Cole has asked for Camp pictures to be all in one place. This is my attempt to put it together. It has grown over the years and didn't start as something that was picture 'worthy' so we don't have early documentation just a few pictures of the boys at the correct ages.
Sibling camp began as "Brother Camp" several years ago prior to a sister being born into the family. At first it was one day only to promote working together as a team and playing with give and take, to intentionally help build a foundation for a strong brother relationship and provide shared experiences. It was to celebrate the reunion of brothers after my oldest had started preschool and been gone for several days each week during the school year. Things like "I love you, brother" where they stood at opposite ends of the yard and yelled "I love you, Brother, because..." back and forth were included in the activities. The first year there was not any official planning; more or less planned during afternoon naptime and played upon awaking after snack. Thus the obstacle course began. The first was an indoor course that they had to complete while linking arms and fold and put away washcloths while holding the basket with one had from each brother and move through the course without leaving the other. A puzzle and block tower were a couple of stops in the course where they had to take turns putting in a piece or block. The bonding that occurred was astounding and they anticipated "Brother Camp" the next year!
More planning went into the next year! I purchased a huge frisbee, a tiger toss, a rope team glide, and some bubble games! The objects were good because I could put them away and bring them out during arguments that were sure to come up in the year that followed to distract and bring them back into a fun shared experience. The years have all run together and I don't have pics from all of them but it began in 2009. In March of 2011, planning for "Sibling Camp" began for summer because a sister had been added to the mix. Although for her first and second years, camp happened during her naps. Summer of 2011, we added Scriptures to the mix with Psalm 133:1 becoming our key verse and extending camp to a full 5-day week. We took a field trip to see Mr. Ian Smith's boat and talk about the rudder size and how James compares that with our tongue. The obstacle course that year included a bucket of pingpong balls on a stick that had to go through the course completely hopefully without losing any of its contents.
This last year 2012 was tied to our family values and to Scripture verses and life lessons culminating to the finale of the infamous obstacle course!!! There was one morning of Sib Camp each week throughout the summer. We kicked it off with surprises on the last day of school: a large white board, a giant basketball and hoop, and a joust tag game. The boys were so surprised when they got home! Joust tag set them up for a lesson in being sneaked up on by the "enemy" when they were arguing (Mom with water hose). Four balloons and a cookie sheet helped them illustrate that "all things are possible with Christ" even the impossible when two or more gather in His Name. Pink balloon was sis, two oranges were bros, and they picked yellow for Christ. They shot water guns at a helium balloon to illustrate 'aiming' for wisdom. During the obstacle course they carried part of a brick this year and followed clues to find a marshmallow shooter.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sibling Recon 2013
School ended on May 24th! I was a little zealous and thinking that I only have a few years left of corniness being cool; I formed some celebration art for the boys our of former sib camp loot and their new hula hoops. They were amazed as David pulled the truck up the driveway and were way more excited about the hoops than I expected. (He had picked them up and K and I met them on the lane while attempting to get mail.) We played the hoops games with David joining in for the Hoop Side Step which he called "diving through". Korwyn loved catching her hoop as it would roll toward her on the return from Dad's spin toss. She also enjoyed "driver's seat".
June 2013
Day12013: Review of Why we do what we do: We reviewed "reconnaissance missions" and how we were going to "gather information through exploration" this summer about ourselves and each other. We went over Ephesians 4:2-3 and Psalm 133:1 and all our values and saw how we were going to discuss each of the five block values in the house for one week out of summer but excellence would be influencing it all. Laughter and experience would be sprinkled throughout much like confetti. They loved throwing that over block house. We then did first 3- legged race and saw similarity between the duct tape and values. There was the experience of getting through the hula hoop, helping the old lady with her groceries to car (wonder woman little people with play food) . The character building with naming things while lifting weights. The disappointment of inauthentic KitKat opening (crayons and eraser inside) and Laughter with some golf jokes. We read a bit of Jesus Storybook bible earlier and they fed each other some reeses cups while blind and unable to use arms for God's Purpose and Each other.
July 2013
During the week where we discussed God's Purpose values we discussed loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; learning/listening to Bible and God's guidance through others; Micah 6:8 orphans and widows, etc. We illustrated how we must trust by using the Hug-A-tree blindfold experiment where you are blindfolded and someone walks you to a tree that you explore with touch and sound, etc. They lead you away and then remove blindfold and you are supposed to pick which tree it was from the "forest". Verses: Deut 6:5;Lk 10:27; Josh 23:11; Micah 6:8; Ps 37:4;
Our next blindfold experiment was for "Each other" week where you started out walking being led by a brother and then they worked you up to a run (in wide open space). Quite an interesting feeling from both sides. Shouldering the "burden" of leadership as well as the dependence of "following". The three man carries below were utilized as we discussed what it means to share each other's joys and sorrows. Verses: Eph 4:2-3; Philippians 2:2-4
For our exploration of "Authenticity", we had a bit of a "wacky Wednesday" kind of day except it was Monday. Throughout their regular routines the boys encountered things that were not authentic: crayons masking as pop tarts, rocks masking as crayons, pine straw pretending to be silverware, fake Wii controller Smartie dispensers trying to be real ones, diapers in their underwear drawer, etc. We also discussed any ways they see us shooting for Authenticity in our family. They shared that they could see this lived out in our "man of word" talks, confession without extra punishment experiences, and mom and dad saying they messed up were some of ways as well as us all sharing how things make us feel. I asked if they had seen ways we fail, stating that we will fail in this area so to tell us if they see something. We also discussed how the world is inauthentic especially in media and watched part of the Dove Real Beauty video for men so they could see the camera tricks utilized to form what we see in ads and shows etc. They were astounded! Verses: Matt 23:25-28; 1 Sam 16:7b
2014
05-29: I hadn't really prepared as much for Sib Recon this year due to homeschooling and prepping for those days. I thought the boys would want a week or two with just no schedule of any kind - I think I was wrong. Cole was so ready to get the obstacle courses up and going, he created this one with a little help from Dax and Dax was eager to participate as soon as it was completed! It began with shooting hoops in the garage - each shots from different distances. I was so ecstatic to see how if they missed during this early stage of the course it was not a tragedy (observing maturity!!!!!)! They moved on to tossing the croquet balls into a blue bucket (here again - if miss, no bigs) Then came the building of the fort and the water break (which Cole had planned a prepped into the course having water - filled cups at the ready. Jumping rope followed on the way to riding their bikes together in sync around the house 3 times. For the finale they hung a bucket filled with water on a heavy pole and hoisted it together around the house. They had to compensate for height difference on hills etc to keep water from spilling and worked through this together with communication and team effort.
No comments:
Post a Comment