I love summer.
For two summers after high school I spent my time on crutches or in a walking boot. I had ankle reconstructive surgery (one each summer), and did a lot of physical therapy. I had extremely weak ankles all through high school, and actually missed about half of my senior year of basketball from ankle sprains. The surgery helped, but I still sprain my ankles pretty easily.
After that, my summers were much more fun. For the past five summers I have worked as a kid’s counselor at summer camps and a guest ranch. I love working with kids and have really enjoyed all of the beautiful places I’ve worked at.
In 2006 I worked at Skylake Yosemite Camp near Yosemite National Park. It was your typical rustic outdoorsy camp that most people imagine when they think of summer camps. I was in charge of a group of young girls who I lived with in a cabin, and I also helped lead horseback trail rides.
In 2007 and 2008 I worked at Summer at Santa Catalina in Monterey, CA. This camp was affectionately referred to as “Princess Camp” because it was an all-girl camp and everyone lived in nice dorms and did activities like cooking, creative writing, swimming, yoga, and horseback riding at an upscale equestrian center (which I helped at). It was an awesome place to work, and I met campers from all around the world (a few celebrity’s children as well!). My sister is actually working there now, and I’m thinking about going to visit her in a few weeks.
In 2009 and 2010 I worked at Waunita Hot Springs Ranch in Colorado. Waunita is a dude ranch owned by the Pringle family and provides an all-inclusive week-long vacation in the Rocky Mountains. It’s such a wonderful place and the people there are amazing. I was in charge of the children’s program and basically planned all of the activities for the kids who came with their families. We did things like nature hikes, making ice cream, painting and racing wooden boats in a creek, making friendship bracelets, scavenger hunts, swimming in the hot-springs-fed pool, and (of course) horseback riding. I was lucky enough to get to go on several horseback trail rides both summers I was there, and now that I’m not there this summer, I am suffering from horsey withdrawal. 
If you ever get a chance to go to Waunita, it will be “the best week of your year!” (I promise!)
…………..
This summer has been pretty uneventful compared to all of the previous ones. I decided not to work away from home this summer because I now have my puppy to take care of (who is so worth it!) and I’m hoping to get some interviews for teaching jobs soon, and want to be available for that. I also haven’t found a good summer job yet, but I’m hoping to soon, because otherwise I will be broke all summer! 
So my plans for the rest of the summer are to:
- Continue blogging
- Play softball in an adult league
- Train for the Survivor Mud Run, and get healthy
- Go hiking (Half Dome in August!)
- Try new recipes
- Enjoy the hot Central Valley summer (haven’t in 5 years; I actually kind of missed it)
- Help with my friend’s baby shower in July (she’s having twins!)
- Teach Dobby tricks and to walk on a leash
- Find some source of income
- Find a teaching job for the fall!
Question: What are your plans for the summer?
Stop and Smell the Wildflowers 