Week 3 OV-ER

I can't believe that I am writing about how this week is already over! We did SO MANY THINGS. We wanted to wring out all that we could of this week, which meant day trips out of camp, nights that we stayed up until midnight (like the high school campers) and going on 9 mile hiking trips to the top of a 13-thousand foot mountain!

It has been AMAZING! We are slap-worn out! Everyone is crying. Emotional. Exhausted. It is wonderful. Over 150 kids stood up and proclaimed that they accepted Jesus into their hearts last night on the final night of camp. It was incredible.
One boy said, "I've never heard any of this before. I want Jesus." Talk about the tears.

So here at the pictures:

Asher has "joined" the Work Crew and helps with the welcome every week. He carries bags and has turned into a little mascot. It is hilarious. 

Camp was super full this past week with over 400 campers. We have even MORE this upcoming week! The dining hall is JAMMED. 

Lucy and the other little girls on the assigned team find ways to get all their gear from the Volleyball tournament. It is hilarious every week. 

The rodeo is one of my favorite events every week. It never gets old. 

LOOK HOW OLD ASHER LOOKS.
It is blowing me away every single day here. 

This is the setup for what is called the "Western Revue". Matt and Will sing Western songs, tell jokes, do Western-type performances. It is hard to describe but it one of the best nights of the week at camp. It involves all of the assigned team kids. Here, Matt is giving them all instructions on being in the McAwesomestache Family Band. 

Here is the band. 

This is what is looks like when the lights come one and 400-something high school students and leaders are here! It is all set out doors under the Colorado sky and lit by lanterns. It is truly a magical night. 

We went to Rancho Caballo on Tuesday. It is a ranch that is run by Trail West the Young Life Family Camp that is 30 minutes away. They have a little petting zoo type area and gave our kids pony rides. The family camp does incredible things that is similar to a week of YL camp but based on family type activities. So they take families on jeep rides, go rafting and do awesome YL clubs and events all week long too. We were excited to visit for the day. 

Again, Asher looks like a giant. Hilarious. Next year he will have to ride the actual horses they have. Geez. 

On Wednesday we went to St. Elmo. A ghost town where you can feed chipmunks and well...that's about it. It is pretty random. But our kids had a blast. 

It was the night that never ends again on Wednesday night!
The kids were geared up and ready! 

On Thursday, it was High Country Day. We hiked Mt. Chrysolite. Asher wanted to go on the hike so after going to bed at midnight, we got him at up 6:30 and got ready for the mountain. Ever gone hiking with 400 high school students before? It is something to behold. 

He made it to the top like a champ! I was so proud of him! We had a great day hiking together. Matt had to help some campers for much of the hike up, but Asher and I had so much fun planning his birthday, chatting about life, third grade, etc. It was the highlight of the month for me. I don't know if you can tell by how much I am CHEESING FOR THE CAMERA! 

It is truly one of the most beautiful places to behold. Mostly because it is takes such an incredible effort to get 400 people of all kinds of abilities to the top of the mountain. I cry every time. 

This is Greta Millet. Matt did program with her dad back in 2002 and 2003. When she was younger than Asher. Now she is a camper. AND, she lives in Boerne,TX. Same town as Amy Noll. AND her parents started YL in Albany, GA. Where my parents live.  Pretty bizarre little world I live in. 

My little man feeling the accomplishment of a 13k mountain under his belt. 

Just taking it in. I love them.

This was how much snow was on the top. It was a LITTLE CRAZY. Up to Asher's waist.
This is why we haven't done the hike the last two weeks. 

This is about a 1/2 mile from the finish of the hike. And Asher is still in a good mood sticking his tongue out at the camera. He is hilarious. I love him! 

Our family portrait at the top! 

The sound intern took this picture on Wednesday night. Asher has taken to jumping on the wagon and helping to lead the dances with Matt and the program team. It is hilarious because he really can dance and he has NO fear. He just dances, HARD. It has been a great week here. 

We only have a few days left! We are meeting up with our high school friends to take them to Crooked Creek so they can have the best week of their lives next week. But this is our LAST week at Frontier Ranch. I can believe it!

Week 2 Update

This week has flown by!

I have been battling a cold that has now turned into a sinus infection, so if anyone wants to come out to Colorado and pay their last respects, now is the time. It really fees like death is knocking at my door (sadly) and I am hoping for a quick recovery. But in the meantime, I thought I would share with you some highlights from the week.

The kids have been having tons of fun! Frisbee golf, the bead cart, the Knoxville campers brought with them a game called "Spike Ball" and Asher has been killing it. Also, he and Charlie (his 7 year old best friend here) have been playing basketball and volleyball day and night and the work crew have been mightily impressed with their skills.

Lucy is writing and drawing as always and her stories are hilarious. I mean, hilarious. She has a brown haired doppleganger named Jessie and they spend from sunup to well past sundown together making up dances, singing songs etc. It is a kids paradise here.

I have been on my running streak here (39 days of running between Memorial Day and 4th of July), you just have to run at least one mile a day and post a picture daily of your accomplishment. It is through Runners World and I am so afraid that today will be my first day of missing. But I feel so icky. I don't know if even a 15 minute mile will be good for me. Ugh. I will be sad. I've run 12 days straight.

Me: Running outside in Colorado. Breathing what little oxygen there is. 

We'll see, I might do it anyway.

We've had a lovely week and these campers leave tonight! New ones (almost ALL from Texas) pull into camp tomorrow. It will be our third week already! CRAZY.

Matt is definitely exhausted. 

The sunsets here are incredible.

Matt and Will in their characters Quince and Splish as British Talent Scouts at the VMA's. It takes too long to explain. 

The pool party on the campers first night. SO MUCH FUN. 

The kids on the cart at the Volleyball tournament. 

My handsome cowboy. One girl even said he looked like Brad Pitt. I'll take that. 

Me and my little cowgirl.

Eat her with a spoon.

Handsomest kids around

And the sassiest.

Asher said "three high school girls wanted their picture taken with me last week." I bet they did. Heartbreaker.
He then spent the night on the cart leading camp in the dance. No lie. HE BROKE IT DOWN. It was awesome. 

This is our cabin. Lookout. Jim Rayburn would spend his summers here. It is AWESOME.

Our living room. Its casual. 

Obviously, our days are SUPER FULL. It is like living three days during one day. No wonder I'm sick!

We can't wait to have another week and a 1/2 here!

The Night That Never Ends

We had the "Night That Never Ends" at camp on Wednesday night.

All of camp gets dressed up in 1890's Western wear and we have a giant spaghetti dinner, carnival, a conclusion to the program with a crazy opera and then a giant square dance. All of this takes place from  7pm until midnight.

It is one of the best nights of the week and it can only be captured in pictures.

The kids were waiting to head down to the infield. We can't let the high schoolers know about "cowboy night" so we have to hideout in our cabin. Check out all the details in this picture. You can see our cabin was built in the 1930's. A real frontier cabin with rough hewn logs. It is like Little House on the Prairie. 

 This is the kids favorite night!

My high school girls on Work Crew. Both dressed hilariously.

You can see how magical the night is. Of course, it did end up snowing! It was SO COLD! 

This is our Buncombe County YL crowd out here. We are missing one guy who was busy setting up the sound. On the far left is our NEW INTERN Jimmy! 

And you can see if here the video scrapbook of the week so far: Frontier Ranch Video Scrapbook

It has been a fun week so far. We are hoping for the weather to warm up next week. The middle of this week has been a bit cold with a little snow but nothing like Crooked Creek which saw actual accumulations yesterday! GEEZ!

We are so glad to be here. Asher discovered the joy that is playing frisbee golf and has had a huge amount of adventure with his buddy Charlie and Lucy is having so much fun with all the little girls here.

We are just one week into this! Three weeks to go :)

Common Sense

"Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

Trust completely in God, and when He brings you a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis--only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God."

Oswald Chambers

My Utmost for His Highest

May 30

Incredible day

You might get tired of the barrage of photos, but seriously...

The weather here is amazing. The skies are so blue. It is the perfect temperature. I'm so mad I left my "real" camera at home so you will have to make due with my iPhone pics. 

High school girls from Alaska graciously gave Lucy and her girlfriends here at camp these tutus and crowns at the volleyball tournament today. They were in heaven.

This is the panoramic shot from the rodeo tonight. I mean...look at the sky. The clouds on the mountains. It was incredible.

I can't help it, I love seeing these girls everywhere I turn! 

We have some campers here with sensitivity to firearms, so we the program guys improvised and used slingshots tonight. Hilarious. Trust me. 

We are doing great here and can't believe that it is only Monday! All of friends back home are heading to school tomorrow and we have a big pool party on tap here. Life at camp is grand! 

This week!

We have campers from:

Scottsdale, Arizona

Anchorage, Alaska (military base kids)

Anchorage, Alaska (townies)

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Arkansas Valley

Knoxville, Tennessee 

Pray for their leaders, families and friends at home, cabin times, and all that happens during this week of camp! 

Pray for our work crew, summer staff and assigned team as we serve these high school students.