Makeover Monday

One of my FAVORITE things I did as a camp counselor was "Makeover Mondays". I was a counselor in the youngest girls cabin, and every Monday, cabin time was a huge hit with our campers.

What we would do:

1. Collect a bunch of makeup. Lots of nail polish, ridiculous eye shadow, outrageous lipstick colors, anything else we could find.

2. Spread it all out on the picnic table.

3. Give the campers free reign to give the counselors makeovers. Nails, hair, makeup--all fair game.

4. Go to lunch and show off our fabulous new looks. It usually looked a little something like this...

Campers often came back the next summer asking when we would get to do makeovers again, and they LOVED showing off their work to the rest of camp!

Saying Goodbye

In May, I'm starting a new job with the Y. Just 20 or so minutes down the road from where I am now--a great place, great people, a great job. I'm SO excited about it... it is a great opportunity for me, and I'm excited to get started. But starting a new job means leaving a place I love so much--and that is hard. I've been working at Kanata for about 1/3 of my life, and it is so much of who I am. I have learned so much from my time there, have met so many people that have changed my life, and have made so many memories that I will cherish forever. It will always be a part of me.

This weekend we had a mini-camp, and I was sitting down at the lake, watching campfire skits, as I have spent so many summer nights doing. Sitting there, surrounded by campers, watching the fire, singing familiar songs, and feeling so at home, I couldn't keep the tears from coming. I'm so excited about the future and about the new challenge of working at a great day camp this summer, but I know that every Friday night during the summer for years to come, my thoughts will drift over to the campfire that is going on down by the lake at a place that I love with all my heart.

There is no way that I can put into words all that Kanata has been for me and done for me, but it has shaped my life in so many ways, and it will always have a huge part of my heart... every year as the weather gets warmer and summer starts to roll around, I know I'll be going to Kanata in my mind.