MiMi Camp 2013: The Final Day

MiMi Camp 2013 closed this afternoon at 4:30. I immediately poured me a glass of wine and  sequestered myself in the A/C COLD camper with my book and my phone. I sipped and played Scrabble and Words With Friends, took a nap and read a chapter in my current novel. AND I had a nice phone chat with Summer. It's been a good camp this year but make no mistake - it is exhausting! At 65 I do not have the energy I did back when I was a mother to two young children. I was 36 when I had Amber and 39 when Ben was born. I plan to continue MiMi Camp with some tweaks as the years go by as long as I have grandchildren who want to come! I am going to try and incorporate 'mini' camps during the year. Making memories is important!

Here are some of the highlights of our last day of camp:

It's been a long standing tradition to bake Banana Nut Muffins and this dates back to when Sam was little!

Today Faith was the one helping me bake while Sam and Levi cracked and shelled the pecans. 

Okay, maybe Levi CRACKED and scattered but Sam was able to gather enough pecan meats for at least one dozen of the muffins with pecans on top of the second dozen and the third was simply plain banana muffins......Faith's favorite.

They did turn out delicious and the grands ate at least a dozen and took another dozen home with them.

Deanie and Andie joined us in this last day of camp. Andie had surgery on Tuesday and I was delighted she felt up to an adventure with her cousins! We started the visit with tea and muffins in the camper. It was Andie's first visit to our little RV.

Louis Dean adores Deanie and he was quick to get out there as soon as she arrived!!!

Our first craft of the day was decoupaged plates.......

here is Levi with the fabric he chose for his mom.

You simply take a clear glass plate (I have been collected them as I find them at the Goodwill's) and cut a circle of fabric to fit. Snip it so it won't wrinkle up like a piece of fried bologna and Mod Podge the plate, press the fabric circle smooth (right side DOWN) and coat with another layer of Mod Podge.

Easy peasy! Andie and her mom LOVE the Dallas Cowboys so she did two of those and I made one for my son, Jesse.

Our second project was painting a jar with a mixture of food coloring, water and glue.

The results look like beach glass.

You can put a votive in it - electric or 'real' - and it makes a lovely light.

The kids enjoyed doing this. Wrap the top with a raffia bow when it's dry.

Louis Dean treated us to a pizza lunch.......

and I had vanilla ice cream with butterscotch sauce over a cinnamon tortilla for dessert.

YUM!!

Our third and last project was decorating clipboards for school.

We used the colorful duct tape available now. 

I gave each child a 'word.'

Andie's was DANCE.

Faith's was SMILE.

Sam's was IMAGINE.

Levi didn't want to do a clipboard.......until we were finished and THEN he did one on his own.

I owe him a WORD!

Aunt Deanie is so much fun!!!

Faith has sported a tattoo from the Texas Rangers game on Sunday.

She decided to use some pieces of duct tape to tattoo her aunt!

Don't you love Deanie's t-shirt? She must have them custom made.

Anyone remember the movie 'The Planet of the Apes?'

Deanie does a 'Kiss me, Cornelius' routine that will have you laughing so hard you are crying!!

Sam was trying it! I passed out a few grapes and here we have a party game!!

Andie was trying her best.....

Faith couldn't do it because she kept SMILING!!

Remember - SMILE - was her word!

Levi didn't even try! He just said, "MiMi!!! Take my picture!!" And so I DID!!

After Deanie and Andie left the kids and I packed up all their STUFF!!!

It was Meet the Teacher night and our party was soon to be over.

We gathered in the camper for one last game of Memory while we waited for their dad to pick them up.

This was the last photo of the day. 

Sam was playing 'Froggie Went A-Courting and He Did Ride! Uh HUH!"

It was a good week. I'm off for one final sit with Louis Dean before going to bed. 

My normal life will resume in the morning.