A New Beginning

Well, there have been lots of changes around here. A new summer is begginning. A new camp has been created. Lots of things are different, but our focus is the same. Give teenagers the time of their life while showing and teaching them about the awesome God we all serve. The guys staff has been here for a week cleaning, mowing, painting, and having some major fellowship. A couple of girls have arrived also. We have been working on the kitchen set up and our bible studies for the summer. We have also been having lots of girl time, just like we'd never left camp at all. This year in the kitchen are me, Lesley again, and our head cook Sharley, who will soon be blogging away as well.

Something is coming to the kitchen this summer that is getting the staff so excited! Can you guess what it might be?!

BREAD! Everyday, our wonderful little kitchen is going to be receiving fresh baked bread from a local bakery! We were approached by Sundown Bakery offering their services for a killer deal. We accepted and now our kitchen will be filled with the aroma of sourdough, wheat berry, rye, cinnamon raisin, jalapeno cheddar and other wonderful fresh baked goodness. It almost seems to good to be true and the fellas are beyond thrilled at this new addition.

Here are some semi-recent pics of the leadership staff. All of whom will play a huge part in this summer, and all of whom you will hear about in this blog. So, welcome to the summer, welcome to Camp Kivu!

Goodbye Already?

Well, it's really hard to believe, but the kitchen is cleaner than it has ever been since the day it was created. We have spent the past 4 days cleaning every dish, every counter, every rack, floor, ceiling tile. Every surface in the entire kitchen has been inventoried, cleaned and stored away for the worst 9 months of a kitchen's life. It will be all alone waiting patiently like us all, for next summer...There are only a handful of staff left in camp. It has been one of the best summers I've had out here. Trying, tiring, exciting, and beautiful. We've had a fantastic staff, great weather, fun kids, great rafting, rock climbing, boating, hiking, camping, fishing, EVERYTHING! Camp is going to change a bit next year with a new name and new plans. It's going to be great! Check us out at http://www.campkivu.com/

If you miss our faces too much, here are a few pics of the leadership girls/team to gaze at until next summer. Special thanks to our moms for being the prime readers of our blog. C U @ KIVU!

STRATA!!!

Here you go...STRATA DAY!!!!

Ninjas in training...

This is what Cassie Jo prefers to do in the evenings. Many times she coaxes my kitchies into doing it too. I usually refuse, preferring a simple walk or a nice book. Nonetheless, she has fun being whipped into shape by the work-out instructors yelling from her computer screen. "Hey f-f-f fellas, hey l-l-l ladies, it's time to PARTY!" Not quite the party I prefer, but I did enjoy secretly filming their ninja training workout from tonight so you all can see what goes on in the kitchen after hours. I love this place! :)

oh yeah...i got caught!

Watermelon Days...

New Microwave and Chai Lattes

This is our newest addition to the camp kitchen. A much needed one as we have been without for five days. It's a Panasonic NE-1054 and the highlight of my day by far. Delvin rolled her off the truck around 11:30 AM and Lucas unpacked her and plugged her in. She's already been christened Penny due to her full name being displayed on her front, Panasonic. We have a Hobart dishwasher named Hobie so they're already becoming fast friends. This microwave will soon come in handy dearly as Caroline and I frequently use the microwave to make Chai Lattes after an afternoon nap or late in the evening when everyone's in bed and we just want to sit and watch YouTube videos in the dark of the kichen. Although we've gotten accustomed to making them on the stove during our five torturous days without the microwave and they do actually taste better that way. I know the microwave will be back in action soon. I'm so thankful today for new kitchen appliances and time spent with friends over Chai! Have a good one. Pirates VS Ninja's TONIGHT!!!!

HEAVEN!!!

Numbers

A few kitchen numbers for you:

0- degree temperature in the walk in freezer
1- hours I spent cleaning out said freezer this morning
3- sweatshirts I wore
4- towels wrapped around hands and head strategically duct-taped by loving kitchies

8- 18"x24" trays of biscuits served at breakfast
15- 18"x24" trays of sausage served at breakfast
20- gallons of milk

40- gallons of juice going on trip today
176- sandwiches trip packer made for trips today
384- chocolate chip cookies going on trip today

160- campers at camp
180- pounds of turkey eaten by campers at the masquerade ball last night
400- apple turnovers eaten by campers at the same party

900- plates kitchies will wash today
900- cups "
900- forks "

4- loads of laundry a day (28 towels and rags, 42 aprons)
1,960- floor tiles swept and mopped by the kitchies twice daily
5,000- sq. feet of saran wrap that came in our Tuesday shipment

25- minutes spent calculating all this
86- minutes til we're back in the kitchen for lunch!
14- happy kitchies and cooks who all this would not be possible without!















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