The Camper and the "Tornado"

This week Noah is enjoying his first experience with day camp. From 9-3:30 each day, he is being kept fully occupied at a YMCA camp run at a local nature reserve. The schedule for the "wee backpackers" is impressive - swimming, canoeing, fishing, orienteering, nature studies, relay games, water games, sing-a-longs, arts & crafts and more. The activities are spread out over quite a large area and the campers hike from one place to the next, carrying their backpacks which are filled with food, water, swimming gear and a few other odds & ends. The week has also happened to be very hot & muggy (at least for Minnesota standards) with highs around 90 or above. Needless to say, when Kai and I pick Noah up at the end of the day, he is exhausted!! I even asked him if he would like to stay home today but no, "I'm excited to go to camp!" was the response I got. In the meantime, the "tornado" (aka Kai) has been exhausting his mother by spending his days turning our house upside down - clearing all bookshelves he can find of books, emptying any kitchen cabinet/drawer that is not locked onto the floor, emptying any basket/container all over - and fully enjoying every minute of it. And here I thought I was going to get a bit of a break with only one child at home for the week.....