Junior Guards during the pandemic looked the same in some ways and then very different in other ways.
Same uniform.
Same transportation to camp.
Same group of kids.
Mesa JGs.
And then womp, womp - small group cohorts.
Although nothing really made sense since they were still mixing and mingling. 🤷♀️
Prepping for the day one swim test.
They passed!
They passed!
Once in a while they said to put on a mask.🥴
At least they got some exercise and some fun that summer.
These two reconnected! ❤️
Harbor lunches post-guards.
Summer besties.
I love seeing the JGs biking to camp each summer especially when I know them. 😎
Post-guard swim dates.
Instead of a big group photo in real life, they photoshopped everyone together. 😆
Kelly Slater did make an appearance one day and signed shirts!
This dirty shirt hung in Thatcher's room for a while.
Thatcher entertaining on the JG insta channel.
Well earned Blenders post-camp!
No competitions, it wasn't the full summer and I'm not sure if the camp ever returned to the same price and way it was pre-covid. Glad we were able to have a good run prior to 2020!
My plan for summer camps this year was to spread them out so that we could have some weeks where we did absolutely nothing but enjoy Santa Barbara and then others where they could be with friends at camp and enjoy an activity (and I could get some work done). ;) I have to say, by the end of weeks where they went to camp, I was tired of having to drag them out of bed, rush through breakfast, get everyone dressed and get out the door. It was just as tiring as the school-year routine. BUT, on weeks when we didn't have camp, towards the end of the week, I was looking forward to putting them in camp! You can't win I've decided.
Samantha's first camp was Camp Kono and as luck would have it, her buddy, Merrick, was in her group!
We LOVE Camp Kono! Samantha says she wants to do it every summer until she can become a counsler at the camp which is exactly what Merrick's sister, Kate, has done. Samantha looks up to Kate so much!
Camp Kono is all about the arts. There is singing, dancing, painting, acting and even flamenco dancing!
It's a special treat when Sofia is there to perform and teach the kids.
Each morning they do a talent show where kids get up and perform all sorts of things from joke-telling, to hula hooping, to break dancing to singing. I was there one morning when Samantha went up and played piano on the keyboard. Our piano teacher, Gus, has done a great job coaching Samantha to just keep going when she makes a mistake. I could tell she was struggling mid-way through but I think she pulled it off in the end ;)
What I love most about Camp Kono is the performance at the end of the week. I couldn't get that great of a shot of Samantha but trust that she is was one of the blonde-haired girls (that doesn't help much with the makeup of this camp). I did get a kick out of Merrick (red shirt) in the dance portion. While you can only see glimpses of Samantha in the back right, Merrick was on point right up front doing the most serious version of the dance. And I have no idea where she was in the sea of blondes during the singing performance but I promise she was in there.
It's the one camp where the kids seem genuinely sad to leave new friends they've made and the camp counselors.
We are looking forward to next summer when BOTH Samantha and Thatcher can attend!
While Sam was at Camp Kono, this little guy did his first camp ever, Kindergarten Readiness Camp! Yep, not Batman camp like you would think. ;)
Hanging his back pack and lunch box up.
Circle time with new friends.
And some old friends. Shane will be with Thatcher in REAL kindergartner next week.
This camp is a must-do for kids entering kindergarten.
Sniff, sniff. Look at little 5-year-old Sammy way back when doing the same thing.
Now she's my tall Sporty Spice!
I can't help but think the word "energetic" has dual meanings when it comes to Thatcher.
Safety Town makes awesome pedestrians for sure! Crossing the street with new Safety Town graduates takes FOREVER as they "stop, look, listen" and refuse to cross the street with cars within view even if they are half a mile away. I'm also pretty sure the SBPD receives a fair amount of false 9-1-1 calls from these kids. They leave so intrigued at the thought of using that number!
Thatcher sort of half-sang/half-performed at Safety Town graduation. Although, he looks like he gave 110% compared to the little boy in the black hat next to him who completely blocked my view at one point!
Thatcher told me his favorite part of Safety Town was the free MTD bus pass he received. All the kids get to take a bus ride during the week. He said he's going to use his pass to take the bus to Yogurtland on his own. Yeah, that's real safe....
We LOVE Safety Town BUT it is the shortest camp ever so Thatch and I did spend a lot of lunches together waiting for Samantha to be done with her camp.
While we were chowing down at lunch, Samantha spent long days at basketball camp.
\
Proud of our Sammy for receiving Camper of the Day!!
The final camp was SB Fit Kidz. The best part of this camp was that they could both go together!!! One drop off, one pick up. Score!
Crazy Hair Day!
Both kids had fun playing soccer, lacrosse, football, jump roping and learning about healthy eating. Oh and they danced around to songs like "It's Raining Tacos" and "This is the Best Burrito I've Ever Eaten." In case you aren't familiar:
And just like that, summer vacation is ALMOST over. I'd way rather do more fun summer camps, beach days and lazy days with no schedule. And another trip to Hawaii would be good too! ;)
