Better late then never...

Girls camp was such a blast! I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life. We have such a great group of girls! It doesn't matter what year they are or who they may hang out with on a regular basis, they all love each other and look out for one another. We had no big issues at camp this year. The only bumps along the way had to do with the weather.

Boy was the weather INSANE!!! It rained everyday but Friday and Saturday and it hailed on us too! Thursday was extreme- tents flooded, sleeping bags got wet, and better trenches needed to be dug. The Amazing McArthur- and I mean AMAZING- during the storm went to get something from our tent and found that a river was created in between the two leader tents. So what does The Amazing McArthur do? Fast as lightening she digs a new trench and saves the day!!

We also had the heroic YCL's that went around to all of the wards in the stake and helped where they were needed. They were much appreciated!!

We did have some tears shed and a lot of "I want to go homes" but after a few prayers the storm moved on and the girls stuck it out. We did need to send a leader down the mountain to retrieve more sleeping bags and blankets, but like I said the girls stuck it out and everyone stayed warm. (FYI- If you put boiling water into water bottles and put them in your sleeping bag you're guaranteed a warm night.)

Stacy Clayton and Lani Nish the masterminds behind our girls camp. They put their blood sweat and tears into every aspect of camp and produced a lot of amazing memories.

I went on the 2nd year 6 mile hike along with our YW President Adrien Simpson, Asst. Camp Director Stacy Clayton, and Laurels Advisor Jeanette McArthur. Hmm what was it that had Adrien sprinting ahead of us? All I can remember is that she kept making an odd sound like- hhhuileh. I'll have to ask her.

Ha ha good times!! Us leaders in the chow line for dinner- Adrien Simpson, me, Stacy Clayton, Bishop in back, Jeanette Mc Arthur, Katie Clark, Bro. Johnson behind Katie giving Mc Arthur the bunnie ears, and Karri Payne.

Of coarse you cant have camp without Secret Sisters! One of our gifts to give was something that made your secret sister feel like a super hero. Oh boy did my secret sister, Stacy ever succeed!

I've NEVER felt more like Wonder Women in my life!!!! Bishop even thought I fit the part!

Speaking of Bishop. We in are ward are so blessed to have such an awesome and loving Bishopric. Bishop Johnson was up at camp every evening and Bro. Leavitt and Bro. Johnson switched off. We were never without! We appreciate them for taking their time to be up at camp and their families sparing them for us.

Went on the zip-line, that was fun and the rope bridge. I had the girls take some pictures of us leaders on the zip-line- bad idea- unless that is you are one of those people who like to see your bum up close with a harness snug around it.

I never heard back from our YW parents to post pictures, so I only posted the one. Which I might have to take off and you'll have to make do with us CRAZY leaders.

Like this picture here, of Karri and her hubby Terrell:)

There are always the ups and the downs, but it's what you walk away with in the end that matters!

18 months!!!

Our little Owen turned 18 months on the 21st of this month. Time flies by way to quickly through these first years.

Things he does that makes me giggle:

Dances to any sort of music

Crinkles his nose and bares his upper teeth

Opens his mouth super wide to take a bite of food

Blows rasberries, then laughs at himself

Says "goss" when his diaper needs changing

Thing that he loves:

Food and LOTS of it!

To wrestle with our dog Boog

Getting you to chase him

The dirt!

Scream- this boy has a good set of pipes

Swimming- he wishes that he could swim on his own.

When Daddy comes home form work

BABY EINSTIEN!!! He gets incredibly excited whenever we put it on!

Thing he says:

Badley (Bradley)

I on ew go ( I want to go)

Shos (Shoes)

I on ees ( I want these)

Nigh Nigh (night night)

Juice

and so much more!!

Owen has such a sweet spirit. He rarley is in a bad mood. He likes to be in on all the action and play with his big sister and brother. When he is sad or gets hurt, it's only mommys love that makes it all better. Which is just fine with me! I love to watch him explore and discover new things. If something doesnt workout he is quick to find a different way.

I cant believe how fast this past 18 month has gone by. I have treasured every moment.

Wii Fun!!!

We went and got a Wii this weekend and boy is it a BLAST!! It's all everyone here wants to do! We werent expecting to get a Wii yet because they are still so hard to get your hands on. We went to Target and just asked if they knew when a shipment would be coming in and the associate said that they just got in 150 of they. Holy Moly Cow!!! We were shocked that he said that they had any that we counldnt speak. After a moment of staring at us (I am sure that my facial expression was jaw dropped and eyes bugged out, while John I am sure had his tongue hanging out and his eyes glazed over) said, "So do you want one?" The kid was probably thinking that we were crazy.
We didnt buy any games yet (it came with one- Wii sports), so if anyone has any suggestions on fun games to get that the whole family can enjoy, please let me know!! I for one really want to get the WiiFit. My sister Nan has it and let me play it with her. It's so cool you dont even realize that you are working out until you stop playing. My kind of workout!!!!


1 1/4 days until camp!!

Count Down!!!

Girls Camp is just 3 days away and I cant wait!! I am so greatful for the opportunity I have to serve the Young Women with an awesome group of women. A big shout-out to Lani who is our wards camp director and also a Mia Maid adviser, and to Stacy who is the asst. camp director. They have worked so incredibly hard to put this years camp together. I know that it's going to be a memorable one for all of the girls and also us leaders.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

I love everything Independence Day stands for and is. What a great All-American Holiday! My favorite part of coarse are the fire works.

(I think that this is due to the fact that it's the ONLY day I get to set stuff on fire. When I was a kid my brother Travis and I used to make fire torches and would set ant hills a flame- poor ants! We would do more then that, but I won't get into it- lets just say it's a good thing my parents always had a home to come home to, apposed to a pile of ash! Although I still enjoy watching things burn, I have calmed much in that department and I'm satisfied with fireworks and they occasional camp fire. For peace of mind, we have a Fire Escape Route Plan in the hallway that is reviewed often, just in case my children have the urge to make those kind of STUPID decisions!)

Our 4th of July celebrations started on the 3rd. Jaden and I went to the North stake to watch my moms choir perform along with the stake orchestra. It's absolutely beautiful. There was a veteran there that was 92 years old a served in Pearl Harbor along with many many others who have served our country and still serve our country along with officers and firefighters.

For the 4th John and I took the kids to see Wall-e. What a great movie. Even though there is little dialect, I think they did a wonderful job having the robots display human emotion. The kids really enjoyed it and so did John and I.

After the movie we went in search for fireworks and found them at a nearby stand. Then it was off to Charles and Becky's house for eating swimming and good company! (Thank you Charles and Becky for a good time and for your home)

Then it was over to my parents for the firework Finale!!!

I think Owen was more interested in his sucker then the fireworks.

Our night ended with a quiet bang, Jaden, Bradley, and Owen tucked into their beds just past 11:30pm, John reading his book and me watching Northhanger Abby!!

PUMP IT UP

Wednesday to get out of the house the kiddos and I went to PUMP IT UP!! And boy did we have a BLAST!! I think that this is going to be our new summer hang out! Here are some of our highlights.

(I think my video settings on my camera were messed with, because the quality is really poor.)
We had such a great time that we went back the next day with my younger sisters Candice and Julie.

They have 2 rooms of bouncing fun. You get quite the work out between the 2 rooms and going up the slide carrying Owen had to of done something for me beside make my muscles sore! When we got home both days the kids all crashed and I got some quiet time to get stuff done. It was nice!

It was so great to get a change of scenery and the best part is that it's only $7.oo per kid and Owen and I were FREE!! That's right parents play for FREE!!! The down part is that there are only 2 locations in town and they are both on the south side. I think that they need to show the north west some love and build a Pump it Up over here!!

Catch-up

Jaden has been on Summer Break now for 2 weeks. What fun have we been up to-not much! My big Bro Josh graduated from Pharmacy School on June 6 at 9 in the morning- on the complete opposite side of town. All of us, but Owen had been sick with a cold all week and seemed by Thursday to finally be recoved. Of coarse Friday morning when I have to be out the door by 7:30- poor Owen wakes up with a really bad cough and a soar throat. Well, I get everyone ready and rush out the door. When we get to the graduation Owen has a fever and being the great mom that I am I have no Tyenol to give him relief. When we get back home I get him all taken care of and put him down for a nap. When he wakes up he seems to be doing much better. Saturday morning he gets up with a fever again, but besides that and his cough- he still seems to be okay. I put him down for his morning nap and when he woke- he was a bit lathargic and was having trouble breathing (his chest was sinking in about 2 inches-SCARY). I rush him to the urgent car and they take him back right away. They pull the Doctor out of a room, hook him up to monitors and give him a breathing treatment. The Doctor tells my that his oxygen is really low and he thinks that he should be taken by abulance to the hospital. Okay FREAK OUT moment. How did this cold turn into something so terrible so quickly?? Anyway, after an abulance ride, a chest x-ray and 3 breathing treatment later-- he is fine, it's just croup. The good Doc. perscribes a steriod for throat and chest and Anbuteral, he was back to normal in a few days. I knew that croup could get bad, but none of my kids ever had it before. I feel for all the parents with poor children that get croup alot!!
(Owen after his breathing treatments and a dose of steriods, he was so hyper jumping around the hospitals crib like he hadn't had any trouble breathing just 20 minutes earlier!)


With gas prices being as high as they are we havent done much of anything. I took the kids to the library, they have had friends over and spent the night at Grandmas. We are pretty boring!!!



I have a problem sometimes, remembering all of the blessing that I have in my life from time to time and I feel that all I do is complain and whine about it. As if no one else in the world is going through the same thing! Heaven Father always have a wonderful way of pulling me out of it. At church I have the oppotunity to teach the beehives. I love it!! Just being around them, talking to them and being able to help guild then is such a wonderful blessing in my life. I would be completely content serving them for the remander of my days!! It is often though the lessons I teach them that Heaven Father humbles me and I am truely greatful!! Well right now in YW everything is crazy busy. Camp is soon approaching and I able to go again! (Thank you to John's Mom my Mom and my lovely sister Jami for watching my kids!) I LOVE camp! What a great opportunity to get to know the girls, not just my Beehives, but all the girls on a more personal level and also for us leaders to continue to bond so that we can serve the girls better.



Hopefully our summer wont be completely lacking in the fun department and we will have some adventures!