I hope everyone is having a great Monday morning!  We have been so lucky to have incredible weather in the Northeast for the past few days, and I hope it holds out through the weekend because I’ll actually be making my way up to camp on Sunday!  I’ll be giving a winter tour to two families from Connecticut that are thinking about Camp Canadensis for summer 2012.  If you are also thinking about camp and would like a tour, it’s not too late to call the office and schedule something…you can even join my tour this Sunday, December 4th – just call us at 484-674-1941.  I’m looking forward to it – and I will definitely be stopping at Callies Candy Kitchen on my way back to pick up some holiday treats.

Now is also the time when we are planning out our home visits for the winter. For more than 70 years, Canadensis has had the philosophy of visiting every new camper in their home, it really helps us maintain the close family we have at camp.  With campers coming from PA, NJ, MD, NY and CT…there is a lot of ground to cover!  If you haven’t been contacted by one of our directors yet, you can expect a call in the next few months.  If you’d like to set up something sooner, just give us a call and we’ll be on our way to get to know you and your camper better!

Some of our new campers who met at Canteen on the Fly have already been getting a jump start on building friendships!  The girls, who are currently in 3rd grade and will be Juniors at camp this summer, had a blast at a sleepover this weekend on Long Island, and made an adorable pillow craft project.  I love the results, and can’t wait to see them on their camp beds this summer!  Thanks for sending us photos so we can keep up with the Canadensis fun happening all over…we look forward to seeing each of the girls at their home visits this winter!

I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving Break! Holiday breaks are always my favorite times to see camp friends, so I will now share with you a collection of photos taken at our Thanksgiving Camp Dinner:

It was a fun night full of delightful Italian food (yes, home of the Parm!), good friends, camp stories, and the usual silliness. After dinner we stopped by the Faden home for some more camp love and a brief jump in the leaves (as seen above with Becky J). I must say of all the things I’m thankful for this year, having an amazing camp family definitely ranks up there at the top of my list.

Now with Winter Break only weeks away I’m gearing up for even more nights of camp friends and fun! What do you do with your camp friends over the holiday breaks?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  We hope you are enjoying a great holiday with your family.  The images this week are dedicated to the some of the many many Canadensis families that we are thankful for…

Thanksgiving is here!  As I have mentioned before in other blogs, this is my favorite holiday by far.  Since I was a little kid, I always loved this day of stuffing your face and being around family and friends.  For me, the day has usually played out similarly from one year to the next.  I love waking up and watching the Macy’s Day Parade from bed.  A little bit later, we will head over to the house I grew up in for a feast of epic proportions.  In fact, at our Thanksgiving, a lot of it has to do with the appetizers.  Every year, my mom makes somewhere between 10-12 hors d’oeuvres even before the big meal.  Another odd tradition for me personally is that my mom always saves me the turkey neck that she used to make the gravy.  This is my favorite part of the turkey.  I know it might sound gross, but it is delicious.  Of course, there is always football to watch, too.  I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and a Happy Turkey Day to all!

Certainly, this holiday is all about giving thanks.  For me, as many of you know, I love being a director at Canadensis.  I am extremely thankful for that day back in September 2005 when Aunt Terri asked me to join the Canadensis family.  I am thankful for having a job where I can be a mature goofball.  I am thankful for all of the campers that continually tell me how much they love camp.  I am thankful for all of the staff that work their tails off making each and every year “the best summer ever!”  I am thankful for family and friends that support this crazy lifestyle of mine where you have to leave every year for 3 and a half months.   

In the spirit of being thankful, I want to thank all of the senior campers and their parents who took time out of their schedule to attend one of our Senior Summits, which were held in Long Island, Main Line PA and online.  The online format was very cool and something we might try again in the future.  The feedback we received in these three sessions provided us with a lot of good ideas and gave us insight on how to make our senior program better and better.

Just the other day, me, Eric and Pam started placing events on the summer calendar which got me really excited for the summer.  That’s right!  We even know when Color War is going to be!  The planning of the 49 days of camp truly is an all-year round project.  From coordinating the buses on opening day to deciding when we can do all the overnights of the summer to planning the nights when we can actually do all-camp activities to slotting in all of the inter-camp athletics, it really is a daunting task.  The meeting had us discussing some new options and activities for the summer as well, much of which was given to us by our campers through the surveys we received after camp.

Speaking of campers, in Merrick, NY, I got to have dinner with the Grama Family and get to hang out with campers Lauren Grama and Isaac “Ice G” Grama.  Lauren will be back at camp for her 7th summer in 2012 as part of our Super Senior Girls division while “Ice G” will be back for his 3rd summer in our Upper Inter Boys division.  While eating “Grandma’s Chicken” (delicious, by the way), both told me what they have been up to.  Lauren is absolutely loving her first year at Kennedy High School even if the workload has been a lot.  She is currently on the Cougars Cheer Squad as a base position.  The team cheers at football and basketball games as well as competing in year-round competitions.  She wanted to give a huge shout out to the girls of Summer 2011’s Bunk 19.  She also let me know that she is an avid reader of the Canadensis blogs and Twitter.  As for Isaac (aka “Ice G”), now in the 5th grade, he just finished up his fall baseball season as part of the Yankees team where he played second base, third base and outfield.  Now, it’s onto basketball season, which just got underway.  His team, coached by his dad, is off to a 1-1 start to the season.  On Sundays, Isaac loves watching his New York Jets on TV.  He will also be attending the Jets-Giants game at Met Life Stadium later in the season.  Here is a picture from my visit…

It’s always great to be surprised by fellow Canadensians, too!  At last week’s Giants game , I was spotted by the Appelbaum sisters, Brooke and Haley, who were both campers and counselors at camp.  Both mentioned how much they miss camp.  However, it was great to hear just how well their studies are going and that they will both be finishing up their degrees in college very soon.  And yes, Eagles fans, I know who won the game.  You got us this time.  Our tailgate was still really good with a menu that included Philly cheese steaks (of course), bacon-wrapped scallops, shrimp, short ribs, chili, mac & cheese, soft pretzels (another Philly tradition), sirloin steak tips and grilled pineapple.  Here is a picture…

On a completely random note, has anyone ever continually had a song stuck in their head for more than a day.  I have.  As many of you might already know, I love music.  Well, last week, I went to see Chris Robinson (of the Black Crowes) with his new band called “The Chris Robinson Brotherhood.”  The band played a cover of the Three Dog Night Song entitled “Never Been to Spain.”  The next day, I went to YouTube because all I could think about was this song.  I was surprised to find that the song has been covered by a wide range of artists.  It’s a great song and you can check out versions by (click on the band to see their link): Three Dog Night, Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Chris Robinson, but my personal favorite is the one by my guilty pleasure band Hanson.    In fact, I think it’s the Hanson version that is stuck in my head.

Finally, for someone that rarely travels, Jaime and I will be going heading to New Orleans (or as they say, Nawlins) on Friday for a mini vacation.  We have some great stuff planned including an airboat ride in the swamps, a bike tour and a Monday Night football game, the Giants vs. the Saints.  Should be fun!  I will include pics in my next blog.

Until then…Have a great day!

-Brian

Carly (left) and Brianna (right) are both blog readers!!!  They are going to be Freshman girls in 2012, and we got to hang out at Canteen On The Fly in Westchester, NY!

Zoe (left) is a new 2nd grade girl, and Jordan (right) is a current 3rd grader returning to camp for her second summer.  Both girls will be in the Junior Division in 2012, and Jordan did a great job telling Zoe what to expect being in bunk 2 (youngest bunk).

We gave out awesome camp t-shirts at every location – this is me giving out the shirts in the parking lot at the North Jersey Canteen on the Fly.  Won’t this be awesome for tye-dying this summer??

This is Bailey, who is a current 3rd grader, and will be coming to camp for her first summer in the Junior Girls division.  We got to hang out at the Long Island Canteen on the Fly, where she met up with a lot of the new girls coming in…

Bailey and her new Canadensis Friends were winning tons of tickets in the arcade, and they were so thoughtful that they decided to pool their tickets and get a bunch of rings to share.  They got one for me, Cara and Robin too – we are so excited to be in on the fun!

At the very last Canteen on the Fly Stop, Eric and I stop for a camera op!

Baby Forti! Robin and I in May will be welcoming the newest member to the Forti Family and even more importantly the Canadensis Family!

We are unsure yet if the baby is a boy or girl, but he or she will definitely be up at camp spending the summer with all of us. And all of you are the big brothers and big sisters. Obviously, our entire family is so excited and we are beginning to prepare for the lack of sleep now (by going to sleep at 10PM!!)

Facebook went wild with the news. We posted it on Sunday night and on my personal page there were over 100 “likes” and over 50 comments, ranging from good luck to “Eric, you better wait on Robin hand and foot with whatever she needs!”. On the Canadensis Today page, tons of shout-outs from alumni, parents, and campers, so thanks to all of you who sent in your well-wishes. And, to save the best for last, don’t forget to visit the BRAND-NEW Official Facebook Page for Camp Canadensis at http://www.facebook.com/campcanadensis

Changing gears, it was great to see everyone at all of our Canteen on the Fly Events! It seems like it is now an “annual tradition” to hold these and it was such a great turnout at all of the locations. We got a chance to hear about all of the great things our campers are up to, details about Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s, take pictures, and eat ice cream!! Cara will be uploading the photos from Canteen on the Fly to Facebook in the next few days, so don’t forget to check back there often!

Speaking of Bar Mitzvah’s, Robin and I were at the nearby deli Pumpernick’s enjoying dinner and we ran into Max and Blake Rapoport’s mom, who sent me this photo from Matt Wiener’s Bar Mitzvah. Congratulations Matt!

Tonight, I will be having dinner with camper David Brucker in Plymouth Meeting. It has become our annual chance to catch up from the summer and hear all about his school, activities, etc. Looking forward to catching up with him!

Camp is looking great and remember there is a BIG announcement coming real soon about something new at camp! Stay tuned…

Hi Everyone!

Over the last few weeks we’ve been on the road meeting up with our camp friends and enjoying some ice cream during our annual Canteen on the Fly! Here are some of the glorious pictures I took:

Hello Canadensis…

Thanks to all those out on Long Island that stopped by our final Canteen on the Fly for 2011 last Friday.  It was great to see so many campers that are looking forward to any opportunity to see camp friends and talk about our favorite topic…Canadensis!  After a total of six different locations, we saw a staggering numbers of camp families and staff.  Here are some pictures from our Long Island Canteen on the Fly at Carvel in Westbury, NY…

As mentioned in my last blog, this past weekend, I got the chance to go up to camp and check up on things.  Camp looks great!  We have a number of projects “in the works” and will unveil them all to you very, very soon.  Be sure to read our upcoming blogs to see what new things you can expect at camp in 2012.  While up at camp, I took some pictures.  Here they are…

On Monday, I headed down to Newtown, PA and spend some time with Ben Cramer, who will be coming to Canadensis in Summer 2012 as part of our Junior Boys division.  Ben is currently in the 3rd grade.  While hanging out, he told me about all of the activities he is involved with all year long.  For starters, he plays defense on his traveling soccer team, the CRUSA Storm.  He also plays center field for his Newtown travel baseball team.  This winter, he will also be playing in the Council Rock Basketball League with fellow new Canadensis camper Cole Newman.  When not doing these sports, Ben can also be found playing football and hockey outside, playing on his Wii or trading Pokemon cards.  This summer, he is looking forward to a wide range of activities including lacrosse, the sports leagues and inter-camps, rocketry, Color War and water skiing.  Here is a photo…

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is already next week.  If you didn’t know, Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday of the year.  It is defined by what I call the Three F’s holiday…Family, Food and Football!  Ha Ha!  Last weekend, Jaime experimented with a new Thanksgiving Day recipe that you have to try at home.  It’s called a Pilgrim Pie and is a take on the traditional whoopie pie.  And, if you think good old whoopie pies just can’t be improved upon, just wait until you try these: pumpkin cookies filled with fluffy cream cheese frosting. They’re guaranteed to be a popular new addition to your standard Thanksgiving dessert offerings.  Here is the recipe…

Ingredients for the pumpkin cookies: 2 eggs.  2 cups light brown sugar.  1 cup vegetable oil.  1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin.  3 cups flour.  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.  1 teaspoon baking powder.  1 teaspoon baking soda.  1 teaspoon salt.

Ingredients for the cream cheese filling: 4 ounces cream cheese (softened).  1/2 cup butter (softened).  2 teaspoons vanilla extract.  4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the frosting.  Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
4. To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one.  Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up).  Makes 10-14 Pilgrim Pies.

Here is what they look like…

Here is a Thanksgiving Dessert I bet you will love...Pilgrim Pies! Make them in time for your holiday feast!

As most know, I am huge New York Giants fan!  And, this weekend is one of the games I look forward to most as we host the Philadelphia Eagles.  If there are any Giants or Eagles fans attending the game, please be sure to stop by our tailgate at Lot L12.  On the grill this weekend…sirloin steak tips.  Can the Giants get revenge on the Eagles after the Miracle at the Meadowlands II last season when Desean Jackson returned a punt in the game’s final seconds for TD?  Hope to see you there!  Let’s Go BIG BLUE!

In other camp news…Our 2011 Video Yearbook is currently on its way to the duplicator.  Campers can expect to receive their copy real soon!  If you haven’t checked it out yet, see our new Facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/campcanadensis.  Recently posted are pictures of all the 2011 bunk plaques.  What do you want to see on our Facebook page?  Let us know!

Finally, a big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Eric and Robin Forti, who just recently announced that they will be expecting a new arrival to the Canadensis Family in May.

Eric and Robin Forti are having a baby! CONGRATULATIONS!

Well, that’s all the blogging for now.  More to come soon.

Have a great day!

-Brian

Right now I’m on my way to Long Island for our last Canteen on the Fly for 2011 – I can’t wait to see some of our NY families, and I’m really excited for the Senior Summit which is happening right afterwards!  I just wanted to share two amazing photos for Frame Worthy Friday- we have an amazing staff at Canadensis – and they put the campers above everything else, and here are just two photos that prove it!