Princesses Enjoy 1st Spring Outing

This past weekend was incredible with the 1st year Princesses. The girls (and dads) were giddy with excitement as they arrived at camp and found their cabin. I took my son Aaron and daughter Ashlyn with me this weekend to help out. We drove around camp Friday night talking with tribes as they unpacked and cooked out at their cabins. Girls were curious, exploring around their cabins. Just like all the Princesses, most of the Big Braves were new to the program, so the whole Spring Outing experience was new to them too.

We had a great ice cream social on Friday night where everyone got fired up to hear about all the activities planned on Saturday.

After breakfast on Saturday, activities were finally opened and tribes spread out. Some ran to archery. Some to the canoes. Some to the zipline. Some to the BBs. Others went on the Arapahoe National Treasure hunt. Others ran to the shark tooth pile to hunt for sharks teeth.

Right after breakfast I did get to meet a cool little Princess named Annalise who had become separated from her dad. She was a little weepy and upset, but we calmed her down in the camp store. I drove her to her cabin, but no one was there. As she calmed down, she started talking. We got to chat about all the things she was looking forward in doing at camp. Shortly after we got back to the camp store, her dad showed up to get her. We helped both of them pick out their free camp shirt and off they went hand-in-hand to do activities.

Aaron, Ashlyn and I went to Sea Gull to visit the Princesses at that camp for lunch. Had a great time there too, helping with some skits. Met quite a few dads and daughters after lunch who were turning in their Chief Challenge forms.

The JoyBoy was running all day Saturday. For this week, we had a real (looking) Blackbeard pirate onboard who will told you a bunch of great stories.

Dinner was special with the announcement of our contest winners, Arapahoe National Treasure tribe winner, arrowhead awards for those earning all their first year patches and a skit. Aaron, Ashlyn and I did get to see the largest fish winner catch and pull to shore their 25" carp.

Campfire was fantastic, of course. We had great weather. I think we sold about 600-1000 glow necklaces before the campfire, so that was a cool site to see once everyone got seated. Dads and Princesses really seemed to have a great time.

Sunday activities opened again. We had a very successful 5K Run/Walk at Seafarer, complete with "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Chariots of Fire" music playing in the background. All finishers go to run through a finish line. Great fun!

After brunch, tribes start packing up. It's a sad time. You don't want to leave. "Can't we just live at Spring Outing?," kids will ask. The Princesses all hug and say their goodbyes to each other. The vans are packed and off the dads and girls leave for home. Dads and daughters talk about all the fun time they had at camp. Girls can't wait to get back home to tell mom all about it. The memories of this incredible weekend will stay with both dad and daughter forever.

I have to share this comment from my blog post last week.

"In my daughters words, 'Dad, did you every imagine that Y-Princess's would be this awesome?'"

With tears in my eyes, it is awesome.