We will be having some ridiculously random days at camp as usual. What would camp be without some spontaneity? We do, however, know how much you guys love to pack for some of the SCHEDULED shenanigans. Here are few of the silly days we have on the calendar for this summer.

: FIRST TERM :

80′s Day, Twin Day, Cray Hair Day, Be True To Your School Day, Vista Spirit Day, Super Hero Dance

: SECOND TERM :

Nerd Day, Crazy Hair Day, Rodeo Day, Twin Day, Superhero Day Dance, Patriotic Day, Be True To Your School Day, Vista Spirit Day, Camo Day

: THIRD TERM :

Crazy Hair Day, Twin Day, Superhero Day, Nerd Day, Be True To Your School Day, Vista Spirit Day

We’ve got another great project in the works at camp and can’t wait until it’s finished! We are working on a new and improved SOFTBALL DIAMOND! {Cheers and applause from the stands!!} I’ll keep you updated here on the progress. We are pretty pumped to be the first to try it out. I’m thinking a nice game of Kickball around June 1st with the 2013 Vista Counselors is in order! Obviously, we need to try it out before the campers get here.

Anyone up for being Team Captains?

In the works

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 3

If you didn’t get our 2012 Christmas card, you might not know that this year’s camp theme is SUPERHEROS!

So pack your capes, your masks, and anything Superhero. Here is a list of some of our favorite Superheros, but be creative! You might be Dynamic Dave or Slick-tastic Sally. Originality goes a long way! Have fun with it and see you soon!

Power Rangers, The Powder-Puff Girls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turteles, Iron Man, Batman, Superman, Spider Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Hulk, Green Lantern, Wolverine, Cat Woman, Wasp, Adam Strange, Nova, Savage Dragon, Supergirl, Donna Troy, Ghost Rider, She-Hulk, The Rocketeer, Black Widow, Iron Fist, Invisible Woman, Blade, Wolverine… you get the point.

The last few months have been filled with LOTS of planning! Planning for new tribe comps, planning for some updated camp activities, nightly programs and some new CampInTouch capabilities, and more recently and a little bit more frantically… planning for Justin and Diane’s WEDDING!!! Friends from all over have already started rolling in. It feels like a camp reunion and we couldn’t be more pumped! Sancho Morris was the first guest to arrive at camp (2 days early). If you know Sancho, you know that he doesn’t miss a party. To be honest, Sancho brings a party wherever he goes. And this weekend’s party is going to be one for the record-books. Picture this…. a beautiful outdoor wedding in the Corey Hawkins Chapel, the most beautiful bride (inside and out) you’ve ever seen, the stoic Justin Hawkins decked out James Bond style, camp friends and family filling the same benches that we’ve grown up with as campers… Hearts are full here at Vista this weekend. There will be tears of joy, overflowing hearts, laughter, amazing food, and my personal favorite… the DANCING! Don’t you just love weddings? I can’t imagine a more perfect place to officially join two hearts and I can’t imagine a more perfect couple to be celebrating this weekend. So, cheers to you, Justin and Diane! We lift you up with love and adoration. We pray that your marriage is as much of a blessing to you two – as you are to all of us!

Thank you, Bella Photography for letting me use this ADORABLE picture of Justin and his two girls! Melts our hearts!

www.bellaphotographytexas.com

Miss Beth Rumbo has come up, yet again, with another amazingly fun activity to do with your kiddos this weekend! A Glow In The Dark Easter Egg Hunt!

You’ll need: plastic eggs, glow sticks (you can find these in the dollar section at Target, Michael’s and the dollar store), tape and candy.

You will need to wait until it is almost dark to start snapping the glow sticks so they are glowing and insert them into eggs along with some candy if you’d like. Tape then shut and then hide them. You probably want to “hide” them in a big open area without trees or other obstacles to trip over/run into.

Easy as pie!

Does your family have any fun Easter traditions? Do yall dye Easter eggs? Make cutout cookies? comment below what you like to do with your family for Easter. We love hearing from you guys!

Happy Easter From Vista Camps!! Have a BLESSED weekend!

Painting with SHAVING CREAM!!!

All you will need is shaving cream and liquid (NOT GEL, IT STAINS) food coloring. Mix together well and grab a couple of foam paint brushes. The kids are guaranteed to have a good time! We painted outside, but it would also be a fun activity for the bathtub. We let them paint the patio and each other. Clean up is really easy with a bit of soap and water.

Enjoy and have a GREAT weekend! Happy Painting!

-Beth Rumbo

If you are a camper…. 85 days sounds like ETERNITY! That’s sooooooo long until you get to jump into the Guadalupe River, ride horses around camp, play Bombardment with your tribes, sign up for all the fun activities at camp, and gobble up Miss Becky’s homemade cinnamon rolls! 85 days is FOREVER!! Hang in there kids! We are gearing up for the best summer ever and it will be well worth the wait! Don’t give up (at school) here at the last little stretch. Just ask your friends in War Canoe…. Do you quit stroking the paddle when you are close to the finish line? No way! You keep pushing to the very end. Actually, you keep pushing until AFTER the end. Finish the school year strong, Vista Campers! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see you at camp!

If you are a parent, 85 days sounds like plenty of time to get in your paperwork, Dr’s visits, payment, go summer clothes shopping, figure out transportation for camp… and everything else you have to do before Opening Day. If you break it down, that’s only 3 months… 12 weeks! We all know how fast a week flies by! If you need any help with paperwork, please just give us a call! Just log in to your CampInTouch Account to get started. CampInTouch <—— Click there.

And if you are US, 85 days sounds WAY too short! We have lots to do before you amazing campers get here! We have a garden to plant, a few more counselors to hire, activity supplies to order, new tribe comps and night activities to plan.. the list goes on and on. This time of year FLIES by for us! There are still more campers signing up for camp (by the way, 3rd term is getting VERY full!) and we cannot wait to meet the new Vista families! We’ve got Family Weekend coming up at the end of April. Please call us if you want to attend this year. If it’s anything like the last two years, it’s going to be a blast!

Hope yall have the best weekend ever!

From the Super Fantastic and Busy Desk of Beth Rumbo…

If you haven’t seen this game show, you are going to love it!  My kiddos love watching it.  The game show is a series of small tasks that need to be accomplished in under a minute. My oldest often says with extreme confidence while watching “I could do that!”  So, I thought, why not give it a try at home.

Here are a couple of my favorites

Donuts on a string~ tie a donut to a string and hang the donut.  Without touching the donut with your hands, eat the donut without it falling.

 Face the Cookie!~  Place a cookie on player’s forehead.  Using only your facial muscles, move the cookie to your mouth.

Bottoms up~ knock over empty cans using a yo-yo tied to the back of the participants waist

Here is the link for more minuet to win it games or you can create your own!

 http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/

CHEERS! Happy Friday!

2013 Spring Family Weekend

April 26-28

 Time for families of current, future and past campers to gather in the beautiful Texas Hill Country for a relaxing and fun weekend at the annual Vista Camps Family Weekend. New families interested in our programs will have the opportunity to experience our facilities, activities and meals, meet us and see what we have to offer your children. The “experienced” families will have the chance to enjoy our wonderful facilities, rekindle friendships and gear up for the summer ahead. Bring the family, invite your friends, or come alone, but please come! Don’t miss out on all the fun! Registration Deadline: April 19^th, 2013.

Cabins: Families will stay in one of our many cabins. Bunkhouse style: We assign cabins to fathers & sons, and mothers & daughters. If we have mother-son or father-daughter combinations, we will have staff on hand to help supervise the child in the cabin and during the night. Family Cabin: Family and friends can share a cabin up to 10 people.

Meals: Four meals will be served starting with a hearty Saturday breakfast and ending with Sunday brunch. We will have snacks available for those who plan to arrive Friday evening, however you should plan to eat dinner before you arrive.

What to Bring: You will need a twin sheet set & blanket, or a sleeping bag, pillow, towels, shorts, t-shirts, jeans, tennis shoes, water shoes or flip flops, bathing suit, pajamas, socks, underwear, personal items, & toiletries. You may bring a small electric fan if the weather is expected to be hot, but you may need a light jacket or rain poncho. Cabins do have heat, if necessary. You never know Texas weather!

Price: Bunkhouse Style: $250 per first couple and $50 for each additional person. Family Cabin: $300 up to the first two people and $50 for each additional person, up to 10 people total. Singles: $100 per person. Singles under 18 must attend with a parent.  Children 2 years old and younger are free. The price includes lodging, meals, snacks, activities, special programs, and a t-shirt for all participants over the age of 2. Please include t-shirt sizes on the reservation

Deadline: Registration deadline is April 19th, 2013. Full payment is due at that time. Payment may be made by check or credit card (MasterCard, Discover or Visa). Late registrations will be accepted if space is available, but those participants cannot be guaranteed a t-shirt.

 Register Now to save your spot! You can e-mail the registration form to me at sarak [at] vistacamps [dot] com or fax it to 830-367-4044.

Family Weekend Registration

Howdy, friends! Did you know that there are only 120 days until Opening Day?? That means you only have 119 days to pack, fill out the pre-camp forms, find the perfect SUPERHERO costume, invite a friend to camp, and everything else you have to do to get ready for the BEST Summer EVER!!

We found a great article in the Houston Family Magazine about Creative Valentine’s Day Fun for Kids and wanted to share some of our favorite ideas with you!

Beth’s Favorite – Lunchtime Love: Pack your little cutie’s lunch with all things Valentine. A heart shaped PB&J, a little flat rock with “You ROCK My World” written on it, a lollipop with the words “I’m a SUCKER for you” on the tag… so many fun ideas here. And you know your kids (or friends) will love it!

Sara’s Favorite- Family Date Night: Find an age-appropriate romantic comedy (I just LOVE Lady and the Tramp… that scene when they meet for a smooch while eating spaghetti.. melts my heart!) Get a yummy pizza and cut it into a big HEART, drink sparkling grape juice out of fancy glasses, and remember to tell your kids how much you love them!

Michael’s Favorite- Steak night at the house. (You really can’t get go wrong with steaks on the patio.)

Justin’s Favorite- One Valentine’s day, Justin’s sweet fiance, Diane, gave him a bag of Riesen Chocolates… she had taken out about 1/2 the candies and filled the bag with little slips of paper that had all the different reasons she loved Justin! (Get it… Risens/Reasons?!) How sweet!

Have a wonderful weekend, our precious Vista Family! XOXO