06/2013 Face studies.

​ 06/24/2013 On Bomomo.

​ 06/29/2013 Camping with 0025, 0072, 0022, and 0302 on Canada Day long weekend.

​ 07/03/2013 On Bomomo again.

​ 07/05/2013

​ 07/08/2013 It is currently free time! For lunch, we had grilled cheese sandwiches and AWESOME chicken noodle soup. I got second helpings of it. For dessert, we had lovely oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The cooks are very talented. After that, we all got changed for water activities and FUN.

First, my cabin Oriole and Swallow took the swim test. After the bell rang for us to switch stations, we headed to the Anticipation Station and introduced ourselves, along with our favourite month. You're not allowed to choose your birthday month, so I chose September because the X Factor begins and so does school! Not that I like school, just that it's started and I'm not annoyed yet.

Then we played a soaking game, where the point is to splash the other team with water. We played until the next bell. This time, we played Drip Drip Drop, like Duck Duck Goose, except at "drop," a bucket full of water will be dumped on the unfortunate camper's head. Most of the time we ignored the game and made mud pies. Later, we swam.

Dinner was AMAZING. I had two very LARGE helpings of salad and another two portions of pasta with cheesy mushroom sauce and four delicious meatballs. And garlic bread. After that, it rained, so our lone Oriole cabin went out to frolick around in the rain. Then 0011, 0093 and I played the card game Pig in the pavilion. No one won, if you were wondering.

Sorry if my handwriting is messy. I am using a flashlight because it's dark in the cabin. Anyways, we then played Diamond Smugglers in the barn and had our campfire there, because it was raining. There was a drawing of fire. We sang and watched funny skits, and listened to 0094. Fun fact, I have roughly around 28 mosquito bites. Possibly more. I am tired and so is my hand.

​ 07/09/2013 We did morning dip, then had breakfast. For Cabin Cleanup, we got the best score, 9.5/10. Had Chapel, then first activity – Photography, lead by 0095. One of the girls in my cabin, 0096, was also there. I learned about macro, saw a snake, and took cool pics with the high-tech camera.

Then we had lunch. The brownie was FANTASTIC, and later I ran up the hill to the dining hall for a second sandwich with cheese and pepperoni. BY THE WAY, I have more mosquito bites than ANYONE in my cabin. Even with bug spray. I'm running out of that Chinese Afterbite oil.

After lunch, we took a break at our cabin to have devotions. I learned to be thankful to God for everything, even when it seems like there is nothing to be thankful for. Even through all the mosquito bites and wet hoodies, I managed to have a lovely day. Then we headed to second activity, Wilderness. We went to a swamp. It was wet. More than half of us needed rainboots... So we were piggybacked by 0097 over the ponds. Next time I should borrow someone's.

In the swamp, mosquitoes were swarming me. 0098 counted and I supposedly received 17 new bites on the bottom half of my legs. The good thing was, I was able to see a lot of nature and I was glad to get out. Since I was SO ITCHY, I impulsively ran in the sprinklers. It was really refreshing, but my sweater got wet. I only have two, and the other one was also wet from the rain yesterday. Big load of laundry when I get home.

At Tuck shop, I got Nestea, an orange popsicle, and Nerds. We memorized verses and went swimming. I made a hole in the sand, with a barrier to shield the attack of water. After, my cabin got to know each other better. A part of friendship is having stuff in common. Or, rather, finding common ground, which comes easily when sharing a room for a week. I feel like I have better knowledge now. Well, you learn something everyday, right? I learned a lot of stuff today.

We pet Macy, the beautiful black camp dog. For dinner, we had rice, two helpings of chicken drumsticks with awesome sauce, two rolls with butter, and dessert! Apple pie square with vanilla ice cream. DELISH! For our wide game of Capture the Flag, I was on the Pigs' (AKA Sizzling Swedish Swine) side. We lost.

I almost forgot. Our cabin Oriole was declared first out of all the cabins because we had the highest number of points. That was a surprise, because yesterday we were tied for last. Tomorrow, we're going to try even harder to keep our spot. Don't take first for granted. ​

07/10/2013 Our Cabin Cleanup score was 9/10. In Chapel, 0094 used our bird pictures. This week, there is a bird theme. In Photography, we had a scavenger hunt where we split up and took pretty pictures of stuff on a list. It was funny. I really enjoyed it.

For lunch, I had two hot dogs, 9 Cheetos, and one watermelon slice. It was nice, eating together as a cabin. We all got caught up with each other's activities. Then, we memorized two verses and had cabin devos. We learned about different ways of showing love and the qualities of a true friend. In Wilderness, we roasted marshmallows. It was awesome. We didn't get bit much by mosquitoes because of the smoke from our campfire.

We were first in line for Tuck again. Today I tried a fudge bar. It was cold, chocolaty, and creamy. I also got a pack of sour cherry blasters and lemonade wild cherry and watermelon flavoured Nerds. While eating, we got to know some of the LITs (Leader-in-Training), like 0099. They're all named after the seven dwarves, but that's just temporary for now. We tried to come up with her new name.

After, we headed to our cabin to have a great discussion on our act for the campfire. It was so hilarious I almost wet myself. Really. I think almost the whole cabin would have a prosperous career in comedy. We all laughed really hard. I believe our act will be wonderful. We need more time to do everything, though. Oh, well. We'll take care of it.

Then we changed to swim. My group didn't really swim, though. We dug a great, wide hole to China. I am very proud of it. I had yet another hearty dinner of 2.5 helpings of mac and cheese with ketchup (0.5 because 0100 couldn't finish hers), salad, and jello with whipped cream. Oh, and did I mention this was a silent dinner? That's right. No one could talk. It was pretty funny. The wide game later was called Jackets. I took one jacket for the Pigs. We won after facing defeat yesterday, headed to Chapel, and here I am now. ​

07/11/2013 I had a long but awesome day today. I don't know if I can write it all. It started with Pajama & Bedhead Breakfast. We won the title of Best Pajamas. I had a bagel with cream cheese, a small piece of CAKE, and a large bowl of Rice Krispie cereal. I brought my teddy bear, Gadzooks, to breakfast. He's named after a bird because Gadzooks is a dragon in The Last Dragon Chronicles, which is kind of like a dinosaur, and pterodactyls are almost birds.

For Cabin Cleanup, we got 95%. Our score average was the best out of all the other cabins! In Chapel, 0094 gave a very motivational speech on doing random acts of kindness, following Jesus' example, and putting others first. Then there was Photography. I have a lot of cool photos to show you.

For lunch, I had a brownie, a chicken burger, and 11 All Dressed Ruffles chips. My favourite! We also did a bit of our campfire act. It was really coming together. Then we got some memory verses completed and had cabin devos. During Wilderness, I had a delightful time watching people catch fish, and kind of made some new friends.

We all RUSHED so we could be first in line for Tuck. I bought a fudge bar, pink and purple Nerds, Mountain Dew, fuzzy peaches, and a peppermint Aero chocolate bar. Apparently, I was really hyper, and there might have been a smidge of caffeine in my drink. We worked on our campfire act a lot. I had fun. Yippee.

In Arts and Crafts (AKA "Do Whatever With 0101") I made my rap. It was so hilarious and one of my best camp experiences. During free time, everyone practiced our act. We got ready for Banquet in our skirts and dresses. I had blue raspberry juice, mashed potatoes, chocolate ice cream, and corn off the cob. 0102 read my Gadzooks note aloud. The wide game, Fire Quenchers, was more fun than the other two wide games, but 0093 got a huge cut swarmed by mosquitoes. And 0023 got hit in the eye with a Frisbee.

The campfire was awesome. I made a new friend, 0103. 0104 and 0103 from Swallow, along with 0105, did a dance. 0105's cabin did a musical telling people about God. Cardinal sang a song about love, with actions. 0106 and 0095 did Ain't No Rain or something like that. Ain't Gonna Be No More Rain? Our cabin Oriole, sang a bird song medley-ish. There was the CPR skit, and 0094 talked. We ate s'mores, went out to look at the beautiful stars while lying on the grassy meadow, went back to the cabin, ate candy, and brushed our teeth. ​

07/15/2013 At Grace Camp for the next two weeks. ​

07/24/2013 on Polyvore

sorry if this is bad. my first attempt at one of these. that's why choco hasn't made any sets for two days...(speaking in third person). inspired by @christiannovelli. so, um yeah please don't punch me or throw tomatoes at me or anything if you don't like my set. listening to vanilla twilight by owl city and royals by lorde.

​ 07/28/2013

​ 07/29/2013 It's been an interesting day here in my first week of Teen Camp. I am currently leaning against the wall leading to the bathroom, which shines the light I'm depending on to write. For lunch, I had a grilled cheese with ketchup, two bowls of vegetable soup (the highlight of my meal), and a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. I didn't bother to count mosquito bites this time, almost like a surrender. I sprayed some insect repellent, which seemed to have only a small effect for the first few hours.

During swim time, it started to rain. It was like dancing fairies were leaving rings on the surface of the water. Everybody scrambled to get out of the water, return their life jackets, get their towels, and sign out of the buddy board. The delicate drops had been replaced with heavy sheets falling from the sky, darkening the trail of dirt and rocks we hiked up. We closed our cabin doors swiftly, changed into dry clothes, talked to 0107, and played cards.

Dinner was salad, garlic bread, rice, meatballs, and chocolate cake. We played more cards and were labeled "antisocial." The wide game was Stock Market. Personally, I think our group made some brash decisions, but I guess we did OKAY. It was fun, though.

Later, we headed to the campfire and sang songs, watched skits, and listened to Mr. 0108. This was an especially itchy time. But, I was glad we could have a nice campfire, despite the rain from the afternoon. It was pouring gumdrops and lollipops and cats and dogs. Then, we had chocolate cookies and peach juice in the dining hall, and went back to our cabins. Someone's snoring.

​ 07/30/2013 0107 woke us up early to go to morning dip. We were the first ones there, and didn't encounter any other cabins. It was really nice to not be rushed. We had so much time that we got a head start on Cabin Cleanup. I enjoyed introducing our stuffed animals in a series of little notes to 0102. We even got lined up first for breakfast, which was quiche, and earned cabin points. I was on garbage bag and washroom duty, and we borrowed an overpoweringly sweet air freshener from Finch. Spoiler – our Cabin Cleanup score was 9/10.

In Teen Camp, you get to do CYOD (Choose Your Own Devotion). I went to 0109's "Sharing Faith in a Faithless Culture" and learned that actions speak louder than words. In Archery with 0101, I didn't hit the target, but I was really close. I chewed mint leaves on the way there, and it was really fun. For lunch, we had sandwiches and a small, unidentified yellow fruit. Then we had cabin devos. Someone counted for me, and I have roughly 70 mosquito bites. But I'm not as itchy. A few weeks ago, 0111 said to pretend the bites aren't even there. I guess it's working.

In Woodworking with 0110, we learned about the different tools and how to use them. We got started on creating our wooden objects, but some people couldn't think of what to make. I wanted to make clogs, but 0110 said they were pretty difficult and he wouldn't be able to help me. So I decided on a bow tie. I was going to drill two holes into it, but I only got to drawing out the shape and sanding the wood before it was time to go to Tuck.

I wasn't that behind in line, but they still ran out of fudge bars. I settled on an orange popsicle and orange Crush. In the middle of changing for free swim, the bell rang for an emergency drill, so we were kind of late. For dinner, we had mashed potatoes, chicken, and chocolate pudding with a smidge of whipped cream.

Our wide game was Fire Battlers. I actually successfully "battled" the opposing team's fire. We, the Unicorn Friendship Squad, definitely won. Then we went to Chapel, and had juice and cookies. Back at our cabin, we all wrote specialized encouragements and stuck them under a person's name on the wall. Now, the sound of half my cabin breathing steadily in their sleep soothes me. No one's snoring this time. It is so calm and peaceful, all the different breathing noises at different times. ​

07/31/2013 0107 woke us up early so we could shower first in the first batch of hot water. Only, my shower wasn't working properly, so I ended up taking a freezing shower that barely dripped water. But it was okay, because it was over in seconds. We strolled back to our cabin, dried off, and memorized verses. It's hard to write this properly, because all the insects flitting around here are rather distracting.

We had pancakes for breakfast. For Cabin Cleanup, we painted 0102's name on rocks for her "bribe." And we very diligently cleaned the carpet. Spoiler, we received compliments about how excellent our carpet was. Our score was 95%. In Chapel, 0108 talked about how words hurt.

I really enjoyed Archery with 0101. My arrows mostly all hit the target this time, and two or three even landed on the red ring. For lunch, we had hot dogs, watermelon, and authentic Cheetos. Then, we rehearsed our verses, went on the swings, and played Tetherball. In cabin devos, we read Philippians 2. I learned to not complain.

In Woodworking, I made some progress. The saw is a little intimidating. I've decided I'm making a box. We sprinted all the way to Tuck – our spot in line was basically the same as last time, but there were fudge bars left. This time, I just couldn't resist the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, though. I also got Mountain Dew and orange and blue Nerds. Then we talked about the much anticipated Venus Goddess Island and I went sailing with a bunch of people.

For dinner, we had PIZZA LASAGNA PASTA CASSEROLE. Then I brushed my teeth and we played a fun game of Triby. I really, really enjoyed sneaking around, running quickly while being chased, and going to "jail." After, we washed the paint off our faces, ate snacks, and went to Chapel. I learned in difficult situations, to observe with different perspectives in a calm manner, and to not be discouraged. Then, we split up into cabin groups and discussed. ​

08/01/2013 Today was the most magical day of camp. We woke up, one by one. The last one to wake up was 0112. We didn't have to do morning dip, because of Pajama & Bedhead Breakfast. 0112 and 0002 had the best bedhead, and we all coordinated our pajamas by wearing baggy t-shirts and wacky pants. I had a bagel with gracious amount of cream cheese (more than at home, but less than Tim Hortons).

Some people in my cabin are snoring so loud, I can hear it from the washroom with the door closed. But it's not annoying. It's nice to know my cabin is alive. Turns out, we won for Best Bedhead. Oriole, our fiercest competitors, won for Best Pajamas. During Cabin Cleanup, I was in charge of sweeping the front porch, but since it was raining, I got off easy. I did, however, write a poem for 0102.

When the bell rang, I finished up writing and kind of ran (not sprinting, because I save that for Tuck) to the barn. For CYOD, I went to 0110's talk about our purpose. I learned to keep my focus not on earthly possessions, but on wisdom, and the fruits of the Spirit. Thankfully, the rain stopped in time for our first activity.

I had a really fun time at Archery with 0101, 0113, 0011, 0028, 0114, and 0115, even though I don't know some of them that well. I didn't hit bullseye, but I ate some raspberries. They were crunchy. Archery was fun, but lunch was even more fun, to my tastebuds. We had burgers, both All Dressed and normal Ruffles, and a brownie square. Then I brushed my teeth, and our cabin memorized Bible verses.

At Woodworking, I made a fairy bed. It was actually supposed to be a box, but because of time and laziness, I turned it into this. Then, it was time to sprint to Tuck. I had Brisk iced tea, green and yellow Nerds, a fudge bar, a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, and M&Ms. And we finally got to recite our 9 Bible verses to 0094. It was like a big weight off my shoulders.

We arrived very late to the lake, and didn't really swim. Mostly sat on the dock, dipping our feet in the water for mosquito bite relief. Then we got ready for the fancy banquet, and dressed up our beautiful counselor 0107 in my tank top and 0011's blouse. Surprisingly, it fit very well. We had blue juice, scalloped potatoes, corn off the cob, and chocolate ice cream. After, we practiced for the Talent Show and raced down to Cherry Grove to get 0102's approval. During Capture the Flag, I didn't do much, but it was fun... I tried the Port-a-Potty. They have two-ply toilet paper in there.

At the campfire, we watched skits, performed, and listened to Mr. 0108. The main thing I remember is to think of problems as opportunities. Like math problems. Some we're going to get wrong, and others we have to work hard to solve. But each one is an opportunity to learn more and be better at math. We will never be perfect, just like we will never know the answer to all math questions in the world, but every challenge is an opportunity for us to grow.

Later we ate candy, played Drunken Sailor outside with other cabins, and gazed at stars. It's so amazing that God created the beautiful universe. 0107 told us stories, and we fell asleep while our cabin glowed with man-made cabin glow stick stars. I had a magical day. ​

08/2013

​ 08/05/2013 Back to Grace Camp this week. ​

08/09/2013 Save me. I'm kind of stuck in my basement. People are over and two of them are watching some horror movie in a foreign language, and the rest of us are cooped up in this room watching Winx Club. This other guy just realized Jetpack Joyride is free, and is talking about how long it takes to download. ​

08/12/2013 Wowzers. So, today I went to dance camp and we did an hour and a half of INTENSE workouts. Like, mountain climbers and v-sits and burpie push-ups and tall planks and stretching (duh) and Superman's and straddle sits and pencil jumps (not the swimming kind) and wall sits and inchworm push-ups and a whole lot of other stuff that made me sore. And now I have to do this everyday. Twice. So, yeah. ​

08/13/2013 I'm improving with the workout dance camp thing. Gotta do it daily. I'm sore though. Can't really even stretch out my arm. ​

08/14/2013 Had people over just now for the night. I went to art class. Worked out. Feeling super tired. ​

08/15/2013 Just finished working out. If you can call it that. Pencil jumps. Mountain climbers. 2nd position jumps. Jumping jacks. The tall plank. Table top. Wall sit. Burpie push-ups. Push-ups. Superman's. V snaps. Leg pulls. Leg raises. High runs. While watching Chinese Idol. ​

08/23/2013 In Vancouver.

​ 08/24/2013 Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

​ 08/25/2013

​ 08/26/2013 Wifi. I finally got wifi on the bus and I finally got to set up the iPad. Hopefully, the hotel wifi will be a lot faster. Also, I really want to watch the new The Next Star episode, because Emblem3 is a guest star (EEEK!). And I have to see Alex's new performance and makeover. ​

08/27/2013 Yellowstone National Park, day 1.

​ 08/28/2013 Yellowstone National Park, day 2.

​ 08/30/2013