Camp Crestridge 2019

Way at the tip-top of a steep, windy hill, tucked deep away in the woods of Black Mountain, North Carolina, lies Chickasaw 12. 

Chickasaw 12, also known as the place where old friendships were deepened and new ones were grown; where squeals of joy were what started early mornings and ended late nights; where cold mountain air swirled through the old, wooden cabin; where mommas and daughters nestled snug into sleeping bags and beneath fleece blankets; where one of the best weekends of my life took shape. 

Chickasaw 12, the little cabin in the woods that served as my home during Camp Crestridge 2019. 

I first heard about Camp Crestridge at this time last year, after seeing the photos and videos shared by a long-time friend after she and her daughter had completed their first mother-daughter camp weekend there. 

"What is this magical place?" I asked her immediately. I knew right away that this was something I wanted for my biggest girl and me. And so, a year ago, plans were made: my daughter, and my friend and her daughter, were registered and ready to go: Camp Crestridge 2019 or bust! We waited and counted down and finally, after a year of waiting, our weekend had arrived:

Last weekend, Raleigh and I headed to Camp Crestridge for the 2019 Mother-Daughter Weekend. And we loved every.single.minute. A glimpse into our weekend away, deep in the heart of Black Mountain, North Carolina:

We picked up our friends and headed out of town right after school on Friday, chatting the entire 2-hour drive, eagerly anticipating what lie ahead. 

We arrived and were informed of our cabin assignment while the amazing staff took all of our bags and sleeping bags and pillows up to our picturesque dwelling for the weekend. We crossed our fingers that any other bunkmates we'd be paired with would mesh well with our crew. And, well....we hit the jackpot! We became fast friends with our bunkmates and the six of us - three mommas and our three girls - were inseparable all weekend. 

Friday started with a bang: After unpacking and settling in, we headed to the dining hall for our first meal of the weekend: a tasty chicken dinner! We were then informed that we would all, as in the hundreds of mommas and daughters there that weekend, be participating in a little something called "Sock Wars" for an hour following dinner. We quickly learned that this would be a super fun, super competitive, super awesome game that is basically a mix between Capture the Flag and Dodgeball (only the "dodgeballs" were tube socks filled with sawdust and tied at the end). This was, hands down, one of my favorite events of the entire weekend! I will NEVER forget holding hands with Raleigh as we squealed and giggled while running all over the camp - and then sprinting as fast as we could when we captured the first flag and scored 50 points for our team! It was a night I will never forget, one that concluded with worship and prayer (during which Raleigh wrapped her sweet arm around my shoulders as we sang our hearts out over our love for Jesus) and then shrieks of joy as our trio of girls ran wild around our cabin after a little late night fruit topped with chocolate fondue. 

We awoke Saturday, dressed, and headed back to the dining hall for breakfast, which was immediately followed by more worship and then a special meeting of the mommas (while the girls played more games elsewhere), wherein we learned about abiding in Jesus and passing it along to our girls. We were able to break off into small groups and encourage each other and learn from each other and it was just beautiful. And then? Well, then came the "Morning of Chaos." And it was a BLAST!!!

Each cabin (there were 30+ cabins filled with mommas and daughters!) had a bucket filled with slips of paper, each of which had a task on it we all had to complete together. And when I say "task," I mean things like "Daughters, fill a pie pan with shaving cream and pie your mom in the face with it;" "Moms, paint your daughter's face and clothes with paint;" "Everybody go down the giant slip and slide together;" "Daughters, style your mom's hair...using only shaving cream;" etc. You get the gist: It was wet and wild and chaotic and crazy and messy and SO.MUCH.FUN. This was one of my other favorite memories from the weekend. We were covered from head to toe in paint and shaving cream and soaking wet by the time it all went down and all laughing hysterically. We loved it! 

After quick showers and lunch (tacos - so good!), we had the rest of the day to do any activities we wanted: there was a giant swing and archery; a humoungous slide, zipline, and the "blob," each of which ended in the lake; there were crafts and shopping; and so much more. We stayed with our new friends and just soaked in each other's company. It was, in a word, awesome. 

We cleaned back up and headed back out for the last dinner of the weekend: hotdogs and hamburgers served at the camp pool party! We ate and the girls swam, and it was so much fun. Finally, we headed back for a little more worship before another memory I will never forget: Mother-Daughter time. We were each told to find a little corner of the camp to spend one-on-one time with our daughter. We had been instructed to write our daughter a letter ahead of time and then share it with her during this special time. I will always remember this time with my Rals. We both cried and hugged and talked and shared, and it was just awesome. 

Finally, we headed back towards our cabin for some fireside s'mores. In addition to the traditional s'mores, we could also make Reece's Cup S'mores, and I now know I wasn't living my best life until I had one (and by one, I mean more than one) Reece's Cup S'mores. Why I waited until my late 30s to have one, I will never know. Thank you, Camp Crestridge, for introducing me to this delightful treat. ;) 

After a little more squealing and jumping and playing, it was lights out. We awoke on our last morning for one more breakfast before hitting the road to head back home, although not before heartfelt goodbyes with our new friends and plans being made for a mid-year reunion. 

Mommas, go. Take your daughters. They are little for only so long, and this weekend and this place is just special. And, should you choose to go next year, know that you will find this Momma, and my Raleigh Jane, running wild, throwing socks, covered in paint, splashing through creeks, and having a ball, together, throughout the trails of Black Mountain. Camp Crestridge, we'll see you again in 2020. Thank you for the beautiful time with my beautiful girl. <3