts before the invention of the Cricut, and even have themed meals. I would take a week's vacation for camp.
So I started cheating. Last year I surprised them at Christmas with season passes to an amusement park! They were thrilled. But the younger eight still wanted Mimi Camp. I do make them all a scrapbook from Shutterfly each year to remember our adventures.
This year I decided to combine the two. We had one day of camp at the amusement park.
We went back to my house for a sleepover
And left the littles home with grampa for day 2!
They could not have had a better time! Meanwhile, the middles and bigs to went to the adjoining waterpark!
Her big cousins were up at the top!
We had a wonderful day and headed home for a hot dog bar! I sent them home for the night and almost took the next day off. My next post will include Day 2.5 and Day 3 when we really did arts and crafts.
We did a Grandma Grandpa Camp and the kids loved it! When hubby had cancer treatments and other health issues, we took one kid at a time for a week. The first camp we had, I had to take off from work too.
ReplyDeleteNow the older grands just drive up and visit once in a while.
This creates such wonderful memories. I wish we could have continued doing all the grands at the same time. But it all worked out.
This is AWEsome!
What a fabulous idea but what a lot of energy you must have.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun for you and the Grands making memories!
ReplyDeleteYou are so amazing! I can only imagine the fun your grands all have with you and each other. And the memories that are being made will last a lifetime. Bless you for doing all of this extra work and time to make it fun for them. You are THE Grandma to emulate.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
If there was a Best Grandma in the World Award...you would get it! I'm not a fun grandma....I laugh with them and we have a good time but I am not very good at entertaining them or playing....not any more at least. You are the best, and long after you are gone those children are going to talk about their wonderful times with their grandmother. You are a treasure!
ReplyDeleteThis post is so lovely and these children are going to have these happy memories to share for as long as they live.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to express my envy, my longing, the sheer exhilaration at your energy and dedication. Having them so close is such a boon and blessing, and being able to harness all that energy---for a WEEEEEKKK??? We were talking of former visits the other day, and Leah says that I have to cram several months or a year's worth of doing and being into a week sometimes, or used to at least, and it's true--just heaping on crafts and parades and costumes and making all sorts of sillies of ourselves, from the first one downstairs at dawn, to the "I warn you, this child will not go to bed easily," little one collapsed against my chest mid-story with the others already drowsing in their beds. What a Summer you're having, and I wish you the energy of an eight-year-old, with the wisdom of an eighty, the vigor and robust appetites and need for speed and travel and whiz-bang and COLOR of all those wonderful GRANDS. You're my HERO, and I marvel. I admire. I wish.
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