Wonderland Camp (August 2, 2026)

 During the week of August 2nd, I went to Wonderland Camp at the Lake of the Ozarks. The theme that week was Pirates and Mermaids. I was in the Brown Hall A cabin. I brought my Peter Pan hat to wear that week. Why? To stand out and dominate the pirates, of course! 😁🏴‍☠️ I saw my dear friends: Alyssa, Cookie, Katy, (who did an awesome job as the cabin leader💯), Megan, Lee, and Haley. I also made new friends: Jhordyn and Carmen. Jhordyn did an amazing job! She was funny, a hard worker, and willing to learn💯. Carmen was a great nurse! Even though she was nervous at first, she was fantastic with the campers💯. 

Other new staff members brought some unique habits to camp this year as well, and with more experience, they will hopefully be more hands-on and approachable and settle into their roles better.👀💅

On Sunday, I had a minor hiccup getting to camp. Our van broke down, and my dad had to call a tow truck, but thanks to the towing company, I got to camp (a bit early, but hey, I made it). I just thought of it as a side adventure on the way to camp.😀 

Later that evening at Wonderland, we had a campfire. I had a delectable, gooey s’more and one small piece of chocolate. I also sang and hung out with friends. It was a good night.😋  

On Monday, my cabin woke up early to ride the boat. I’ll admit, I was slightly tired because it was before-the-morning-coffee-early (😴☕lol), but the boat ride was relaxing and fun. We saw the pirate ship, took selfies, and talked. The light morning breeze and the occasional splash were nice too. 

Later, in Art and Crafts, we tie-dyed our camp shirts while watching the movie The Little Mermaid. Alyssa, Cookie, and I tie-dyed our shirts purple, green, and orange. 

Then, for Nature, we went on a “treasure hunt.” We got a map and had to follow it. As we went down the path, I spotted a cool-looking rock on the ground, and I asked Alyssa to pick it up for me (hey, I can’t help that my witchy side came out for a second, lol). In the “treasure chest,” there were fake gold coins, and each camper received one. To be honest, I was happier about the rock than the coin (lol), but the walk in the wooded area was nice.

After rest time, Alyssa and I went to the big swing for Free-Flow. We went way up in the air, then swooshed down—swaying back and forth in huge strides. It felt like we were zooming across the sky, and my stomach felt like it was being tickled from the inside. People didn’t hear me screaming, but I was belly-laughing. 

After dinner, we had a carnival. Music was blaring, and games and booths were everywhere on the Rec field. Cookie and I played a large version of Connect Four. Then, I got my nails painted. After that, we played cornhole and did some axe-throwing (Don’t worry, they were foam axes, lol). It was a chaotic, yet chill night. 

 

On Tuesday morning, we had archery. I used the crossbow, and Alyssa helped me aim. I only hit the target once, but it was fun. 

After being Lena Hood (🏹lol), we went ziplining. I flew above the treeline like Peter Pan. It was so cool! I even got to go twice. 

While we waited for lunch, we lay on the cabin floor, relaxed, took selfies, and goofed around. It was a simple and silly thing to do, but it was fun.

Right before Free-Flow, we filmed a fundraising video. Cookie and I were interviewed for it, and we talked about camp and our friendship. I was nervous—anyone who knows me knows that public speaking isn’t my strong suit—but I did it.👍

During Free-Flow, we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. I hadn’t seen the second movie before, but it was fun watching Captain Jack Sparrow get himself into another crazy adventure. 

Later that evening, the cabins built mini-boats to race in the pool, and to be honest, this has never been my favorite evening activity in the world. Alyssa, Cookie, Katy, Jhordyn, and I actually goofed around in the cabin while our cabinmates built the boat outside. (Sorry, not sorry lol 😎). But we did go to the race.  

Someone cheated during the race (I won’t say who, but I totally should 👀) and won. Boo!👎The entire thing didn’t go exactly as planned.😬However, the gossip sesh afterward with Alyssa, Cookie, and Haley was fun.💅😄

On Wednesday morning, we went to the rock wall. Every time I go up there, it feels so cool! I feel like a giant looking down at ant-sized people. 

After the rock wall, we shot BB guns. Alyssa helped me aim, and I pulled the trigger using a small stick from the ground. Some of the BBs went rogue and hit the wood. It was pretty funny.

Later, in Arts and Crafts, we made a message in a bottle while watching The Little Mermaid II. They filled the bottles with sand, and we had to write or draw something on a piece of paper, roll it up, put it in the bottle, and seal the bottle with a cork.

I wrote, “I am a lost girl. L.H.” Handwriting something at that moment was sort of a big deal for me. I haven’t discussed it, but this summer, I’ve been struggling with my right hand, so seeing that I was able to write a whole sentence was both a relief and a surprise.

Then, we made pirate hooks out of cups and tin foil while watching Peter Pan (yes, I was very happy💚).

For Free-Flow, Alyssa, Katy, Cookie, and I sort of did our own thing. We walked/rolled through the wooded area and took selfies. Cookie and I got out of wheelchairs and took off our shoes. Our socks got dirty (Mom was probably confused by my dirty socks, lol), but it was worth it. I had fun with my friends.💕😊👯

 

 

Later that evening was the talent show. 🎶 It seemed the sound system was turned up to two thousand 🔊🔊, lol, and it felt like we were at a concert. I sang “Lost Boy” by Ruth B.

Cookie sang “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People, and I was so proud of her.😊

She usually doesn't do a talent by herself. All the talents were fun in their own way. Even though it took a hot minute for us to get our hearing back, it was a nice night.👂

Thursday morning was stormy.⛈⛆☔Rain poured down nonstop, and thunder crashed. Some of the other campers were scared, but I was content as a cat.😸 We did inside activities in Miller Hall. For Nature, we made a jellyfish craft. Most of the time, though, I sat by the window and read my book, Wendy Darling: Seas by Colleen Oakes. By lunchtime, I had finished my book.

After rest time, the rain stopped, and the sun came out to greet us. We finally got to swim! Despite the water being ice-cold, we had a blast—floating, dunking, splashing, and bouncing.  

The rest of the afternoon, we got ready for that night’s dance and repacked for the next day. The cabin was full of activity—music played, campers talked loudly, and everyone scurried about. 

Later that evening was the dance. I wore my Peter Pan hat, my black Peter Pan T-shirt, black leggings, and sneakers.

Music boomed as people danced and laughed excitedly. Henry, a counselor from one of the guys’ cabins, was DJing the dance from the stage.💃🎵 I’ll admit it—I thought he was cute.😏Alyssa caught me staring at him while I was dancing and dared me to go up on stage with him. She, Cookie, Jhordyn, and I went up there, and Cookie and I both danced with him.😍

Then Katy joined our group. It was an awesome night to spend with friends! 

Fridays at camp are always bittersweet. On the one hand, by Friday, I’m ready to see my family and be back in my bedroom, lol.😊 But on the other hand, I’m not ready to say goodbye to my friends—even though I know I’ll be back in the fall. 🎃This Friday was extra bittersweet because it was Megan’s last day as camp director.🥺I’m proud of her for getting a high-paying job in another state, but it was sad to see her go after all these years. I gave her my amethyst bracelet as a parting gift. 

On Fridays, we sign each other’s tie-dyed shirts and receive awards. I got the Forever Young award for making every day whimsical. The week was so much fun—full of mini adventures and great memories with friends.😁Until next time…Oh, Wonderland, I love.💙  

Smooches and think Tink!