It’s Camp Day! We packed up the suitcase, readied our torches and campfire voices and away we went! Just before we reached camp, we stopped in Bellaire, at ‘Shorts’ for dinner – this was one of the HWH old-skool camp counsellor hang outs. They serve delicious, enormous pizzas and awesome bbq buffalo wings, tasty artichoke dip and their own home brewed beer. The waitress was a gem and I was proud of the boys for ordering their food so confidently and politely, Ell even walked off to find her to ask for some tomato ketchup, no problem!

In total, it was a 3 hour drive to camp, but what a worthwhile drive it was! Highway scenery gave way to views of the glacial lake through the trees, past million pound lakeside houses until we saw the Hayo-Went-Ha Camp sign! Stacey has been talking to us about camp for over 20 years and finally, I know what she’s talking about! I mean, my memories of camping at Belchamps are fond and treasured, but this is something else. Camp! You seem to be everything that ‘Bug Juice’ made you out to be! I’m just gutted I never experienced an American camp as a kid. But at £1k/week it’s a pricey non-family summer ‘holiday’ that many probably can’t afford. Thank goodness some camps offer sponsorship schemes for children who benefit hugely from the experience, this one included! We’re saving for Ell & Nate already.

We found our room and made the beds up (luckily for us, as the weather was still catching up to summer, we were bunked inside in the warm!) then had a quick walk around part of the immense site. The boys wanted to play 4-square, but the area in question was covered in sand and driftwood, so camp counsellor Trev pointed them in the direction of the broom and they were away! Once our hands were suitably frozen and we’d also enjoyed learning how to play ‘tetherball’ and ‘roofball’, we made our way back to the main lodge for bed! Tomorrow was a full day, so of course the kiddos sat up chatting and using the bathroom several times! Beth wanted to know ‘What you and Mama were talking about in the bathroom for so long?’ Many things Beth, many things!