it's been too long

I will try to post pics this week. Does anyone still read my blog out there?

Girl's Camp

So I've been gone for a week (for those of you who don't facebook). I've enjoyed/endured a week at beautiful Buck's Lake. I was asked to be a tent mom for the first year girls. I have to admit I was a little scared at first I mean, 12 yr olds. I only have one beehive in my class and she's going to be a mia maid next month! I'm glad to have older girls because I'm not much on patience. However, these girls were AMAZING!!! Not one complained about getting out of bed by 6:30, which is more than I can say for our YCL (who happened to be one of my laurels). I was greatful for their excitment and determination. Every girl was excited to get up and do the POLAR BEAR PLUNGE. The Polar Bear Plunge was jumping in the lake at "NO NO Beach" at 6:30 every morning, except for the day we left. Every girl was up and down at the beach in record time, to hopefully get a warm shower after. It was fun, but I must say the water was warmer than the air. It was a nice teambuilding thing as we promised (including me) that we would all do it everyday together. We all won awards for doing it everyday. I apparently won a Hardcore Polar Bear Prize. Probably because I didn't want to get out of the water. I had a different bathroom than the girls so I had less of a fight for a shower. We enjoyed learning a lot of things together, including:

how to cook biscuts on a stick,

making omlets in a ziplock bag,

how to treat a 1st degree burn, and how not to run near a fire (she's okay).



We also learned that taking a double dose of Benadryl helps you not be afarid to conqure the rock wall,





and we learned how to work together to conqure the "copes course",

we learned we are truly sisters and are willing to do all we can to keep one another on the straight and narrow. We learned that we can strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ throughout our lives. we know that our Father in Heaven wanted us to know that our mission in life is possible, but we can't hold it inside and not share it with the world. I'm greatful for the blessing of being in the Young Women's program and for all that they do, they teach me even more than I can ever teach them. Before I thought teaching principles and history would help them understand where we come from. Now I know they are learning for themselves who they are.
I look forward to this week, I'll get to see one of the older girls. It will be a blast! I'm just sad that our wards are so far apart. Each ward is about 1-2 hours away. We are the only one's building. Every other building has 1 to 2 wards in it. I miss all my girls already and wish they could all be in my ward.

Waterpark Fun!

Today we had our first trip to the waterpark. We will be going many more times this year. Here we are at the beginning of our trip. As you can see we need a lot of sunscreen for Keith.

Brenden was really brave today. We started the day by going down the green slide behind Keith, a slide that Brenden and I got to do together on a double tube. Quickly followed by both the blue and red slides, which B did ALONE! He did a great job of catching the lifeguard's float awaiting. He asked to go on them over and over. Eventhough he was submerged he loved it.Brenden again enjoying one of the kid play area's. This is the one Kaleigh was afraid of.

Then, trying to get them to come up. I got drenched by cold water and Keith so kindly took a picture.

Here's the brave guy again getting ready for another kid area. This time with his own tube. I think he's ready for a solo. But I wasn't ready yet.

And my favorite picture of the day...

Here is B doing the kid slides solo... he did this for about 4 hours without any help. Just me watching from the pool. I was so impressed.

Kaleigh wasn't brave enough to go on her own just yet. Maybe a few more weeks. She stayed close to daddy the whole time.
All wiped out and ready to go...

oh, I knew I was pale from the past few summers being indoors, and living in snow areas, with little days off... but um...

Oh, and prior to today my face is officially burned and peeling. That hasn't happened since I was about 10, maybe 11. I just wanted to share with you all my wonderfully modest tan line. HA! Honestly even if I didn't have a "mom" body, I'd still wear board shorts and a rash guard. But I'd only share my rash guard line with y'all. ;)

Kaleigh's Party.

That's Kaleigh's cake. What else would she have wanted. She loves horses and it was a perfect fit to her theme of presents this year. All she asked for was a horse, and since we couldn't afford it, or wanted one... ha! We spoiled her with tons of apparel from her new favorite store Boot Barn.She couldn't wait to blow out her candles. She blew them out a few times before we started to sing.


Here is a pic of her wearing some of her gifts... just so ya know our garage is cleaned up now.

You Are Invited

Here's the view of our new place. You can't see too well, but we have a pretty nice front patio. There's room for a small table. But for now we only have a pair of chairs.

Here's our back patio or part of it.

Most of our backyard is taken up by the patio. Which we can't wait to have people over to entertain. But when it's too cold we'll come on in. We know our furniture is hideous. But it's comfy.

My Amazing Weekend

Thanks to Ashely you guys are getting this post. I had not decided how to post my weekend experience... because I have zero notes. To me that's just odd. Usually I have pages upon pages of what I experienced. So some of you who do not visit my Facebook are wondering what happened. Only one of the most amazing experiences in my life. On Friday I was honored to attend a meeting called by President Monson to be held by Elder Bednar, Elder Anderson and Elder Zwick. Unfortunately due to some illness Keith was unable to attend and took care of the two ill little ones. Thanks hubby-sand. So I'm there and there are over 1400 other young singles and young marrieds, along with a few infants...

I sit there so excited for the talks to come. I pull out my iPhone and my favorite note application... so here's my notes:

Young Adult Mtng Reno NV 5/15/2009
Elder Bednar
1.

(everyone who has pda's, pens, paper or anyother device to take notes put them away, I do not want you to miss anything the spirit has to teach you.)

Yea, that's it. Then following that Elder Bednar told us that they were here not to give talks but to answer any questions we may have. From that I new I had a questions bothering me. However there was no way that this completely personal question was going to be asked especially since it was regarding someone who was there. I watched as some people asked questions. The first was a young lady who is a convert, and is getting married this year. I guess she has the unfortunate experience of having people around her telling her that she needs to prepare for the Second Coming. Also telling her that she need not spend money on a wedding since food storage is more important. Well after the settling down of laughter that erupted. Elder Bednar sweetly said, it was up to us to prepare ourselves spiritually, but not one person knows when that day will be. We need to prepare ourselves in the best way we can, even if that means one extra can of beans at a time. We do not need to go out of our way to have a year's worth of food storage, if we do not have the means to do it.

Another question that stuck out was one of a young 32 yr old young man who stood up and said with some pain was "I'm 32 years old and single. I want to find my place in the church. I've tried going to a single's ward and I'm out of place. I've tried going to a family ward and I'm out of place." Elder Bednar put his arm around this young man and said so sweetly 'You have a place in this church. Never feel that just because of your marital status. You do.' Then I forget if it was Elder Andersen or Elder Zwick but he so lovingly said "All those women in the audiance between the ages of 27 and 32 please stand. (we all laughed) He then proceeded to tell of how wonderful and pure this young man's heart is. Him standing up and saying that was true to show his heart was pure and worthy'. He then told this young man to keep true to who he is and that he will find peace in who he is and not to feel pressure of his peers.

Another young woman stood up with an infant in her arms saying that she was a young mother of 5 and wants to know how to balance work, church and family because she feels that if she focuses on one the others will feel that they lack the attention. Elder Bednar then told all of us "there is no such thing as multitasking. It does not exist." If you give 100% attention to one thing others will not have that attention, and that is okay.

Upon the end of our time he asked everyone that had a question, it was not asked by anyone else, and they received an answer to please raise their hand. An overwhelming amount of people raised their hands, and I realized then was he was going to say.

Their reason for coming was not to teach us any lesson or principle. Their reason for visiting was to help us understand that we can always receive and answer to our questions by listening to the spirit.

At the end we were all allowed to walk up and shake their hands.

It was amazing night. I'm so grateful for them visiting us.

We also had the honor of had the honor of having Elder Zwick to preside over our special stake confrence. It was amazing. We had wonderful talks and one challange from Elder Zwick. Two of the talks were given by President and Sister Moyle the temple president and matron of the Reno temple. I had the spirit speak to me. I know the importance of the temple. Personally I have the desire to attend the temple once each month for six months fromt he challange that was issued to us. The challange that was given was: Read the Book of Mormon and write a one page paper, do this as many times as you can within six months. So I'm reading a lot lately.

By the way I got to sing in Stake confrence. Meaning I got to sit up on the stand the entire time... was a little nerve racking.

I love you all and hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.

My Sweet Princess

Dear Kaleigh dear,

I cannot sleep I'm thinking of you. How three years ago this day I saw you. How you looked so beautiful to me, and everyone else who could see. The first time I saw you I knew you were going to be daddy's little girl. I remember the exact feeling of your cheek against mine as the nurse let me have your face against me as long as I could. I remember your big brown eyes and your beautiful thick hair.
I remember all I could think was please let your big Brother take care of you and keep you safe. Please let the two of you know how much you mean to one another. From the very start he took good care of you and would fall asleep watching you sleep. He loves you so much and will always be there for you.Oh how I remember your first Christmas. How happy you were. You didn't care about presents or things all you wanted was to be held by Grandpa Great and laugh as he tickled you over and over and over again.
Oh I remember your first cold. Poor girl. Daddy kept you company as we nursed you better.
And who could forget our first family vacation. WE had fun even if those boys ditched us to ride cars.

All I can think of what you will be doing on the birthdays after this. How wonderful it will be to celebrate your 8th and what I hope we have taught you becoming something you beleive yourself. How I hope your faith grows. I think of your 16th when all you'll talk about is going on your first date, and how you hope to drive daddy's car. I think of your 18th when you'll be ready to graduate and go on to college. I think of the first birthday you'll celebrate without us, either away at school or whatever it may be. I think of one day when you have a family of your own and you will one day welcome your own daughter in the world. And one day reflect on her first three years of life and say there are so many more to come.

I love you Kaleigh! I love you for who you are, even if it's a screaming tantrum fit at 7am on the way to school.