Girls Camp 2010

Trish Neville offered my name to help with the 3rd year hike this year which I was absolutely ok with. I have always loved girls camp and the last time I was able to go was in 2004. That year I went with Sara and we were just helpers to the Stake. I was so excited to go and Jesús was asked to go and cook. I wasnt able to go up until Wednesday and Trish and I were going to go together and stay one night and come home after the hike. It was great to see Jesús there helping out in the kitchen and he even carved me a walking stick for the hike and burned our initials into it. The weather was perfect and it was so much fun to hang out with everyone. We got to listen to the girls sing the camp songs and goof off around the camp fire and then sing hymns. When it got dark enough we went out to the meadow to look at the stars. I got to fulfill one of my wishes which was to play my guitar around the campfire. I didn't know a lot of songs but it was still fun. That night I got all snuggled into my sleeping bag and I was warm but I couldn't go to sleep. I started to feel pretty nauseous. Around 5:15 we got up to use the potty and when we got back in bed I still didn't feel any better. I got up in case it got worse. I sat out by the fireless fire pit and waited for people to wake up. I started feel a little hungry. I ate some breakfast and started to feel sick again. I really didn't want to miss out on the hike so Jesús offered to give me a blessing. It was a wonderful blessing and I started to feel better. We all got ready to go and I wasn't feeling 100% better but I wasn't going to miss the hike. Once we started hiking though I felt fine and I enjoyed the hike to Cannel Meadow. We got there and I was exhausted from no sleep the night before. I almost fell asleep sitting on a log. We had lunch and Sonnet and Trish taught the girls about using a compass and I taught them about water purification. It was a nice break. Jesús and David showed up and said they had spotted some bears in the meadow next to ours and Jesús offered to drive me back. I really wanted to finish the hike. The hike back was hard. So hard. It was in the middle of the afternoon and so hot and uphill for about 2 1/2 miles. I probably stopped every 10 minutes. I was so relieved when we got to the top and after that the downhill part was a piece of cake. The girls were amazing. I hope I was that strong when I was their age but I'm sure I wasn't. It felt like a big accomplishment when we got back to camp. Once we got back I decided to lay down and I fell asleep for a few minutes. When I woke up for dinner I was feeling sick again. I took some medicine and felt ok enough to help Trish pack up. Jesús helped get the tent packed and made some dinner in case I felt better on the way home. Then we headed out. We made it home at about 10 and it felt so good to get home to shower and sleep in my own bed. I was so disappointed that I was sick and I was probably so annoying and whiny. We did hike 3 1/4 mile soon after we got there and Ryan Bunting was pretty sure it was Altitude sickness. When we got down to Kernville I was feeling better so I hope that doesn't become a regular thing. Next time I will give my body a chance to get used to the altitude before I hike anything.

The great Kitchen Staff

Sonnet The Leader

I love a good campfire

Sonnet took the girls on a little detour to see this view. Isn't it amazing?

This is the beautiful meadow we hiked into

Pioneer Day

I really miss Pioneer day at the Kern county museum. It was so fun with snow cones and tacos and corn dogs. Well this year, our ward put on a little something in our building. I was really hot outside so it was nice to have it inside. We did have a little pioneer trek outside around the parking lot and I got a little taste of what it would have been like. About a third of the way around Elena wanted to be carried and Patrick wanted to go back. To keep him mentally occupied I told him about the pioneers and how hard it was for them and he seemed pretty interested that they had to walk so much and sleep outside. Jesús was rafting so he missed out on all the fun. We went inside and I asked Stevie Gabbitas to take Patrick out to the games which were I think water balloon toss and tug of war. I stayed inside and let Elena color a pioneer picture and enjoy the air conditioning. After the games we had chili from the chili contest and pie from the pie contest. I made a strawberry pie and won an award for best strawberry pie. Second pie I have ever made and it was Joy Johnsons recipe. Thanks Joy!! The kids really enjoyed the pie and pigged out.

I grabbed a pioneer bonnet for the kids to play with when we got home. Patrick was being a stinker and wouldn't put it on but I must say, Elena would have made one cute pioneer!

A total stranger saved my kids today

I was getting my kids into our new/used double jogger this morning in the BC parking lot. I had them in and the stroller packed. I put the lock on the brake and went to quickly put my purse in the back of the car. I shut the door and the stroller was gone. Gone!!!!! I looked across the parking lot and saw them rolling away very quickly it was like a movie that you think would never happen to you. I started running as fast as I could but I wasnt going to get to them by the time they hit the speed bump and went right into the traffic pulling into the parking lot. Luckily the van that pulled in noticed something was wrong and slowed down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone running. I looked and saw a young guy with flip flops on running faster than I was. He got there just in time, maybe a foot away from the speed bump. I cried and told him thank you over and over again. I'm so grateful he was there. He was my angel today. I'm grateful my kids are safe, and now I know not to use the brake lock on the double jogger. I almost didn't post this because I felt so stupid and embarrassed but I feel grateful even more so I did post it.

Gardenias and I go way back

Many years ago when I was in elementary school, I felt lonely a lot. I knew a lot of kids that I went to school with but I didnt have a best friend because the only best friend I had known was a year older than me in school and we didn't spend time together at school very much. I didn't feel as cool as she was. I was very naive and gullible and I got teased because of how I ate my sandwiches with my sensitive teeth. One day I felt particularly lonely and I didnt have any one to sit with at lunch so I went to the office and called my Mom. She asked if I wanted her to come to school and sit with me while I ate. I said yes. She came and I climbed in the car and we sat in the parking lot while I ate. She started to tell me about her Gardenia plant that she had in her front yard that wouldn't bloom. She had been waiting and waiting for it to bloom. Well that morning a flower had bloomed and she said it must have bloomed for me. So she picked that flower and she gave it to me. I cried and felt so blessed to have such a wonderful mother. After I finished eating I said goodbye to my Mom and hugged her. I started walking back to class and one of my friends from band saw me and asked why I was crying. I told her that I had felt lonely and that my Mom had saved the day. She put her arm around me and told me she would walk with me back to class.

When we moved into a house, I knew that I wanted to plant Gardenias so that I could always remember that day. I bought a Gardenia plant and planted it, I was worried because after a while it started to look a little droopy so I fertilized it and watered it more and it in a few days it started to look much better. All these little buds started growing and I was so excited for it to bloom. On Sunday I walked outside to find a small Gardenia flower. It is so beautiful and now there are so many of them. Thank you Mom. I hope I can be that kind of Mom.

The Longest 4th of July ever

I'm not kidding. It started Saturday morning with the pancake breakfast at Craig and Marci Nevilles house. Jesús was helping with the cooking and I got up late so by the time the kids and I got there he had to go down to the rafting warehouse. My oldest and dearest friend Lori helped me get the kids fed and then I let them run around a bit.

Jesús was going to be rafting all day and I really didnt want to wait for him to get home for us to do some fun stuff so we headed up to the Nichols place for swimming and BBQ. It was fun to hang out with the friends from our old ward and meet some new ones.

Elena was hilarious with these goggles and tube on.

Patrick hadn't seen Lucy in such a long time and he had a great time playing with her.

After a few hours of swimming and eating I took the kids home for a nap. When Jesus got home we packed up dinner and went to the Monica field ballpark. There was a small group there but it was fun to hang out and eat.

We called the Cluffs on our way over to invite them and lucky for us they showed up and we had even a better time. We needed to our Cluff time before they move. Patrick and Holdyn get along so well and they had such a great time.

We bought some sparklers and the kids loved them, ahhh the simple things in life.

The Delgados had bought a bunch of fireworks in Utah and we were lucky enough to watch them. Elena was scared the whole time but Patrick loved them. Elena kept saying she wanted to go home.

The next day after church we decided to go to Katy and Tylers for some more BBQ and fireworks. This is typical Jesús.

Elena loved the sparklers until she got a little burn but she picked it right back up and kept playing.

Patrick loved writing on the ground with them.

After a while we heard the Seven Oaks fireworks going off so we drove over to our old building on Old River Rd. to watch them. Elena was scared again but they were so amazing. If BC doesnt do theirs next year we are definitely going there.

Monday morning we took the Cluffs and their friends, the Nichols and the Manus down the river. It was so much fun. Probably my best time. We even stopped at one point to jump from a tree into the river. I learned I have no balance.

Then afterward we headed to my parents for swimming, naps and BBQ. It was seriously the longest weekend but so fun. I'm still trying to catch up on the house since we were barely home all three days.
Here are the girls paying with the doll house. Elena is eating the baby.

Thank you everyone that let us come to your parties, it made for an amazing 4th of July weekend.

The Shower

We have one of those too. A while back I probably posted some pictures of the shower but now its done and we have loved using it. Its nice not to have to kick all the kids bath toys out of the way.

The doors were put on shortly after this picture was taken. Now all we need to do is paint and decorate!