girls camp 2012

This year I was so lucky to be the girl's camp director for our ward.

It wasn't too big of a job...

It was stake camp. Our stake did such an amazing job organizing & preparing

 that they made my job a cinch!

I was really thrilled for the calling- I LOVED girl's camp as a youth- PLUS my two girls would be there- bonus.

The first night was just for Jr. leaders (girls 16-18) but I went up anyway- to prepare.

Our campsite was great. Close to the bathrooms & shady. The Jr. leaders in my group (again, my girls included) helped me decorate our site.

When we were getting ready to go to the ampa theater for devotional - a doe wandered into our camp!

She was SO CLOSE!

Like- 8-10 feet away. A beauty! 

She was so close we could see the markings on her face. Lovely

After devotional- the stake cooks had dessert for us.

OH MY GOSH

I knew it was going to be incredible... 

My darling friend Janae was the chairperson over food.

She & her committee had put together a fondue bar.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & S'More fondues with a multitude of dippers.

It was as good as it looks.

The stake theme for camp was:

I Know Therefore I Shine

The emphasis was on Knowing that God & Jesus Christ live. 

That they love us & that we love them.

It was a beautiful theme- it was a wonderful camp.

One day while walking back from the bowery where we ate breakfast I came across this little set up.

wow!

A hammock, lounge chairs & foot soaking pool!

I texted a picture to the boys with the caption-- I bet you don't see this at Scout Camp!?

We practiced our skit- so funny & cute.

Worked on crafts.

We had secret sisters & mail boxes for good mail.

We ate fabulous food.

It was Hot & Dry- but the girls were a dream.

It was so fun.

Months ago- Karen & I (my dear friend Karen was my assistant leader & cook- I know- LUCKY!) asked the girls what they wanted from camp. We had them fill out surveys etc. It was interesting to know that they really wanted to camp. They wanted to really do it themselves. So- we got working on it & taught them how to set up tents (with the help of our husbands), make fires, etc weeks ahead of time. They all brought mess kits- NO PAPER plates. Everyone did their own dishes & hung them to dry in the trees in mesh laundry bags. 

We didn't have one complainer. I was just a little worried that when it came down to it-- that they may not want to do it. (In years past men came up & put up tents etc.) But they came through. They did it all- didn't complain & heck-- they did a GREAT job! These are awesome girls.

{Caroline & Chloe}

One of my favorite things that happened at camp was when the stake leaders challenged the girls to give all of us ward leaders facials- so crazy fun... did I mention it was hot & dry & dirty?

The girls went to work & loved it- then they gave facials to each other.

I tell you what- it felt great.
***

I braided lots of hair--

and taught the girls about Gratitude one afternoon.

We wrote in journals, had a water fight, performed skits, sang songs, hiked, ate fabulous food, looked at the stars (we found the big & little dippers!)

We did random acts of kindness - some girls even cleaned the out houses when it was our turn- incredible.

How fun is that!?

I feel so lucky- I got to go to girl's camp.

wow

I'm so behind in the blog world...

I know we all are- but I am over the top busy- 

(and really tired of being so busy, but that is besides the point)

Last week was our sweet Laura's Birthday!!!

Oh how we ~LOVE LAURA~

She is the best- I mean it! The best daughter in law ever.

She is smart & cute & witty & sweet to all of us... she is driven, good to Brian, thoughtful, loyal. I love having her in our family.

So much- that I made these

Chocolate High Top Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes topped & filled with homemade marshmallow cream & dipped in ganache. 

Heaven help me - these were good!

At her combined family, surprise birthday party (hers & ours) we had a BBQ & I didn't take any pictures after the cupcake one. lame.

It was a busy week last week getting ready for the 4th year girl's camp hike. Even though Chloe is a 5th year (they didn't have a hike last year.) She had a 35lb. pack. She carried her own water & tent & food. She was so excited to go. She got her fishing licence & a new pole. Great times.

Camping girls

Father's day was a swing & a miss.. Chloe came home from camp- very sick.

She was miserable with a fever, body aches & plugged up ears.

I took her to instacare Sunday morning to find out~

She had a major ear & sinus infection. poor thing!

Hiking with all that going on?

-She is one tough cookie-

We did have a father's day BBQ- complete with Italian sodas, roasted peppers stuffed with pepper jack & wrapped in bacon, chicken & corn on the cob

and another DQ cake.

oh people

I feel like I could fall asleep & not wake up for a couple of days.

On goes life- it's a good one.

girl's camp, a big check & my day

A couple of days before my birthday the girls left for camp.Girls camp is one of the biggest highlights of the year! This year instead of a traditional "camp" the girls & their leaders went to one of the leader's family cabin & had a "domestic retreat." They cooked together, were taught cooking skills & techniques, learned to knit, went on a hay ride, were very crafty, made necklaces, performed in skits, did aerobics, rode horses, sat around the camp fire, ate lots & lots of ice cream... the leaders rented a soft serve machine- basically they had a blast!! (by the way, I think this is a brilliant idea for girl's camp. the girls came home with their own set of measuring cups, bowls, rolling pin, cook book, knitting needles... brilliant I tell you!- they loved it)
Hailey came home reluctantly a day early (my birthday) because she was one of the finalists for Bountiful's Got Talent- a town close to ours. She was having the best time and hated to leave... but opportunity knocked - she was in the top 13.

She was up 7th out of the 13. It was in the park, the sound system was good & she sounded GREAt. It was so fun to see her shine & we were crossing our fingers & toys that she would place!

Guess what!?

She won 2nd place!!!!

woo hooo hallelujah!

and got a BIG CHECK

We didn't realize that winning a BIG CHECK was on Hailey's 100 list. How fun! Now when we go over our lists at the beginning of the New Year she can cross one off. We have 100 lists (aka:bucket lists) that we go over every January. It was an absolute thrill for all of us. The first place winner was a friend of hers from H.S. who is trying to get on So You Think You Can Dance- who danced. He got through the second round last year & is trying again this summer. It was cool- the top 2 were from out town.

Afterwards we went out for a late birthday dinner & celebration- to chili's.

Brian & Laura came from her softball game & Trent was... freezing.

happy birthday & congratulations

What a great way to spend my birthday!

I also, went to lunch with friends & slacked off on all my chores.

good times

the girls are gone...

To camp.

I miss them.

BUt- there is nothing better than girl's camp!

I dropped Hailey off at 6:15 this morning...

just to find out that they switched the time to 7:00 and no one called the four girls from our ward.

45 minutes early in the morning- rough.

So all of the girls said goodbye to their parents, piled into my car & off we went for donuts & milk.

Chloe didn't leave until 1:30.
This week is also her first ballet recital on point!
So-- she went to a staging rehearsal this morning & up to camp late.
She will only get to spend this one night & then go back & forth during the day.
It's a big week for her- She's been dancing on point for 2 years & finally we get to see it!!! I am really excited, she is bummed that most of her friends are at camp & can't come. That's the breaks in the summer time.

Brett has also been out of town- it's pretty boring around here. I decided to get some projects done, so I let trent invite some friends over- ordered a pizza & haven't seen them all night.

I spray painted an out of date lamp & this CD holder mat black.
They now look like permanent Halloween decorations.
I'm not good at this... in fact I stink at it. I just don't choose colors well.
I also finished binding a little quilt for charlie that I sent in to the quilter with the Lola quilt. It's so cute!! I can't wait to get it out of the dryer & get a photo of it up.

it's been a lonely day
Funny how I love my time alone- but after too long... it's so lonely around here!
Lucky for me-
brett comes home tomorrow tonight

girl's camp wrap up

girl's camp was an absolute success!

our stake committee organized camp around the fantastic theme:

A MOment In Time:

You don't remember the days, only the moments.

Here are some moments I don't want to forget:

*setting up camp before all the girl's & leaders got there

*putting up the amazing clock that sky & her brother in law made- it was so cool!

*the skits- each ward picked a time period months ago & a subject out of the strength of youth pamphlet. Those were what they had to write their script around. Our ward had - cave man days & language, ooga mooga it was so cute! The creativity was OUT of THis World-- such great skits!!!

*food- oh my gosh! We ate so good & so much food- our food committee really out did themselves with different flavored pancakes, dutch oven lasagna, cafe rio make alike salads-- yummo. This morning I found myself wishing I could ask - what's for breakfast?

*watching chloe & caroline- first years- they were so excited to be there & so willing to learn & help.

*Teaching Hailey & tiffany some 3rd year requirements... they weren't quite as willing... but I had fun. How to purify water- how to water proof matches- oh ya, I went to camp.

*the mail boxes! Every ward had a ward bucket for a "mail box" Girls all over the stake were encouraged to write letters to each other & drop them in the buckets. It was really great- then each ward had their own "mail boxes" for each girl too. It was fun to walk around & see all the different mail boxes. There were secret wards & secret sisters.... I love camp.

* the devotionals... this is an amazing generation with such great spirit about them.

*the music! I love camp music!!. Our two music leaders- mother & daughter- played guitars & taught us so many fun songs & serious ones too. It was great! When I grow up I really want to learn to play the guitar.

*cleaning the bathrooms...? my main job (so glamorous) was keeping the brand, spanking new flush toilet bathrooms in good order. I had a cleaning chart & divided up all the jobs- the girls were so willing to help & so thrilled to have 8 flush toilets. Not so thrilled to have 10 outhouses. But then hey- when there's 170 girls at camp, now & then an outhouse had to do. Actually it wasn't bad at all. Let me just say I cleaned a lot this week.

*listening to screaming, squealing girls from the comfort of sky's trailer at night. Being on the stake level instead of ward level- even though it was work-it was so much easier than what the ward level had going on. I met so many great women. We had a good time working & laughing together.

*Brett & Trent came up for one night. Thanks to Kristy - Trent came dressed as a ninja... (she let him borrow their costume) lucky for us- no bears showed up cause the ninja scared them away. He also tried consistantly to get the YW president to give him matches? She told him that he should ask his dad- he said- I'm pretty sure he wants you to give them to me, then I'll give them to him. She was way to wise to that one.

*making up awards. Besides bathroom duties, one of my other jobs was coming up with the end of the week awards. I bought several things at the dollar store then us stake leaders got together & figured out ways to use them as awards. It's not easy coming up with award stuff before the event... but had to be done. It turned out really fun. My favorite award... a bag of chips with a stuffed bra strapped around it... it went to the "most supportive ward- for always 'chippin' in."

*the bishopric dinner & testimony night-

*the jr. leader program. Our jr. leaders came up with a program around the important "moments in time." It was divided into three parts. MOtherhood-Education-Temple Marriage. It was so touching & beautiful. I loved it. I'm on spiritual high!

I am so thrilled I had the opportunity to be the assistant camp director- great job- not in charge... I love being the back up gal. Camp is a wonderful opportunity for young women.

When I got home... brett had installed the new kitchen faucet I asked for, for my birthday-- & said it was just for fun- not for my birthday. Man I love that guy!

I'm a lucky gal & happy to be home!

**does anyone know why my picasa slide show is off center?

The pictures are cut off on the right side?? LMK

I'm HOme!

CAMp was amazing...

I'm home, showered & feeling just a little wiped out.

MOre to come.

girl's camp

{Hailey, Tbone, & chloe at family reunion camp last year}

I have always loved camping!
Especially church girl's camp. I went every year (12-18)- some of my fondest memories.
Our church up in WA where I grew up went to the sweetest boy scout camp for girl's camp. It was a lake, two miles around, with different camp sites in different locations around the lake. It was gorgeous - like out of a Disney movie. My group was always (to the envy of everyone else) the right size for the one & only cabin house boat. It was a sparse shelter on the lake with a fire pit & everything- it was heaven.
One year Stephanie pierced my ears there. I don't' know where our leaders were at the time? She did it with a needle, ice & a potato behind my ear. I came home with very infected ears- but they healed, I lived & here I am today. We pulled great pranks- oh my- maybe someday I'll write about those. There were canoes & swimming. I didn't swim of course but I could put on a life jacket just like anyone else, & the canoes were a blast!
I am excited to be at girl's camp with my girls! We are going to have a great time.
I'll see you on Friday!

totally out of it

I haven't been blogging for a couple of days.

I am not really sure what is wrong except I am just really out of it. I don't know if it's just the summer blues or what...? I just have felt really low. I have been going through the motions of just getting the day to day things done & ya that's about it. I think all the changes in our family, the very busy spring... I just... you know.

Anyhow- yesterday I started snapping out of it- I hope...

I went with the stake camp leaders -(maybe you don't remember I am assistant stake girl's camp director & camp is in less than two weeks)- up to camp to check things out. I have been really worried we were going to freeze to death. I like camping, actually I love camping & I love girl's camp, but I don't like to camp in freezing cold or snow. With the weather we've been having I wouldn't have been surprised if when we got up into the mountains & there was still snow. Good news-- no snow! I am so relieved. It was gorgeous, even warmer than down here in the valley. I am looking forward to going now. It was so nice to be up there in the fresh air & sunshine. Maybe that's what I needed.