Ever so often we must update you on our great-grandchild Bella. She will soon be 3 months old. Here she is in one of her 4th of July outfits (Yes, she actually had two outfits!). Tiffany is our youngest grandchild and Bella's aunt, We just heard this week that she prayed to accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. What exciting news! We feel like we are doing the Lord's will by volunteering at Pondersa, but it's these milestone events that we miss back home.
Last week we had almost 300 kids here for day camp. One of the churches in the area does a day camp at Ponderosa instead of a VBS. The kids move from station to station during the day. Some stations are activities like this tug of war on the left and bungee jumping on the right. There were also other stations all over camp that were biblical characters dressed in costume telling various Bible stories. Thank the Lord for these wonderful leaders who spend weeks preparing for this week and then accompany the kids to camp.
Each year one of the churches from Loveland, CO take over Ponderosa. One of the optional activities is to participate in a cake decorating contest. Chef Don provides the cakes and the kids do the decorating. Here are just some of the entries. They are incredible. Tasted good too!
Kids love the snack bar so they don't mind waiting in line at times. L-o-n-g lines! One of the new things we are selling this year are pickles! They have been a big hit. Believe it or not but we are also selling pick-l-sycles made with frozen pickle juice. We got the idea from one of the staff where they were sold at Little League games.
Some times we make poor choices. A mother who attended camp with her child decided Ponderosa would be a good place to give a driving lesson. This picture was taken behind the cafeteria. It is a small area with a one-way road with parking for 6 or 7 cars. As you can see, the result was running into the cafeteria and having extensive damage to her car. Awkward!!!
This is our nurse intern Megan and the chef's daughter, Emily, who stopped by the snack bar after going on a night-time hike in the rain.
Here Nancy is helping some young campers at the drink bar. The coffee/latte/cappucino/hot chocolate/expresso machine was a big hit. Again, not always a good choice, but after all, when we get away from home and go to camp, almost anything goes!
This big boy was seen near the prayer chapel one afternoon. He looks to me like he is confessing something! He and a cinnamon bear are seen every few days around camp.
In past years, we have had squirrels, assorted birds, and deer visit our camp site. This year we have turkey(s). The first one that came, that Nancy named Bertha, makes a visit to our campsite regularly. Evidently she likes what she finds because she is now bringing several of her buddies. Abby is not quite so quick to challenge them as she is the squirrels!
At the right is Mason, our Director's son who was one of three Boy Scouts selected to welcome home troops and provide them with their first taste of Mickey D's in several months.
