camp chronicles : my list of awesome

Each summer at camp I teach a leadership program for teenagers; it's the most wonderful week for so many reasons, but one of them is simply because I get to spend so much time chatting with my two co-coaches, Rene & Trish. The three of us have been teaching this program together for 13 years, and it's just so easy now. We have a vast repertoire of lesson plans and activities to pull from, and change and adapt our delivery each year depending on the group that we're working with. But one of my favourite things is just the things that we talk about after each session, or as we paddle out on the lake on our annual canoe trip.

One of the (many, many) things we chatted about this year is The Book of Awesome. It's been around for a bit now, and you've likely read it, or are at least familiar with it. It's just as simple as it sounds: a book of things that are simply awesome.

On that note, I've decided to put together a little list of awesome - things that we talked about over the week, or the things that are simple reminders of how special it is to get to spend this week with my little family each year. Read on for my 2013 Camp List of Awesome... 

• Snuggling in the bunk beds with Lady A & Lady M
• Canoe trips
• Lady A calling the cabin "our new home"
• Unbridled energy and enthusiasm of the counsellors, campers, coaching staff and families
• Morning dew on your toes while walking to breakfast
• Lake water
• Lady M's impromptu dance performances
• Kids riding around on bikes & trikes
• Reconnecting with old friends
• The beautiful waterlilies on Long Lake 
• Simplicity
• The coaches' dance
• Not having to cook breakfast, lunch or dinner
• Rainbow headbands, legwarmers and armbands
• Developing future counsellors 
• Spending time with teenagers from whom I learn the new 'hip' lingo... 
• My summer tan
• Living in comfy clothes and flip flops
• The annual badminton tournament
• Puddle jumping on rainy days
• Breathtaking sunsets
• Family fun
• Memories that last a lifetime... 

This list could absolutely go on for ages...now I understand how Neil Pasricha has easily filled two books!