Oh, the things that make me miss Camp Cavett….

…like limo sized golf carts and hanging out with my BFF Gabbi….who I’ll always say instigated everything we’ve ever done and all those pesky gray hairs we caused to our cabin counselors…. Let’s just say Camp Cavett is never complete without the two of us!

On another note…have y’all ever seen these kinds of golf carts?  I hadn’t until now, they’re definitely quite difficult to drive and I mostly stuck to the regular sized ones when toting all the campers around.  Fabulous!

Let’s revisit my dear ole’ Camp Cavett days, shall we?  Once again, digging up old photos from the past.  So….braces and a horrific sun burn.  I’d say I’m about 17 here, just a mere 10 years ago.  Doesn’t seem like it’s really been that long ago, we were all so very young, too young and maybe even a bit naive.

This year we had several dances (we all LOVE to dance & have fun), one of them was the 50′s Dance where all the campers dressed up in poodle skirts (that we made!).  Some of us didn’t leave the arts & crafts room that day….ahem.

Group shot with my best friends Dad.  I do believe this was the first Camp Cavett without Cassie, which just made camp twice as hard.  Although, it was great getting to hang out and just be kids for once.  That didn’t happen very often.

Couldn’t get the flip flops dirty, so what was the best thing to do?  Catch a ride on the back of a golf cart, that’s what!  You see where Camp Cavett is held at is HUGE, so golf carts are rented or donated to take us around camp.

Gabs.  We’ve been through hell and back.  10 years have practically flown by and each time we’ve hit a rough patch we’ve come out on the other side with flying colors.  It’s been amazing getting to spend each year at camp with you!  …you know until we got older…

As another year of Camp Cavett winds down, I’m reminded of all the years I spent at camp.  I love and miss that place dearly, I’m hopeful I’ll make it down next year.  So for now, I’ll be reminded of about this time this year, Camp Cavett is winding down and campers are doing exactly what we were doing so long ago.

I grew up driving my dads bass boat and practically living on the water at times.  Daddy-O rarely let us drive the boat, but on a very rare occasion he would.  I’m almost positive he never let us was on account on our driving records.  Growing up, I didn’t have the squeaky clean driving record I do now…ahem.  So, when you’re at camp and the bass guide offers to let you drive his boat, you do it!

Here we go.  Poor guide never got the memo on how horrible of a driver I really am.  We didn’t crash into another boat, run aground or hit a stationary object in the water.  I’d say I did pretty darn well. Ha!

Slowly mashing the throttle down.  I secretly wanted to just wham the sucker down and see what kind of power it had.  I didn’t do that, instead we just moseyed along out in the water with no real place to go.

My third year a camp.  I came out of my shell as I went by myself this year.  I met some of the greatest life-long friends and had a blast that year.  It’s hard to believe that 16 years ago I met my best friend, someone I talk to almost daily and someone who can relate to me when others can’t.

Traveling home from Camp Cavett one year.  Less than 10 of us on a charter bus.  Still not sure how that happened, but believe me we were all excited we got the bus almost all to ourselves.

Looks like it’s time for the campers to go home.  Hard to believe Camp Cavett goes by as quickly as it does.  Makes me sad sometimes that it goes by so quickly.

I should be shakin’ my tail feathers tonight at the Camp Cavett dance.  Instead, I’m in Norman not having as much fun as I should.  I’m completely bummed out I didn’t make it down to camp this year, but there’s always next year…..

Let’s just say I got a tad bit of sun this summer.

My BFF Gabbi & our BFF’s  Dad taking time out at the dance for a quick photo op.

Would you look at that hair.  What was I thinking?  There’s always time for plenty of photos when the dance is winding down…especially when you carry your camera everywhere.

Doing some quick learning on how to dance….yeahhhhh.  That worked wonderfully don’t ya think.

We’re die hard campers, mud war vets, and we sure know how to have a good time.  We’re survivors. We’ve been through hell and back & lived to tell about it.  It may not look like we’ve won the war, but I assure you, for these kids the fun is getting extremely dirty and making sure the boys “get it”.

See, aren’t we darling.  We sure know how to rock camp.  I had the best campers that year and was so proud of my girls!!

In a span of about 15 years I’ve met some pretty amazing people.  People I’ve known since we were young, very young.  Before we knew the meaning of life.  Before we knew life could be so fragile.  Before we knew what we know now.  Life was simple back then.

Sure, we all did some growing up through the years.  Although, I didn’t do much growing.  I’m still dreaming I’ll reach 5 foot one day….still dreaming.

Joshy.  He’s the best and greatest tubing partner a girl could ever have.  I wanted to tube earlier in the week and he got out on the water with me.  Going at some pretty killer speeds, I was just happy he was out there with me….until he decided to try and knock me off.

My BFF of nearly 16 years.  Where on earth has the time gone?  It doesn’t seem like we should be this old at all.  Guess we’ve all gotta grow up sometime.

Let’s just say the dance theme was “All Around the World”.  I didn’t get the memo this year, so it was just a normal dress code & an arm tattoo.  Air brush tattoos are my new friends.

Jaycee Jo & I hanging out during the camp dance last year.  I miss this chick.  She got married & moved away several years ago, so now we only speak by Facebook.  This is when I become thankful for Facebook & allowing me to keep in contact with friends who live all over my great state.

Hanging out at Camp Cavett as campers.  Actually, our last year as campers.  It was one of the first years I didn’t dye my hair an odd ball color and didn’t get sun burned beyond belief mostly because I found that sunscreen actually works.  Who would’ve thought?.

Would you look at that?  Normal.  Well minus the huge wet spot on my jeans from having another camper throw a water balloon at me.  Oh yes, hard to believe isn’t it?  We’re crazy campers.  God love us.

I definitely am not your average run of the mill girl.  I’ve experienced things that many might not live to tell about.  I’ve done things that certainly most any parent (including my own) would cringe if they only knew.  But, since we’re not going there & my mom reads my blog it’s probably best to stick to the things she’s already well aware of.  I’m definitely not making a ‘tell all’ out of the blogging world, but I most definitely will share some of my first memories of Camp Cavett….and Sun-In.  Ha-Ha.

In 1997, I attended the first ever Camp Cavett.  FIRST. Now, 15 years later I’m preparing to attend once more as a volunteer.  Fifteen.  That’s just a few years shy of half my age.  It’s hard to imagine that half of my life has been spent in the waters of Lake Texoma, fishing for Striper, getting ‘pulled in’ by one heck of a monster Bass, and making some of the best friends that I’ll ever have.  Most importantly though, I’ve definitely had a blast at camp all of these years and I intend to do so for a few more.

Most of you all may be wondering if I lost my mind or if my parents lost theirs for sending me to a camp that gives you this opportunity.  Never in my life have I sat on top of a saddled Longhorn and probably never will again.  It really wasn’t that scary, but at 14 I really wasn’t scared of a whole lot (except for those dang Copperhead snakes).  I stepped so far outside the box this year it wasn’t even funny.  I did things I never knew I could and I learned so much about myself and just who I was.  That’s a lot to take in being only 14 at the time.  So, let’s not mention this to my fellow OU peers or for that matter any OU Fans.  I’m not a Longhorn fan.

Charlie’s Angels was somewhat of a big movie during this summer.  It’s crazy to believe just how long ago that was.  I don’t think I have a ‘normal’ picture of just camp, mostly because camp isn’t normal and we tend to act all sorts of crazy down there.  Isn’t that what camp is all about though?  A chance to let loose & just be yourself.  That’s what I did as a camper & that’s what I still do today.  Just leave out the hair dye, my boy crazed friends & myself, and the bright ideas I always had about those darn tubing records.  Scratch that.  Leave out that last part, I still have my bright ideas about setting that gosh darn tubing record and proving to the boys that ‘I still got it’ or that despite everything I’ve overcome I CAN do it.  Maybe that’s it, my need to prove to myself that I can do things and will continue to do things when others thought I might never be able to or that what I wanted to do just wasn’t a ‘good idea’.  Trust me.  I’ve had plenty of those chats about ‘good ideas’ vs. what my parents thought I should do.

Would you look at those shoes though?  If I was never going to grow, those puppies sure did the trick.  So happy the fad of platform shoes disappeared I liked to of worn those shoes out.

P.S. to this day I’m still that tiny…actually a bit smaller, but you get the idea.

And the final infamous photo of the camp director; Danny Cavett & I.  Nearly 13 years ago this photo was snapped to remember one of the best camps that I had been to.  One of the best because it will always be remembered as the one where I had never experienced a death (other than a family member or two) and most definitely had not experienced a great friend my age dying.  I went from one of the worst experiences I had ever been through that summer to one of the best.  I’m glad I overcame what I was going through and went on to make some of the most memorable & hard to forget memories.  It’s one for the books y’all!

Life isn’t easy.  It can suck.  And I’m not talking teenage drama either.  Death.  It’s one of the hardest concepts I’ve ever had to come to grips with.  Losing a loved one is never ever easy.  Hell, losing a friend that you’ve known for 15 years of you adult life is difficult.  Especially when that friend is your age and was there for you during some of your roughest years to date.  How do you deal?  Well it’s not easy, nothing is.  You come to terms with the fact that your friend is in a better place, she’s no longer suffering, you’ll get to see her again — someday, she’s hanging out with the friends that you’ve both lost in this journey we all call life, and she has one of the best seats in the house to watch the Sooners play football every fall.  That’s how you get through each day.  That.  Is.  Life.

Camp Cavett counselors, we rocked & had a blast doing it!

The last photo we ever took together.  As the dance at Camp Cavett was winding down, I made for dang sure we at least got one photo to compare from years past.  Her funeral was today in my hometown & I can’t make it because of deadlines for school.  I feel like crap for not being able to be there, but I know she’d understand.

-David Harkins

Yes, we socialize outside of Camp Cavett.  When we’re not hot, sweaty and have lake watery hair.  It’s great getting dressed up with the old gang and enjoying a nice meal with everyone and catching up.  A year is just too long to go without seeing those friends who have been through everything with you.  Thank goodness for Facebook and phones.

Of course we’re old enough to enjoy the night life too.  Although Gabbi & I don’t really dress up to go out, just throw on some makeup and go to dinner or a movie.  Oh yeah, some big partiers we are now.

It’s a tradition that Gabbi & I take a picture with Danny every year.  That is, only if we can find him.  Some years we’ve met our goal and others we haven’t.  Because of this you can actually see me grow up in photos from camp, all the years I thought sunscreen wasn’t intended for me, and when I wanted to push the envelope and grow up just a little bit more than my parents were letting me.  Oh yes, trying being 13 and slathering on the makeup so you look closer to 16.  I did that, I think everyone did that.

When did I become so short?  Anyone wanna fill me in on that answer?  I’ve always been little, but I just expected I’d grow someday.  My someday never came, as I’m still waiting on a growth spurt! (Kidding, well kinda.)  We’ve battled our demons and came out on top.  It’s awesome to still be friends with all of the campers 14 years later.  Wow.

Gabbi & I have always been the “bigger” kids of camp.  It seems like now the ‘babies’ of Camp Cavett all those years ago are now GRADUATING and going to college.  Ick.  Can time really fly that fast?  I’m not sure I love the idea of growing older, but the kids of Camp Cavett are in fact growing up.  Both a sad and great thing for them…and me.

Ahhh, yes.  Camp Cavett.  It will always be Camp Cavett.  This is the view as you pull into camp.  Lots of trees everywhere.  Copperheads hid out and waiting to be found.  Campers running down to the water awaiting their turn are skiing, tubing, going down the Ice Burg, and just having a good time at camp.  These were my experiences and more.  I love coming back again and again.  I honestly never knew just how much of an impact this camp would have on me until now.

The dock at camp.  It’s waiting for next year.  For all those tubers to walk out on the dock and catch a ride from the boat dock.  Next year, it’ll be here before any of us know it.

One of the most serene places at camp.  All of those late nights at camp were spent down at Crosspoint as a group.

Our campers are loaded up and ready to go home.  Although, I’m not sure about the ready part.  I never was ready to come back home, but I did.  I could’ve lived at Camp Cavett year round, although that was never an option. Ha!

Because Camp Cavett is full of activities for the kiddos to take part of, you’re usually forced to grab whatever is available and chow down.  For instance, a cup of coffee full of creamer & sugar and 2 twinkies.  Not the breakfast of champions, but when you’re pressed for time it’ll have to do.  I’m usually having to go through several cups of coffee because we all wake up before the sun even breaks to set up for the campers.  Needless to say I’m one tired girl by the time camp is coming to a closing.

We can be at camp less than a few hours and already commandeer a golf cart.  Then comes the walkie talkie and we’re out on our own to do whatever we please.  Oh yes, we strike again.

Paul has been coming to the camp ever since I can remember.  He’s always let Gabbi & I do whatever we please and would take us into town on several occasions for “supplies” needed for our mud fights or getting the boys back for doing crap to our cabins.  Man oh man, does he have several stories on both of us.  Some of which I was reminded of last summer.

It’s great to be able to get out on the boat and just take in the scenery.  Breathe in that fresh Oklahoma air.  Swim in the great lake of Texoma.  Be a kid or relive memories of what it was like being a kid all those years ago at camp.

Double Trouble & Trouble.  Heard those nicknames before?  Well here we are.  Years later after we’ve semi-stopped causing trouble at camp.  Funny how showing up at a camp everyone will recall your names and then pull out the stories they have on you.  There are so many things I’ve forgotten that I was reminded of when I returned to spend the weekend Summer of 2010.  Crazy hair colors.  Bruises.  Tubing Records.  The Camp Dance…etc.  Lots of great memories and adventures with the people who understand everything about you.

Goofing off with a camera, why not?  I can take tons of photos now because I’ve got a digital camera.  Audios 35mm, I’m no longer limited in the pictures I take.  I love coming home with millions of photos to sort through.

So, I shocked my family this summer and decided to get to work on a dream I’ve always had.  …a sleeve…at tattoo sleeve that is.  It maybe wasn’t the best idea I’ve had, so thank goodness it was washable and it came right off in the hot shower I hopped in hours later, after our camp dance.

This year the camp dance theme was “Around the World”.  Did I get this memo?  No.  Instead I just wore regular clothes and danced with all the kiddos out in the middle just like old times.  Definitely had to take a photo with this guy since he’s the one who dubbed Gabbi & I with our nicknames.  Just like the year I attended camp without her and I was completely lost without her the entire time.  I didn’t know what to do, my better half and instigator was missing out on all the action of camp that year.

And proof I’m a little crazy at camp.  Need I say more?

Ever gone fishing and caught nothing?  I haven’t.  Not ever.  Well, until this past summer.  Every summer Camp Cavett takes two fishing trips, both guided trips with some of the most amazing guides that donate their time to come help our kids catch what have been some of the first fish they have ever caught in their lives.  That’s pretty neat if you ask me!  My awesome ‘Partner in Crime’ also known as ‘Trouble’ and I have skunked our competition for years, until this year.  Between both of us we caught a total of….drum roll please…..one.  That’s right 1.  One that dear ole’ Partner in Crime had to have help with getting him off.  That was the first and last fish we caught that day….we were majorly skunked this year.  Hopefully next year we’ll be able to turn things around.  At least we can build on our measly single fish we caught this year.

Who knew how much work it was to pull off a fishing day?  I know I sure didn’t.  Going to Camp Cavett all those years, not once did I ever realize how early someone had to be up to set up this special day for the kids.  Good thing for a cup of coffee, half a cup of sugar & lots of creamer.  What a way to start my morning!

Poor Bill,  he wasn’t too happy with either one of us that he was having to take a fish off our line.  After all, we’ve been fishing for the past 14 years, I think we should’ve figured out how to do this by now….but it’s also a plus when someone else volunteers getting his hands dirty and fishy smelling.

Chatting with one of our awesome kiddos we convinced to fish in our ‘secret’ spot.  I have no idea how many fish he caught, but it seemed like every time I turned around he had a new fish on his line.  It was great seeing him get all excited over whatever would bite his line, which was my favorite part of this day.

And then the rain came.  All of the sudden the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down.  Literally.  We were all sitting around a table eating hamburgers and it was like someone dumped a bucket of rain on all of us.  No warning, just rain.  Needless to say, my soggy hamburger bun wasn’t appealing after that.

You see, at Camp Cavett I was once known as the Tubing Queen.  I kid you not.  I could put the boys to shame with my skills and it took something major to knock me off the tube.  I just didn’t let go for the heck of it — I’d have to flip upside down to go flying off.  Which sparked a big debate and contest when I decided to go out on the water and see if I still had it.   Turns out.  I do.

As a warm up for what was about to come, a few campers & some of the counselors went out and kicked back tubing.  It was a blast being at Camp Cavett again.  In nearly 15 years the grounds have hardly changed and all of the same memories are still there.  It’s funny to turn to the ones who have been going as long as I have and say “Remember When….” those were the days.

You learn to make up your own fun when you’re tubing behind a slower boat.  You take risks and act a bit crazier and just have fun.  I love being able to relax & enjoy the scenery while out on the lake.  Makes me want to go now.  Too bad it’s too cold for tubing in November.

Now in the next series of events be prepared.  I’m quite positive my Mom is going to have a fit over my constant need to take chances and make bets with the boys.  I rarely ever lose — I can’t stand to lose.  It’s all or nothing and you better believe I’m going to do whatever I can to come out on top.  Now in a series of photos you’ll see what I’ve put her through during my Camp Cavett years and well into adulthood.  Now if only I could find the photo that precedes this first one and we’d be all set for the wild tubing adventure I had at Camp Cavett this past summer.

Turns out one of our campers couldn’t hold up his end of the bargain.  As told by a few other campers in our boat, our tubes hit a bump and went flying.  Some of them said we flew like they’d never seen any one fly before.  I just remember seeing the wave we were about to hit, thinking a few swear words in my head, hanging on for dear life and then seeing the water below me.  It all happened so fast.

This was around the moment I saw my life flash before my eyes.  When I knew I had to hold on tight and show these boys and everyone else on the boat exactly what I was made of.  That I could dish out just about whatever was thrown my way.  I always have, no way was I going to change them now.  Not after I made the bet with one of our campers & alumni that I’d be the only one left standing after our go around tubing this year.

Now this is something.  Try being bounced around so much that you land on top of the empty tube on the outside of the wake.  It was sort of thrilling to do that, I’ve tubed since I was 5 and not once have I ever rode on top of another tube while still being on my tube.  At least I still managed to hold on tight.  Through all the obstacles that have come my way, I’m still standing.

Audios Josh, I’m in this for the long haul.  It was about this time that I realized I did it. Sticking it out and being the last one on the tube at the end of our ride felt amazing.  I have to thank my Partner in Crime for taking all the photos of our wild ride though, she did an amazing job getting every detail and how the events played out and that my story wasn’t a ‘tall tale’ from my 14th summer at Camp Cavett….it was real.

Our driver still thought he could knock me off.  Boy was he wrong!  After a few zig zags he realized there was no way I was falling off and he turned around to go pick up the boys from our tubing adventure I took them on.  Neither one of them were happy when they realized I was still on my tube.  Sorry boys, better luck next year!

Relieved.  That’s all I could think about.  Well that and the fact that I totally kicked butt tubing this year.  Who saw that one coming?  I did.