Pages

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Girl's Camp

I know I haven't blogged about our London/Paris trip yet but I promise it is coming.  There are just SO MANY photos it is a little overwhelming but I plan on working on that tomorrow.

Camp photos are a lot easier so I thought I would share about our week at camp.

After being home for less than 48 hours Tessa and I headed out to Camp Namanu in Sandy for our Stake Girls Camp at 6:30 a.m. Monday morning.

Camp was a day short this year because of the Pioneer Trek so we went Monday through Friday.  Tessa was a YCL (Youth Camp Leader) and I was one of the Craft Ladies.  Fortunately I had everything ready to go before I left for Europe.

My co-craft leader was Nanette Cobbley - we had a great time together and looked pretty cute in our pretty aprons I had made for us.


The girls really liked all the crafts and we got lots of compliments on how cute and fun they were.
Craft time was during free time each day in the afternoon.  We would use the morning to set everything up.  We also had a quilt we put up each day (four of them) that the girls could tie and then put their name in a raffle to win.  One was raffled off each evening during campfire.



Tessa had lots of different jobs as a YCL.  She was in charge of flag ceremony one morning.



She also did the devotional one evening during campfire.  She did a wonderful job and made both her parents proud.  Jim was there working in the kitchen and was able to hear her.  Here is she is preparing for her devotional in the craft house.


They led the girls in lots of VERY LOUD songs and then there was a spiritual message that the girls gave.




Each morning the YCL's also led the girls in VERY LOUD songs at each meal and dismissed each table to go get their food.  They stand on a bench and sing.

 The noise level in Rafters (where we eat) is incredible.  The ceiling is low and the sound just reverberates!  I actually took my ear plugs with me a couple of times because it was SO LOUD.  170 girls can make a lot of noise when they are singing at the top of their lungs and banging on the table!  I've been home 24 hours now and my hearing still hasn't returned to normal!!

Thursday night was Bishopric night so we wore our ward t-shirts.  We play games and then have a Testimony meeting with each of our wards individually.  Unfortunately Tessa had hurt her knee on Tuesday and it had really started to hurt and swell by the end of the week so she wasn't able to do a whole lot.  She kept it wrapped and iced and the nurse said to stay off it as much as possible.

Our ward's color is orange!  Our Bishopric came in second in the canoe race, an annual competition among the Bishoprics.  



We had great weather all week at camp, no rain and not too hot, perfect!

 In addition to crafts I was the cabin mom in a first year cabin.  The week started off a little rough with one of the girls throwing up in the middle of the night and a trip to the nurse.  When we got back from the nurse we found a bat swooshing around our cabin.  Fortunately most of the girls slept through it.  It reappeared the next morning but then I plugged a few holes I found in the side of the cabin and the visits stopped fortunately.

Thanks to some ear plugs and Tylenol PM I was able to sleep the rest of the week.  Who knew that 12 year old girls could snore!

Friday morning Tessa and I left a little early from camp so we could go to the doctor's to have her knee looked at before she left for EFY on Sunday.  They xrayed it and did some blood work and everything came back normal fortunately.  It just needs to heal.  The doctor said we could rent a wheelchair at EFY for her if she wanted.  I told her there would be plenty of boys to push her around.  She wasn't too thrilled about the idea!

Jim and Cali survived the week while Tessa and I were gone.  Cali started work at Costco and seems to like it - she has been working the membership desk this week.  She is in their intern program which gives her full time work and a decent pay rate.  She didn't like having to push the carts around in the parking lot though.

We are enjoying some beautiful weather this weekend so we started the weekend with a trip to the Farmer's Market for breakfast and picked up some veges and some new plants for the garden.  Jim is watching the World Cup and then will get the new plants in the ground!  The girls and I are off to the mall.  Cali needs to wear collared shirts to work and only owns one.  She raided my closet this week so she didn't have to wear the same thing every day!

It's good to be home and in my own bed!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

We're Home - We're Off!

Cali and I arrived home safe and sound but tired Saturday afternoon from London and Paris.  With only about 3 hours sleep in 36 hours we were ready for bed Saturday night.  I am only home for about 36 hours as Tessa and I are headed to Girl's Camp bright and early (6:30 a.m.) Monday morning.

So needless to say Sunday was not a very restful day.  Doing laundry and repacking, getting ready to go!  Fortunately I had all the camp craft stuff ready to go before I left.

Cali and I had an amazing time in London and Paris and we can't wait to tell you all about it and share photos but that will have to wait until we return from camp.

Tessa's biggest concern about me being gone was what she was going to eat all week.  She was a little worried that dad was in charge of cooking all week.  Well, Jim really rose to the occasion.  Not only did he cook some great meals but they took pictures of them too!!  I've trained them well I guess.

So here are some photos of the lovely meals Jim prepared while I was gone!!

One night he made homemade hamburgers.  Jim's secret recipe is Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard in with the hamburger before cooking them.  He kept it healthy too with asparagus, fruit salad and green salad.


 He prepared a lovely fruit salad -  with Oregon strawberries, blueberries and bananas.


 To congratulation Tessa on finishing her junior year of high school Jim grilled T-bone steaks.
Tessa also had breakfast in bed on Sunday.  Other meals included Italian chicken, BBQ chicken and a stirfry another night.  Good work Jim!

We'll see how he does this next week while it is just he and Cali at home!