Winter Camp

I didn't want the monkeys to be home playing video games for their entire winter break, so I signed them up for Winter Camp at the JCC last week. The plan was for them to do basketball in the morning (they had a Grizzlies Camp coinciding with Winter Camp) and then swim and play games in the afternoon until Warren and I could pick them up.



When I told them that I signed them up for basketball camp, they cried. Big, sad tears. Even though they've been enjoying playing basketball for Evergreen Presbyterian they know that they are not good. They mostly like playing because all of their friends are playing. When I told them that I didn't think any of their friends had signed up for basketball camp they had a second round of tears.

Seriously.

I eventually got them on board. I told them they could do art instead of basketball if they wanted, and I agreed to give them money for the vending machine.



Pictured above is the "healthy" vending machine at the JCC. There are two junky ones one either side of it. Those are the ones that the monkeys shoved all of my money in. They negotiated a deal in which I agreed to give them $1 on Monday, $2 on Tuesday, and so on. (By Wednesday they didn't even want money!)

When I picked them up the first day, they were all smiles and raving about art. I was glad that they had fun, but disappointed that they didn't try basketball. And they refused to go swimming. (They are weird about changing their clothes in front of other people.)



On Tuesday they promised to try basketball, but they still refused to swim.

By Wednesday they were back to art, and had made some friends. They also learned how to play "War." When I told them that I used to play with Tracey when I was little, Satchel said, "They had it all the way back then?" I nodded. "How is it still fun?" he asked in awe.



Thursday they were rabid for their electronic devices, since they insisted every other kid was bringing their DS or iPod, but I stayed strong. I was happy to find them running around enough to work up a sweat.



On Friday I had to practically drag them out of there and I wasn't allowed to leave without talking to the mom of their new friends so we could plan a play date.

All in all I'd say it was a success.

This week, they get to hang at the house with Warren and do whatever they want between raking leaves and assisting with porch building.